Terminal mutual access implementation method, network side equipment, storage medium and program product

Abstract

The invention provides a terminal mutual access implementation method, network side equipment, a storage medium and a program product. The method comprises the following steps: under the condition that a first network function receives a first request sent by a second network function, the first network function interacts mutual access routing information of at least part of terminals in a first terminal mutual access group to which a first terminal belongs with the second network function, the second network function is a session control and / or management function selected when the first terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to a first terminal mutual access group, and the first request is used for acquiring mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group; first information is sent to the first application platform, the first information comprises mutual access routing information of at least part of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain information needed by mutual access from the first platform to achieve mutual access. According to the method, at least one problem existing in an existing terminal mutual access scheme realized by depending on a network side can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a method for enabling terminal communication, a network-side device, a storage medium, and a program product. Background Technology

[0002] In mobile communication networks, terminal interoperability refers to the direct establishment of a service transmission channel between two terminals connected to the mobile communication network to achieve service data exchange without having to go through interfaces such as N6 / SGi to bypass external routing equipment and / or servers.

[0003] One existing method for enabling terminal interoperability relies on the network side. However, this method has several problems. For example, in this method, the User Plane Function (UPF) accessed by the terminal needs to configure Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) tunnels and other information required for terminal interoperability between UPFs with disaster recovery relationships and between UPFs that need to communicate, resulting in a huge configuration workload. At the same time, this method requires pre-determining which UPF the terminal needs to access is connected to and pre-configuring the data, and does not support dynamic selection of UPFs to complete the interoperability, resulting in poor service flexibility. Furthermore, in scenarios where terminals move across UPF coverage areas, interoperability service may be interrupted, further complicating the flexibility of business application scenarios.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a more advanced terminal interoperability solution to at least solve one of the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a terminal interoperability implementation method, a network-side device, a storage medium, and a program product to solve at least one problem existing in current terminal interoperability schemes that rely on network-side implementation.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows: Firstly, a method for enabling terminal communication is provided, applied to a first network function, the method comprising: Upon receiving a first request from a second network function, the system interacts with the second network function to obtain mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal belongs. The second network function is a session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first request is used to obtain mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. Send first information to the first application platform, wherein the first information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the information required for mutual access from the first platform to realize mutual access.

[0007] Secondly, a terminal communication implementation method is provided, applied to a second network function, the method comprising: When the first terminal meets the first condition and establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, it interacts with the first network function to exchange mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. The first condition includes subscribing to terminal mutual access service and / or setting terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group. A sixth message is sent to a third network function to assist in realizing the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group. The sixth message includes the inter-terminal access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal access group.

[0008] Thirdly, a method for enabling terminal inter-network communication is provided, applied to a third network function, the method comprising: When the first terminal initiates a mutual access service request for other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, a fourth request is sent to the first network function or to the first network function through the second network function, and a fifth message is received from the first network function or the first network function through the second network function, so as to realize the mutual access service between terminals within the first terminal mutual access group. And / or, Receive the sixth message sent by the second network function to enable inter-terminal access services within the first terminal access group; Wherein, the first terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group, the second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the sixth information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0009] Fourthly, a method for enabling terminal interoperability is provided, applied to a first application platform, the method comprising: Upon obtaining the second information, a fifth request is sent to the first network function, and the first information sent by the first network function is received. The second information includes at least one of the following: terminal inter-access service activation information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; terminal inter-access group configuration information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; and registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal inter-access group. The fifth request is used to obtain the first information, which includes inter-access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal inter-access group to which the first terminal belongs. In response to a query request for the eighth information from the first terminal, the eighth information is sent to the first terminal to enable the first terminal to perform mutual access services for other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: group information of the first terminal mutual access group, mutual access routing information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, and online status information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0010] Fifthly, a terminal communication implementation device is provided, applied to a first network function, the device comprising: The first interaction module is used to interact with the second network function to obtain mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal belongs, upon receiving a first request sent by the second network function. The second network function is a session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first request is used to obtain mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. The first sending module is used to send first information to the first application platform, wherein the first information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the information required for mutual access from the first platform to realize mutual access.

[0011] Sixthly, a terminal communication implementation device is provided, applied to a second network function, the device comprising: The first interaction module is used to interact with the first network function to exchange mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when the first terminal meets the first condition and establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first condition includes subscribing to terminal mutual access service and / or setting terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group. The first sending module is used to send sixth information to the third network function to assist in realizing the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group. The sixth information includes the inter-terminal access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal access group.

[0012] Seventhly, a terminal communication implementation device is provided, applied to a third network function, the device comprising: The first sending module is configured to, when the first terminal initiates a mutual access service request for other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, send a fourth request to the first network function or to the first network function via the second network function, and receive fifth information sent by the first network function or by the first network function via the second network function, so as to realize the mutual access service between terminals within the first terminal mutual access group; and / or, The first receiving module is used to receive the sixth information sent by the second network function in order to realize the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group. Wherein, the first terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group, the second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the sixth information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0013] Eighthly, a terminal inter-access implementation device is provided, applied to a first application platform, the device comprising: The first sending module is configured to send a fifth request to the first network function and receive first information sent by the first network function upon obtaining second information. The second information includes at least one of the following: terminal inter-access service activation information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; terminal inter-access group configuration information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; and registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal inter-access group. The fifth request is used to obtain the first information, which includes inter-access routing information for at least some terminals within the first terminal inter-access group to which the first terminal belongs. The first receiving module is configured to respond to a query request for the eighth information from the first terminal and send the eighth information to the first terminal so that the first terminal can perform mutual access services to other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: group information of the first terminal mutual access group, mutual access routing information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, and online status information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0014] A ninth aspect provides a network-side device, including a processor and a memory, the memory storing a program or instructions executable on the processor, the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implementing the steps of the terminal inter-access implementation method as described in any one of the first, second, and third aspects.

[0015] In a tenth aspect, a non-transient computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a program or instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the terminal access implementation method as described in any one of the first, second, third, and fourth aspects, or implement the steps of the terminal access implementation method as described in the sixth aspect.

[0016] Eleventhly, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product being stored in a storage medium, the computer program product being executed by at least one processor to implement the steps of the terminal access implementation method as described in any one of the first, second, third, and fourth aspects, or to implement the steps of the terminal access implementation method as described in the sixth aspect.

[0017] In a twelfth aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising a first network function, a second network function, a third network function, and a first application platform, wherein the first network function is used to execute the terminal inter-access implementation method as described in the first aspect, the second network function is used to execute the terminal inter-access implementation method as described in the second aspect, the third network function is used to execute the terminal inter-access implementation method as described in the third aspect, and the first application platform is used to execute the terminal inter-access implementation method as described in the fourth aspect.

[0018] In this embodiment, on the one hand, since the first network function can, upon receiving a first request from the second network function, select the session control and / or management functions when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group with the terminal, and exchange mutual access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, this allows the user plane functions selected by the terminals within the first terminal mutual access group to directly obtain the information required for terminal mutual access from the session control and / or management functions to achieve terminal mutual access, or directly or indirectly obtain the information required for terminal mutual access from the first network function to achieve terminal mutual access, without needing to configure the relevant information required for terminal mutual access in the user plane function beforehand. Therefore, the terminal mutual access implementation method provided in this embodiment can support terminal-based... The system dynamically selects third network functions (such as UPF) and assigns dynamic IP addresses to terminals based on location and other information, enabling flexible inter-terminal communication and avoiding the problem of large workload in configuring information required for terminal communication. It also supports load sharing and disaster recovery methods for third network functions (such as group POOL) to improve the resource utilization of user plane functions. On the other hand, since the first network function can also send the communication routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal communication group to the first application platform that can be accessed by the terminals, the terminals in the first terminal communication group can obtain the information required for communication from the first application platform. This allows some information required for terminal communication to be dynamically configured rather than statically fixed, resulting in greater flexibility and better support for terminal mobility. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of mutual access between terminals under the same UPF in a local area scenario in related technologies.

[0021] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of inter-terminal communication under different UPFs in a local area scenario in related technologies.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of mutual communication between terminals accessing different UPFs and whose UPFs belong to different SMF POOLs in a wide-area scenario in related technologies.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the terminal communication principle in a local area scenario where participating terminals access the same UPF, and the UPF adopts a primary / backup disaster recovery approach.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of terminal interoperability in a wide-area scenario where participating terminals access different UPFs, and the UPFs employ a primary / backup disaster recovery approach.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of terminal interoperability in a wide-area scenario where participating terminals access different UPFs, and the UPFs employ a primary / backup disaster recovery approach.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario applicable to the terminal mutual access implementation method proposed in this application embodiment.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a service-oriented network architecture applicable to non-roaming scenarios for the terminal mutual access implementation method proposed in the embodiments of this application.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a 5G network architecture applicable to non-roaming scenarios for the terminal inter-access implementation method proposed in this application embodiment.

[0029] Figure 10 This is another network architecture to which the terminal mutual access implementation method proposed in the embodiments of this application is applicable.

[0030] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a terminal communication implementation method provided by some embodiments of this application.

[0031] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating a terminal communication implementation method provided by some embodiments of this application.

[0032] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating a terminal communication implementation method provided by some embodiments of this application.

[0033] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating a terminal communication implementation method provided by some embodiments of this application.

[0034] Figure 15This is a flowchart illustrating a terminal communication implementation method provided by some embodiments of this application.

[0035] Figure 16 This is a flowchart illustrating a terminal communication implementation method provided by some embodiments of this application.

[0036] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of enabling / configuring terminal mutual access service permissions and terminal mutual access group information in a terminal mutual access implementation method provided by some embodiments of this application.

[0037] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal mutual access implementation device provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0038] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal mutual access implementation device provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0039] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal mutual access implementation device provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0040] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal mutual access implementation device provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0041] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal mutual access implementation device provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0042] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal mutual access implementation device provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0043] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal mutual access implementation device provided in some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of one or more embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0045] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application and the claims are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, in this application and the claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0046] Currently, there are two main ways to achieve inter-terminal communication: Method 1: Application-based terminal communication, where a terminal accesses a specific application (such as WeChat APP), and information exchange between terminals is achieved on the application side. This method requires an external server and involves some routing detours.

[0047] Method 2: Implementation relies on the network side, including solutions for local area scenarios and wide area scenarios. Local area scenarios refer to communication between terminals belonging to the same Session Management Function Pool (SMF POOL) or the same Packet Data Network Gateway - Control plane Pool (PGW-CPOOL) serving the same region. Wide area scenarios refer to communication between terminals belonging to different SMF POOLs or different PGW-C POOLs serving different regions.

[0048] This application primarily provides a terminal interoperability solution based on Method 2. The following description uses terminal interoperability in a 5G network as an example; the solution in a 4G scenario is similar.

[0049] In related technologies, the application scenarios for terminal interoperability solutions based on method 2 (relying on network-side implementation) may include at least one of the following: I. Terminal Interoperability Solution in Local Area Network Scenario (1) Scenario 1: Inter-terminal communication under the same UPF For scenarios involving inter-device communication within the same UPF, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 .like Figure 1 As shown, UE1 and UE2 are registered to the network and both access UPF1; UE3 and UE4 are registered to the network and both access UPF2. When UE1 and UE2 need to communicate with each other, or when UE3 and UE4 need to communicate with each other, both terminals participating in the communication need to obtain the IP address of the other party in advance. Therefore, static IP addresses need to be pre-assigned to UE1 and UE2, or static IP addresses need to be pre-assigned to UE3 and UE4.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, taking the terminal communication between UE1 and UE2 as an example, UPF1 can perform service forwarding in the following two ways: Internal forwarding mode: When UPF1 confirms that the IP address of the destination terminal is the IP address of a terminal within the local area of ​​the UPF, it directly completes the routing and forwarding between UEs within UPF1. The forwarding path is indicated by the reference numeral 11 in the attached figure.

[0051] External forwarding mode: In this mode, UPF1 does not need to confirm whether the IP address of the destination terminal is the IP address of the local terminal. Instead, it forwards the packet to the external data network (DATA NET, DN) through the N6 interface. The packet is then forwarded back by the routing device in the external data network. The forwarding path is shown in the attached figure, indicated by label 12.

[0052] (2) Scenario 2: Terminal interoperability across different UPFs For scenarios involving terminal access between different UPFs, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 .like Figure 2 As shown, UE1 and UE2 access UPF1, and UE3 and UE4 access UPF2. When UE1 / UE2 and UE3 / UE4 need to communicate with each other, both terminals participating in the communication need to obtain the IP address of the other party in advance. Therefore, static IP addresses need to be assigned to UE1 / UE2 and UE3 / UE4 in advance.

[0053] like Figure 2 As shown, taking the terminal communication between UE1 and UE3 as an example, UPF1 and UPF2 can forward services in the following two ways: Forwarding via external DN: UPF1 forwards packets from UE1 to the external data network via the N6 interface. The routing device in the external data network then forwards the packets to UPF2, and UPF2 then forwards them to UE3. The forwarding path is shown in the attached diagram, indicated by label 23. This method depends on the routing configuration of the external DN.

[0054] Forwarding via GRE tunnel: A GRE tunnel 21 is pre-configured between UPF1 and UPF2. UPF1 and UPF2 forward mutual access messages between UE1 and UE3 through GRE tunnel 21. The forwarding path is indicated by the attached figure 22.

[0055] II. Terminal Interoperability Solution in Wide Area Scenarios In wide-area scenarios, terminals communicating with each other access different UPFs, and these UPFs belong to different SMFPOOLs. For example, ... Figure 3As shown, UE1 and UE3 have signed up for static IP addresses. UE1 and UE3 are connected to UPF1 and UPF2 respectively. UPF1 belongs to SMF POOL1, and UPF2 belongs to SMF POOL2. When UE1 and UE3 need to communicate with each other, both need to obtain the other's IP address in advance. Therefore, static IP addresses need to be pre-assigned to UE1 and UE2. A GRE tunnel 31 is pre-configured between UPF1 and UPF2. UPF1 and UPF2 forward communication packets between UE1 and UE3 through GRE tunnel 31. The forwarding path is shown in the attached figure, indicated by label 32.

[0056] III. Disaster Recovery Methods of Existing Terminal Interoperability Solutions As noted in the background section of this application, currently only UPF-based disaster recovery in a primary / backup manner is supported for terminal interoperability in both local and wide-area scenarios; "1+1 mutual backup disaster recovery" of UPF is not supported. The following sections will explain the different scenarios.

[0057] Scenario 1: When terminals that need to access each other are connected to the same UPF, the UPF adopts a primary and backup disaster recovery mode, and a backup GRE tunnel is configured between the primary UPF and the backup UPF to enable terminal access.

[0058] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, in a local area scenario, UE1 and UE2 access UPF1, and UE3 and UE4 access UPF2. UPF1 and UPF2 belong to the same SMF POOL. UPF1 is the primary UPF for UE1 and UE2, and UPF2 is the backup UPF for UE1 and UE2.

[0059] When the primary UPF1 is in normal operation, both UE1 and UE2 access the primary UPF1. Internally, UPF1 handles the forwarding of communication messages between UE1 and UE2, with the forwarding path as follows: Figure 4 The figure below is indicated by reference numeral 41.

[0060] When the primary UPF1 fails, both UE1 and UE2 reconnect to the backup UPF2. Within UPF2, message forwarding between UE1 and UE2 is implemented, with similar forwarding paths. Figure 4 The forwarding path of mutual access messages between UE2 and UE4 is indicated by reference numeral 44 in the attached figure.

[0061] When the primary UPF1 recovers from a fault state to a normal state, some UEs that need to communicate may access from the backup UPF2, while others may access from the primary UPF1. In this case, it is necessary to forward terminal communication messages through the backup GRE tunnel between the primary UPF1 and the backup UPF2. For example, Figure 4As shown, if UE2 is connected to the primary UPF1 and UE3 is connected to the backup UPF2, then the communication packets between UE1 and UE3 can be forwarded through the backup GRE tunnel 42 between the primary UPF1 and the backup UPF2. The forwarding path is as follows: Figure 4 The figure below is indicated by reference numeral 43.

[0062] Scenario 2: UEs requiring interoperability access are connected to different UPFs, and the UPFs employ a primary / backup disaster recovery approach. Taking wide-area terminal interoperability as an example, on the one hand, a backup GRE tunnel needs to be configured between the primary and backup UPFs for packet forwarding during disaster recovery failover; on the other hand, GRE tunnels need to be configured between UPFs in different regions for packet forwarding between UPFs for terminal interoperability. In other words, GRE tunnels need to be configured between every pair of UPFs that have disaster recovery relationships and require interoperability, resulting in a huge workload.

[0063] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, when the primary UPF1 fails and the primary UPF3 is in normal operation, in area 1, UE1 accesses the backup UPF2, and in area 2, UE3 accesses the primary UPF3. UE1 accesses UE3 through the pre-configured GRE tunnel 54 between UPF2 and UPF3 to achieve terminal communication message forwarding, and the forwarding path is indicated by reference numeral 57 in the attached figure.

[0064] For example, such as Figure 6 As shown, when both primary UPF1 and primary UPF3 fail, UE1 accesses backup UPF2 in area 1, and UE3 accesses backup UPF4 in area 2. UE1 accesses UE3 through the pre-configured GRE tunnel 53 between UPF2 and UPF4 to achieve terminal communication message forwarding, and the forwarding path is indicated by the attached figure label 58.

[0065] In addition, Figure 5 or Figure 6 In this configuration, when primary UPF1 is in normal operation and primary UPF3 fails, UE1 accesses primary UPF1 in area 1 and UE3 accesses backup UPF4 in area 2. UE1 accesses UE3 via a pre-configured GRE tunnel 55 between UPF1 and UPF4, enabling terminal communication message forwarding. When both primary UPF1 and primary UPF3 are in normal operation, UE1 accesses primary UPF1 in area 1 and UE3 accesses primary UPF3 in area 2. UE1 accesses UE3 via a pre-configured GRE tunnel 51 between UPF1 and UPF3, enabling terminal communication message forwarding. Furthermore, primary UPF1 and backup UPF2 can synchronize information via a pre-configured GRE tunnel 52, and primary UPF3 and backup UPF4 can synchronize information via a pre-configured GRE tunnel 56.

[0066] Research has revealed that the terminal interoperability solution based on method 2 described above has at least one of the following problems: 1) Limited disaster recovery methods: The UPF accessed by the terminal only supports disaster recovery in primary and backup mode, and does not support "1+1 mutual backup disaster recovery" of UPF, resulting in low resource utilization of UPF.

[0067] 2) Huge workload for data configuration: If a primary-backup disaster recovery mode is adopted, GRE tunnels and other information required for terminal interoperability need to be configured between UPFs with disaster recovery relationships and between UPFs that need to communicate with each other, resulting in a huge workload for data configuration. Especially when deploying terminal interoperability services on a large scale, the number of GRE tunnels required increases exponentially, putting enormous pressure on the equipment load.

[0068] 3) IP address restriction: Existing solutions all use static IP addresses signed by the UE when deploying applications, and do not currently support terminal communication in scenarios with dynamic IP address allocation.

[0069] 4) Poor flexibility and insufficient support for terminal mobility: The relevant technologies require that the terminals that need to communicate with each other be identified in advance in which UPF they are connected to, and data configuration must be performed in advance. They do not support dynamic selection of UPF to complete the communication, resulting in poor service flexibility. Furthermore, in scenarios where terminals move across the coverage area of ​​different UPFs, communication services may be interrupted.

[0070] To address at least one of the aforementioned problems, this application proposes a method for implementing terminal interoperability, which can meet the terminal interoperability requirements in both local area and wide area scenarios. For example, as Figure 7 As shown, the terminal communication implementation method proposed in this application can satisfy not only the communication between UE1 and UE2 in a local area scenario (as indicated by reference numeral 71 in the attached diagram of the terminal communication message forwarding path between them), but also the communication between UE1 and UE3 in a wide area scenario (as indicated by reference numeral 72 in the attached diagram of the terminal communication message forwarding path between them). Figure 7 In this context, UE1 and UE2 access the UPF in UPF POOL1, which belongs to SMF POOL1 and serves area A; UE3 and UE4 access the UPF in UPF POOL2, which belongs to SMF POOL2 and serves area B.

[0071] The terminal interoperability implementation method proposed in this application is applicable to 5G networks, 4G networks, 4G / 5G converged networks, etc., and can also be used or referenced in subsequent 6G mobile communication networks and future generations of mobile communication networks.

[0072] In some embodiments, the implementation of the terminal mutual access method proposed in this application relies on a newly added first network function, such as the Application and Network Data Providing Function (ANDPF). The ANDPF can be deployed independently or co-located with other network functions.

[0073] In some embodiments, the terminal communication implementation method proposed in this application can be applied to, but is not limited to, methods such as... Figure 8 , Figure 9 or Figure 10 In the network architecture shown.

[0074] Figure 8 This illustrates a service-oriented network architecture in a non-roaming scenario. For example... Figure 8As shown, the network architecture includes: User Equipment (UE), Radio Access Network (RAN), core network elements, and external data network (DN). The core network elements include, in addition to the Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), Network Exposure Function (NEF), Network Function Repository Function (NRF), Policy Control Function (PCF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Application Function (AF), Edge Application Server Discovery Function (EASDF), Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Service Communication Proxy (SCP), Network Slice Admission Control Function (NSACF), and User Plane Function (UPF), as well as the first network function (such as the ANDPF mentioned above).

[0075] Figure 9 The 5G network architecture in a non-roaming scenario is illustrated. For example... Figure 9 As shown, this network architecture includes: User Equipment (UE), Radio Access Network (RAN), core network elements, and external data network (DN). Similar to... Figure 8 The network architecture shown is in Figure 9 In the 5G network architecture shown, in addition to some original core network elements, a first network function (such as ANDPF mentioned above) has also been introduced.

[0076] Figure 10 This paper illustrates a network architecture for a terminal communication implementation method provided in this application. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the network architecture may include: User Equipment (UE), Radio Access Network (RAN), core network elements, and external data network (DN). The core network elements, in addition to NRF, UDM, PCF, AMF, SMF, and UPF, may also include NEF and the first network function. Furthermore, as... Figure 10 As shown, the network architecture also includes a first application platform, which is a terminal interoperability application platform that can be accessed by terminals.

[0077] exist Figure 10 In the network architecture shown, the first network function can interact with other core network elements (such as SMF, UPF, etc.) to obtain information required for terminal mutual access (such as mutual access routing information as described below); the first application platform can interact with the first network function directly and / or through network capability opening functions (such as NEF, etc.) to obtain at least one of the following information: terminal mutual access group information and mutual access routing information; in addition, the terminal can interact with the first application platform to obtain at least one of the following information: terminal mutual access group information, mutual access routing information, and terminal mutual access user online status.

[0078] The above description uses a 5G network as an example to illustrate the network architecture to which the terminal inter-access implementation method provided in this application is applicable. It should be noted that the terminal inter-access implementation method provided in this application is also applicable to 4G networks, 4 / 5G converged networks, and next-generation networks. For example, access and mobility management function network elements can be 5G AMF and / or 4G MME, session control and / or management functions can be 5G SMF and / or SGW-C / PGW-C / SAEGW-C, and user plane functions can be 5G UPF and / or 4G PGW-U / SAEGW-U.

[0079] In this embodiment, the service transmission channel refers to a logical channel used to realize information transmission and interaction between the terminal and the data network and / or between terminals, such as a PDU (packet data unit) session in a 5G network, or a PDP (packet data protocol bearer) in a 4G network, etc., and is not limited thereto. The data network identifier to which the service transmission channel belongs and / or corresponds can be a 5G data network name (DNN) and / or a 4G access point name (APN), etc., which will not be described again below.

[0080] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal's identification information (user identifier) ​​may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following, which will not be described again below: Generic Public Subscription Identifier (GPSI); Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN); User Permanent Identifier (SUPI); International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

[0081] The following describes a terminal communication implementation method proposed in this application.

[0082] like Figure 11 As shown in the embodiments of this application, a terminal communication implementation method may include: Step 1101: Upon receiving a first request from the second network function, the system interacts with the second network function to obtain mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal belongs. The second network function is a session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first request is used to obtain mutual access routing information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0083] In this context, the first terminal refers to any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group. The content performed by the first terminal can be shared with other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. In a 5G network, the second network function can be SMF (Smart Frame Function).

[0084] Optionally, before step 1101, Figure 11 The method shown may also include at least one of the following: 1) In response to a second request sent by the first business system, enable terminal mutual access service permissions for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. That is, the first network function can support the activation of terminal mutual access service permissions and / or the pre-configuration of terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0085] In some embodiments, the first business system may be an existing business activation system, such as a Business & Operation Support System (BOSS). The first business system may send a first request to the first network function to activate the terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configure the terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0086] 2) Receive the eleventh message, wherein the eleventh message is sent by the fourth network function after it has enabled the terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configured the terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The fourth network function may include user contract data storage function (such as UDM / UDR, etc.) without limitation. The eleventh message includes the terminal mutual access service activation information and / or terminal mutual access group information of the first terminal.

[0087] The terminal mutual access group information opened and / or configured for the first terminal may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; The group identification information of the first terminal to which the first terminal belongs, such as the name of the first terminal to which ... The data network identifier, such as DNN, belongs to and / or corresponds to the service transmission channel of the first terminal's mutual access group.

[0088] It should be noted that the group ID of a terminal mutual access group should be unique across the entire network or within the operator's network.

[0089] Optionally, Figure 11 The method shown may further include: after granting terminal mutual access service permission to the first terminal and / or configuring terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and / or, after receiving the eleventh information, generating the twelfth information locally, the twelfth information including the basic communication information required for terminal mutual access within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0090] The twelfth piece of information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: Identification information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; Identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of the user plane function (hereinafter referred to as user plane function) of the service transmission channel selected by the terminal in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The IP address assigned to a terminal within the first terminal access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group; When a terminal within the first terminal mutual access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, it is assigned terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0091] As an example, the twelfth piece of information may include at least one piece of information as shown in Table 1. It should be noted that the relevant tables provided in the embodiments of this application are mainly for the purpose of explaining the relevant parameters. In actual applications, other forms or expressions may be adopted based on actual needs. This description also applies to other tables provided in the embodiments of this application, which will not be repeated below.

[0092] Table 1. Examples of the twelfth message.

[0093] As an example, the terminal identification information in the first terminal mutual access group, the identification information of the first terminal mutual access group, and the data network identification of the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group can all come from the terminal mutual access service permission opening information and / or the pre-configured terminal mutual access group information.

[0094] Optionally, Figure 11 The method shown may further include updating the twelfth information stored in the first network function when the twelfth information changes. That is, the remaining information in the twelfth information generated by the first network function can be gradually filled in subsequent processes based on the data interaction mechanism. For example, after obtaining the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group through step 1101, the first network function can fill Table 1 based on this information.

[0095] As an example, the information to be populated into Table 1 may include at least one of the following: ① Identification information of the session control and / or management functions (such as SMF identification information) selected by the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group (such as a 5G PDU session corresponding to the terminal mutual access DNN).

[0096] ② When a terminal in the first terminal mutual access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group (e.g., a 5G PDU session corresponding to the terminal mutual access DNN), the session control and / or management functions (e.g., SMF) and / or user plane functions (e.g., UPF) selected by the terminal are used to assign an IP address to the terminal.

[0097] ③ When a terminal in the first terminal mutual access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group (such as a 5G PDU session corresponding to the terminal mutual access DNN), the user plane function identification information (such as UPF identification information) selected is used.

[0098] ④ When a terminal within the first terminal mutual access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function it selects is the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to that terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information is allocated on a per-terminal mutual access group and its associated service transmission channel basis. For the same user plane function, terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information is allocated only once for the same terminal mutual access group. When all service transmission channels established by users within the terminal mutual access group and carried on that user plane function are released, the terminal mutual access group's corresponding terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information is also deleted.

[0099] In some embodiments, the user plane tunnel information for terminal interoperability is allocated by the session control and / or management function (such as SMF) selected by the terminal when establishing the terminal interoperability service transport channel, which controls the allocation of the user plane function (such as UPF) selected by the terminal when establishing the terminal interoperability service transport channel. There are two methods for allocating the user plane tunnel information for terminal interoperability, which will be discussed below. Figure 12 The terminal communication implementation method is described in detail below.

[0100] In some embodiments, a first request from a second network function can be viewed as a subscription message / subscription request from the second network function to the first network function to subscribe to fourth information, wherein the fourth information may include at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group, and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0101] In some embodiments, in step 1101, the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal interacting with the second network function belongs may include at least one of the following: 1) Obtain third information from the first request; and / or, send a third request to the second network function and receive third information sent by the second network function; wherein the third request is used to obtain third information, the third information including mutual access routing information of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group or mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0102] It should be noted that since a terminal may belong to multiple terminal access groups, the access routing information of the terminal to different terminal access groups may be different. To avoid confusion, when referring to the access routing information of a certain terminal, its corresponding terminal access group can be specified. The same applies below, and will not be repeated.

[0103] The first request may be a subscription request / subscription message for the fourth information. In some embodiments, the second network function may also carry third information in the first request, that is, the second network function may report the third information to the first network function while subscribing to the fourth information.

[0104] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, after receiving the subscription message / subscription request, the recipient must send the relevant results to the subscription message requester according to the subscription requirements whenever there are changes in the subscribed content, until it receives the end-subscription / cancel-subscription / unsubscribe request message from the subscription message / subscription request initiator, until it receives the end-subscription / cancel-subscription / unsubscribe request message from the subscription message / subscription request initiator. This will not be elaborated further below.

[0105] The third request may be a subscription request / subscription message regarding third information. Upon receiving the subscription request / subscription message regarding the third information, the second network function returns a subscription event notification carrying the third information to the first network function. The subscription parameters provided in the third request may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0106] In some embodiments, the first network function subscribes to third information via a third request in two ways, and one of them can be selected based on actual needs during implementation: In Method 1, the third request is only used to subscribe to the mutual access routing information of the mutual access group of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal, that is, the third information includes the mutual access routing information of the mutual access group of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal.

[0107] Method 2, the third request is used to subscribe to the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function, that is, the third information includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function.

[0108] Optionally, after receiving the third information, the first network function determines that the previously generated twelfth information has changed, and therefore can update the twelfth information based on the third information. For example, at least one of the following fields in Table 1 above can be filled in based on the third information: the terminal's IP address, the terminal's inter-terminal access user plane tunnel information, the identifier of the session control and / or management function, and the identifier of the user plane function, etc. When filling in the information, the parameters used for matching may include at least one of the following: the terminal's identifier, the identifier and / or name of the inter-terminal access group to which the terminal belongs, the identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the inter-terminal access group belongs and / or the corresponding data network, the identifier of the session control and / or management function, etc.

[0109] 2) In response to the first request, send fourth information to the second network function, wherein the fourth information includes at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group; and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0110] The first request may be a subscription request / subscription message regarding the fourth information. In some embodiments, after determining that the service transmission channel established by the first terminal is a terminal inter-access service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, if the second network function further determines that it has not subscribed to the fourth information with the first network function, it sends a first request to the first network function. After receiving the subscription request / subscription message regarding the fourth information, the first network function returns a subscription event notification carrying the fourth information to the second network function. The subscription parameters carried in the first request may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information for the second network function.

[0111] In some embodiments, the second network function subscribes to the fourth information via a first request in two ways, and one of these methods can be selected based on actual needs during implementation: In Method 1, the first request carries the identification information of the second network function, and / or, the first request carries an indication that only the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions is subscribed to in the first terminal inter-access group is for the first terminal inter-access group. That is, the fourth information includes: inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal inter-access group. Based on the first request, the first network function only feeds back the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions in the first terminal inter-access group in the subscription event notification. Optionally, to support this implementation, the second network function needs to locally store the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access the local node.

[0112] Method 2: The first request is used to subscribe to the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, that is, the fourth information includes the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0113] 3) Receive a fourth request sent by the third network function or by the third network function through the second network function, and send fifth information to the third network function or to the third network function through the second network function, wherein the fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information, and the fifth information includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0114] The fourth request can be a query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information. Upon receiving the query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information, the first network function returns a query notification / subscription event notification carrying the fifth information to the second or third network function. The subscription parameters carried in the fourth request may include at least one of the following: The identification information of the specified terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0115] In this embodiment of the application, the mutual access routing information of a terminal within the first terminal mutual access group may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; Terminal identification information; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of the user plane function selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the session control and / or management functions and / or user plane functions selected by the terminal are used to assign an IP address to the terminal. When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to the terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0116] In the above process, to avoid IP address conflicts assigned to the terminal by different session control and / or management functions (such as SMF) and / or user plane functions (such as UPF), a mechanism to prevent IP address conflicts can be added to the first network function. Therefore, optionally, Figure 11 The terminal communication implementation method shown may further include, after step 1101: After obtaining the third information, it is determined whether there is a conflict between the IP address of the second terminal and the IP address of the third terminal. The second terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group included in the third information, and the third terminal includes other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group other than the second terminal whose IP addresses were allocated when the first network function established the service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. If there is a conflict between the IP address of the second terminal and the IP address of the third terminal, a first instruction message is sent to the second network function, wherein the first instruction message is used to instruct the second network function to reassign an IP address to the second terminal.

[0117] Step 1102: Send first information to the first application platform, wherein the first information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the information required for mutual access from the first platform to realize mutual access.

[0118] As an example, the first information may include at least one of the following: The identifier of the terminal within the first terminal access group; Within the first terminal access group, the terminal establishes an IP address corresponding to the session control and / or management functions or user plane functions selected when the first terminal access group is established. Terminals within the first terminal mutual access group establish identification information corresponding to the user face function selected when entering the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0119] In some embodiments, step 1102 may include: after discovering the first application platform, directly sending first information to the first application platform. The method by which the first network function discovers the first application platform may include at least one of the following: Method 1: Discover the first application platform based on the application platform information configured locally by the first network function; Method 2: Query the fifth network function (such as NRF) based on the thirteenth information to discover the first application platform. The thirteenth information includes at least one of the following: the identifier and / or name of the first terminal mutual access group, the identifier information of the first terminal, and the identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds. Method 3: Discover the first application platform based on the fourteenth information obtained from the terminal inter-access service permission activation information of the first terminal and / or the terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, wherein the fourteenth information includes the group information of the first terminal inter-access group and / or the information of the first application platform to which the first terminal belongs.

[0120] In some other embodiments, step 1102 may include: receiving a fifth request from a first application platform and sending first information to the first application platform, wherein the fifth request is used to obtain the first information.

[0121] The fifth request can be viewed as a subscription message / subscription request for the first information from the first application platform. After receiving the second information, the first application platform can send the fifth request for subscribing to the first network function directly and / or through a network capability open function (such as NEF).

[0122] The second information may include at least one of the following: the activation information of the terminal mutual access service of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, the configuration information of the terminal mutual access group of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, the registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0123] The fifth request may include at least one of the following parameters: The first terminal accesses the identification information of terminals within the group; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The business transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs to and / or corresponds to the data network identifier, etc.

[0124] Figure 11In one terminal inter-access method shown, on the one hand, since the first network function can select the session control and / or management functions when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group with the terminal upon receiving a first request sent by the second network function, and exchange inter-access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal inter-access group, this allows the user plane functions selected by the terminals in the first terminal inter-access group to directly obtain the information required for terminal inter-access from the session control and / or management functions to achieve terminal inter-access, or directly or indirectly obtain the information required for terminal inter-access from the first network function to achieve terminal inter-access, without needing to configure the relevant information required for terminal inter-access in the user plane function in advance. Therefore, the terminal inter-access method provided in this application embodiment can support basic... The implementation method dynamically selects a third network function (such as UPF) and assigns dynamic IP addresses to terminals based on terminal location and other information, enabling flexible inter-terminal communication and avoiding the problem of large workload in configuring information required for terminal communication. It supports load-sharing and disaster recovery methods for third network functions (such as group POOL) to improve the resource utilization of user plane functions. On the other hand, since the first network function can also send the communication routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal communication group to a first application platform accessible to the terminals, terminals within the first terminal communication group can obtain the necessary communication information from the first application platform. This allows some information required for terminal communication to be dynamically configured rather than statically fixed, resulting in greater flexibility and better support for terminal mobility. Furthermore, the IP address conflict resolution methods in some embodiments can also avoid the problem of IP address conflicts between different terminals.

[0125] This application also proposes a terminal mutual access implementation method, which can be applied to a second network function. The second network function can be a session control and / or management function (such as SMF) selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group. Figure 12 As shown, the method may include: Step 1201: When the first terminal meets the first condition and establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group is exchanged with the first network function.

[0126] The first condition includes signing up for terminal mutual access services and / or setting up terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0127] Optionally, prior to step 1201, the second network function may discover the first network function through at least one of the following methods: Method 1: Query the first network function from the fifth network function based on the ninth information. The ninth information may include at least one of the following: network function NF profile, NF service, NF information, NF type, number range, service area, device identifier, terminal inter-access group identifier, and the data network identifier and data type to which the service transmission channel of the terminal inter-access group belongs and / or corresponds. The first network function may be pre-registered with a network storage function (such as an NRF). Since the first network function is a newly added network function (such as a data plane function), it can be named as a new NF type.

[0128] Method 2: Discover the first network function based on the first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is the information of the first network function configured on the second network function.

[0129] It should be noted that when the first network function is discovered based on number segment, service area, etc., it is considered that users accessing each other's terminals may belong to different number segments and / or be distributed in different areas, and different number segments and / or areas may belong to different first network functions. Therefore, in some embodiments, there may be multiple first network functions, that is, multiple first network functions may need to communicate with each other directly and / or through control forwarding functions.

[0130] It should also be noted that other network elements can also discover the first network function through the above methods, which will not be elaborated further.

[0131] In some embodiments, in step 1201, exchanging mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group with the first network function may include at least one of the following: 1) Send a first request to the first network function and receive fourth information sent by the first network function, wherein the first request is used to report third information and / or obtain fourth information, and the fourth information includes at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group, and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0132] The first request may be a subscription request / subscription message regarding the fourth information. In some embodiments, after determining that the service transmission channel established by the first terminal is a terminal inter-access service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, if the second network function further determines that it has not subscribed to the fourth information with the first network function, it sends a first request to the first network function. After receiving the subscription request / subscription message regarding the fourth information, the first network function returns a subscription event notification carrying the fourth information to the second network function. In some embodiments, the second network function may also carry third information in the first request, that is, the second network function may report the third information to the first network function while subscribing to the fourth information. The subscription parameters carried in the first request may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information for the second network function.

[0133] In some embodiments, the second network function subscribes to the fourth information via a first request in two ways, and one of these methods can be selected based on actual needs during implementation: In Method 1, the first request carries the identification information of the second network function, and / or, the first request carries an indication that only the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions is subscribed to in the first terminal inter-access group is for the first terminal inter-access group. That is, the fourth information includes: inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal inter-access group. Based on the first request, the first network function only feeds back the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions in the first terminal inter-access group in the subscription event notification. Optionally, to support this implementation, the second network function needs to locally store the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access the local node.

[0134] Method 2: The first request is used to subscribe to the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, that is, the fourth information includes the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0135] 2) Receive a third request sent by the first network function and send third information to the first network function. The third request is used to obtain the third information, which includes the mutual access routing information of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group or the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function.

[0136] The third request may be a subscription request / subscription message regarding third information. Upon receiving the subscription request / subscription message regarding the third information, the second network function returns a subscription event notification carrying the third information to the first network function. The subscription parameters provided in the third request may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0137] In some embodiments, the first network function subscribes to third information via a third request in two ways, and one of them can be selected based on actual needs during implementation: In Method 1, the third request is only used to subscribe to the mutual access routing information of the mutual access group of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal, that is, the third information includes the mutual access routing information of the mutual access group of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal.

[0138] Method 2, the third request is used to subscribe to the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function, that is, the third information includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function.

[0139] 3) Forward the fourth request from the third network function to the first network function, and forward the fifth information sent by the first network function to the third network function. The fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information, which includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0140] The fourth request can be a query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information. Upon receiving the query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the sixth information, the first network function returns a query notification / subscription event notification carrying the fifth information to the second or third network function. The subscription parameters carried in the fourth request may include at least one of the following: The identification information of the specified terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0141] In this embodiment of the application, the mutual access routing information of a terminal within the first terminal mutual access group may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; Terminal identification information; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of the user plane function selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the session control and / or management functions and / or user plane functions selected by the terminal are used to assign an IP address to the terminal. When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to the terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0142] In the above process, to avoid IP address conflicts assigned to the terminal by different session control and / or management functions (such as SMF) and / or user plane functions (such as UPF), a mechanism to prevent IP address conflicts can be added to the first network function and the second network function. Therefore, optionally, Figure 12 The terminal communication implementation method shown further includes, after step 1201: After sending the third information to the first network function, the second network function receives the first instruction information sent by the first network function, wherein the first instruction information is used to instruct the second network function to reassign the IP address to the second terminal, and the second terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group included in the third information. The first instruction information is used to reassign an IP address to the second terminal, or the first instruction information is used to instruct the sixth network function to reassign an IP address to the second terminal. The IP address reassigned to the second terminal is different from the IP address of the third terminal. The third terminal includes other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group other than the second terminal, whose IP addresses were assigned when the first network function established the service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The sixth network function is the user plane function selected by the second terminal when establishing the service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0143] The second terminal may or may not be the same as the first terminal.

[0144] Optionally, Figure 12One terminal communication implementation method shown may further include at least one of the following (two methods for allocating terminal communication user plane tunnel information to the first terminal) before sending third information to the first network function: Allocation method 1: If the first terminal meets the first condition and the second condition, the third network function is instructed to allocate terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal.

[0145] The first condition includes enabling terminal inter-access service permissions and / or setting terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected when the first terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group. The second condition may include: ① The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is: a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds; ② The third network function has not assigned terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0146] As an example, the second network function can obtain information from UDM / UDR, such as whether the first terminal has subscribed to the terminal inter-access service, set up the terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, and the corresponding service transmission channel name and / or the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel belongs and / or the corresponding data network. After determining that the first terminal meets the first condition, it further determines that the first terminal meets the above-mentioned second condition, and then instructs the third network function to allocate terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group to the first terminal.

[0147] Allocation method 2: If the first terminal meets the first and third conditions, the third network function is instructed to allocate terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal.

[0148] The first condition is the same as above and will not be repeated. The third condition may include: ① The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is: a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds; ② The third network function has not been assigned terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group; ③ When other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group establish a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is different from the third network function.

[0149] As an example, the second network function can obtain information from UDM / UDR, such as whether the first terminal has subscribed to the terminal inter-access service and has set the terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, and / or the corresponding data network identifier. After determining that the first terminal meets the first condition, it further determines that the first terminal meets the above-mentioned third condition, and then instructs the third network function to allocate terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group to the first terminal.

[0150] Optionally, Figure 12 The method may further include: upon determining that the first terminal meets the first condition, generating and saving seventh information locally, the seventh information including mutual access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, for example, the seventh information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: Identification information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; Identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal in the first terminal mutual access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function identification information selected is provided. The IP address assigned to a terminal in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0151] As an example, the seventh piece of information may include at least one piece of information as shown in Table 2 or Table 3.

[0152] An example of the seventh information in Table 2

[0153] Another example of the seventh information in Table 3

[0154] Optionally, Figure 12The method may further include updating the seventh information if it changes. For example, after sending a first request to the first network function and receiving the fourth information sent by the first network function, the second network function may update the seventh information based on the fourth information. Specifically, the second network function may fill in the values ​​of relevant fields in Table 2 or Table 3 based on the fourth information. When filling in Table 2 or Table 3, the parameters used for matching may include at least one of the following: the identification information of the first terminal mutual access group, the identification of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds, and the identification information of the terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0155] Step 1202: Send the sixth message to the third network function to assist in realizing the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group.

[0156] The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the sixth information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0157] Figure 12 The terminal inter-access method shown herein allows the second network function (the session control and / or management function selected when the first terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group) to interact with the first network function, exchange inter-access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal inter-access group, and send inter-access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal inter-access group to the third network function. This eliminates the need for prior configuration of the relevant information required for terminal inter-access in the user plane function. Consequently, the terminal inter-access method provided in this application embodiment can support the dynamic selection of the third network function (such as UPF) and the allocation of dynamic IP addresses to terminals based on terminal location and other information, instead of pre-configuring access UPF information and static IP addresses. This provides greater flexibility, better supports terminal mobility, enables flexible inter-access between terminals, avoids the problem of a large workload in configuring the information required for terminal inter-access, and supports load sharing and disaster recovery methods of the third network function (such as group POOL disaster recovery methods) to improve the resource utilization of the user plane function.

[0158] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the IP address conflict solution in some embodiments can also avoid the problem of IP address conflicts between different terminals.

[0159] This application also proposes a terminal mutual access implementation method, which can be applied to a third network function. The third network function can be a user plane function (such as UPF) selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group. Figure 13 As shown, the method may include: step 1301 and / or step 1302.

[0160] Step 1301: When the first terminal initiates a mutual access service request for other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, a fourth request is sent to the first network function or to the first network function through the second network function, and a fifth message is received from the first network function or the first network function through the second network function, so as to realize the mutual access service between terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0161] Wherein, the first terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group, the second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the fifth information includes the mutual access routing information of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0162] The fourth request can be a query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information. Upon receiving the query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information, the first network function returns a query notification / subscription event notification carrying the fifth information to the second or third network function. The subscription parameters carried in the fourth request may include at least one of the following: The identification information of the specified terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0163] Step 1302: Receive the sixth message sent by the second network function to realize the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group.

[0164] Wherein, the first terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group, the second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the sixth information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0165] Figure 13The terminal inter-access method shown herein can obtain inter-terminal access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal inter-access group from the first network function or the second network function because the third network function (the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group) can do so without having to configure the relevant information required for terminal inter-access in the third network function in advance. This allows the terminal inter-access method provided in this application embodiment to support the implementation of dynamically selecting the third network function (such as UPF) and allocating dynamic IP addresses to the terminal based on terminal location and other information, instead of pre-configuring access UPF information and static IP addresses. This method is more flexible, better supports the mobility of terminals, enables flexible inter-terminal access, and avoids the problem of a large workload in configuring the information required for terminal inter-access.

[0166] This application also proposes a method for implementing terminal inter-access, which can be applied to a first application platform. For example... Figure 14 As shown, the method may include: Step 1401: If the second information is obtained, a fifth request is sent to the first network function, and the first information sent by the first network function is received.

[0167] The second information includes at least one of the following: terminal inter-access service activation information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; terminal inter-access group configuration information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; and registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal inter-access group. The fifth request is used to obtain the first information, which includes inter-access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal inter-access group to which the first terminal belongs. The fifth request may be a subscription message / subscription request for subscribing to the first information.

[0168] Step 1402: In response to the query request for the eighth information from the first terminal, the eighth information is sent to the first terminal so that the first terminal can realize the mutual access service for other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0169] The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: group information of the first terminal mutual access group, mutual access routing information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, and online status information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0170] Optionally, before step 1401, Figure 14 The method shown may also include at least one of the following: 1) In response to the sixth request sent by the first business system, enable terminal mutual access service permissions for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the first business system may be an existing business activation system, such as a Business & Operation Support System (BOSS). The first business system may send a sixth request to the first application platform to enable terminal mutual access service permissions for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0171] 2) Receive the sixteenth message, wherein the sixteenth message is sent by the fourth network function or the first network function after enabling the terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configuring the terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The fourth network function includes the user contract data storage function, and the sixteenth message includes the terminal mutual access service activation information and / or terminal mutual access group information of the first terminal.

[0172] 3) In response to the seventh request sent by the first terminal, configure and / or update the terminal access group information of the first terminal.

[0173] Optionally, the first application platform can also send the configured and / or updated terminal access group information of the first terminal to the first network function. That is, in some embodiments, the first application platform supports the first terminal in setting and / or updating terminal access group information in real time and synchronizing the relevant information to the first network function. In this embodiment, the first application platform can set relevant permissions for user terminals to configure and / or update terminal access group information, and these permissions may include at least one of the following: ① Does the system allow users to set group information? ② Set the user scope of the relevant groups (such as the relevant code range, etc.); ③ The name of the service transmission channel corresponding to the mutual access of the terminals in this group and / or the data network identifier (such as DNN) to which the service transmission channel belongs and / or the corresponding data network identifier. ④ The name and / or identifier of the terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0174] Optionally, after configuring and / or updating the terminal inter-access group information of the first terminal, Figure 14The method may further include: authenticating the configured and / or updated terminal access group information of the first terminal according to the seventeenth information, wherein the seventeenth information includes at least one of the following: terminal access service activation information for the first terminal, pre-configured terminal access group information, and pre-configured permission requirement information related to the terminal access group information set by the first terminal. For example, the first application platform may authorize and authenticate the group information configured and / or updated by the first terminal based on the activation and / or pre-configuration information from the first business system / first network function / fourth network function. Wherein, if the first network function receives a terminal access group name and / or identifier from the fourth network function / first business system, it may further generate a terminal access group identifier, and / or further generate association information between the pre-configured terminal access group identifier and the terminal access group name and / or identifier. The terminal access group identifier should be unique across the entire network or within the operator's network and should be fed back to the first application platform as needed.

[0175] The terminal mutual access group information opened and / or configured for the first terminal may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; The group identification information of the first terminal to which the first terminal belongs, such as the name of the first terminal to which ... The data network identifier, such as DNN, belongs to and / or corresponds to the service transmission channel of the first terminal's mutual access group.

[0176] Optionally, before step 1402, Figure 14 The method shown may also include: In response to a service request sent by the first terminal through a preset function, a service transmission channel for mutual access groups of the first terminal is established with the first terminal.

[0177] Optionally, before step 1402, Figure 14 The method shown may also include: In response to the registration request sent by the first terminal through the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group, the first terminal is registered to the first application platform, and the tenth information carried in the registration request is received.

[0178] The tenth piece of information includes at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel belongs and / or corresponds; The second network function and / or the third network function are the IP addresses assigned to the first terminal. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0179] The preset functions may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: functions related to built-in applications (such as SDKs), mini-programs, and terminal modules.

[0180] Based on this, step 1402 may include: receiving a query request from the first terminal via a session to query the eighth information. Step 1403 may include: in response to the query request, sending the eighth information to the first terminal via the session.

[0181] Figure 14 The terminal mutual access method shown in the figure obtains the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group from the first network function. This allows the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to obtain the eighth information required for mutual access from the first application platform. As a result, some information required for terminal mutual access (such as the IP address of the terminal) can be dynamically configured instead of being statically fixed, which is more flexible and can better support the mobility of the terminals.

[0182] This application also proposes a method for implementing terminal mutual access, which can be applied to a fourth network function, such as a user-subscribed data storage function. Figure 15 As shown, the method may include: Step 1501: In response to the eighth request sent by the first business system, enable terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0183] In some embodiments, the first business system may be an existing business activation system, such as a Business & Operation Support System (BOSS). The first business system may send an eighth request to the fourth network function to activate the terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configure the terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0184] Step 1502: Send eleventh information to the first network function and / or the first application platform, wherein the eleventh information includes the terminal inter-access service activation information and / or terminal inter-access group information of the first terminal.

[0185] The terminal inter-terminal access service activation information and / or terminal inter-terminal access group information of the first terminal may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; The group identification information of the first terminal to which the first terminal belongs, such as the name of the first terminal to which ... The data network identifier, such as DNN, belongs to and / or corresponds to the service transmission channel of the first terminal's mutual access group.

[0186] It should be noted that the group ID of a terminal mutual access group should be unique across the entire network or within the operator's network.

[0187] Figure 15 The embodiment shown proposes a terminal mutual access implementation method, which can enable terminal mutual access service permissions for a first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and send this information to a first network function and / or a first application platform, thereby making preliminary preparations for mutual access of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0188] This application also proposes a method for implementing terminal inter-terminal communication, which can be applied to a first terminal. For example... Figure 16 As shown, the method may include: Step 1601: Send a query request for the eighth information to the first application platform.

[0189] Step 1602: Receive the eighth message returned by the first application platform.

[0190] Step 1603: Initiate mutual access services for other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group based on the eighth information.

[0191] The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: the group information of the first terminal mutual access group, the mutual access routing information of the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the online status information of the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0192] In some embodiments, step 1601 may include: in the case of establishing a session with the first application platform through a preset function, or in the case of establishing a session with the first application platform through a preset function and registering with the first application platform, sending a query request for the eighth information to the first application platform through the session.

[0193] In some embodiments, prior to step 1601, the method may further include: A service request is sent to the first application platform through a preset function to establish a session with the first application platform; or, The system sends a business request to the first application platform through a preset function to establish a session with the first application platform; and sends a registration request to the first application platform through the session to register with the first application platform.

[0194] The preset functions may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: functions related to built-in applications (such as SDKs), mini-programs, and terminal modules.

[0195] The registration request includes a tenth piece of information, which includes at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel belongs and / or corresponds; The second network function and / or the third network function are the IP addresses assigned to the first terminal. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0196] Figure 16 The method for implementing terminal mutual access shows that the first terminal in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the eighth information required for mutual access from the first application platform, so that some information required for terminal mutual access (such as the IP address of the terminal) can be dynamically configured instead of being statically fixed, which is more flexible and can better support the mobility of the terminal.

[0197] The following is through Figure 17 and Figure 18 An example is provided to illustrate a terminal inter-access implementation method proposed in an embodiment of this application.

[0198] like Figure 17 As shown, in a terminal mutual access implementation method proposed in this application embodiment, the network side's granting of terminal mutual access permissions to the first terminal and / or configuring terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group may include at least one of the following methods 1 and 2.

[0199] Method 1 may include at least one of the following steps: Step 1a-1: The first business system (such as BOSS) 171 sends an eighth request to the fourth network function 172. The eighth request is used to request the fourth network function 172 to enable terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0200] Step 1b-1 (optionally), the fourth network function 172 sends eleventh information to the first network function 173, wherein the eleventh information includes the terminal inter-access service activation information and / or terminal inter-access group information of the first terminal.

[0201] Step 1b-2 (optionally), the fourth network function 172 sends eleventh information to the first application platform 174, wherein the eleventh information includes the terminal inter-access service activation information and / or terminal inter-access group information of the first terminal.

[0202] Method 2 may include: Step 2a-1: The first business system (such as BOSS) 171 sends an eighth request to the fourth network function 172. The eighth request is used to request the fourth network function 172 to enable terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0203] Step 2a-2, the first business system (such as BOSS) 171 sends a second request to the first network function 173. The second request is used to request the first network function 173 to enable terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0204] Steps 2a-3: The first business system (such as BOSS) 171 sends a sixth request to the first application platform 174. The sixth request is used to request the first application platform 174 to enable terminal mutual access service permissions for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0205] The terminal mutual access group information opened and / or configured for the first terminal may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; The group identification information of the first terminal to which the first terminal belongs, such as the name of the first terminal to which ... The data network identifier, such as DNN, belongs to and / or corresponds to the service transmission channel of the first terminal's mutual access group.

[0206] like Figure 18 As shown in the embodiments of this application, a terminal communication implementation method may include: Step 1: The first terminal 175 initiates a network registration request to register with the network. During the registration process, authentication and location updates between the network and the first terminal 175 are performed, and mobility management is carried out, which can follow existing 5G standards. This process involves network functions such as the radio access network 176, access and mobility management function 177, policy control function 1722, and user subscription data storage repository 1721, which will not be described in detail here.

[0207] Step 2: The first terminal 175 establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0208] Specifically, the first terminal 175 establishes a service transmission channel (such as a 5G session) corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The specific process can be referred to the existing technology.

[0209] Optionally, for the first terminal that has signed up for the terminal interoperability service, a session with the first application platform 174 can be initiated based on a preset functional body, and registration with the first application platform 174 can be performed as needed based on pre-configured rules. Afterwards, the first terminal 175 can interact with the first application platform 174 through the established session to obtain at least one of the following information: terminal interoperability group information of the first terminal interoperability group, interoperability routing information of terminals within the first terminal interoperability group, and online status information of terminals within the first terminal interoperability group. The preset functional body may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: built-in applications (such as SDKs), mini-programs, and related functions of terminal modules.

[0210] Optionally, the second network function 178 may assign terminal access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal access group to the first terminal in one of the following two ways: 1) If the first terminal meets the first condition and the second condition, instruct the third network function to allocate terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal.

[0211] The first condition includes enabling terminal inter-access service permissions and / or setting terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected when the first terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group. The second condition may include: ① The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is: a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds; ② The third network function has not assigned terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0212] As an example, the second network function can obtain information from UDM / UDR, such as whether the first terminal has subscribed to the terminal inter-access service, set up the terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, and the corresponding service transmission channel name and / or the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel belongs and / or the corresponding data network. After determining that the first terminal meets the first condition, it further determines that the first terminal meets the above-mentioned second condition, and then instructs the third network function to allocate terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group to the first terminal.

[0213] 2) If the first terminal meets the first condition and the third condition, instruct the third network function to allocate terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal.

[0214] The first condition is the same as above and will not be repeated. The third condition may include: ① The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is: a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds; ② The third network function has not been assigned terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group; ③ When other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group establish a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is different from the third network function.

[0215] It should be noted that: When the first method described above is used to allocate user plane tunnel information for terminal mutual access corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal, the difference from the existing standard process is that: the second network function determines that the service transmission channel involves terminal mutual access requirements, and when selecting the user plane function (such as the third network function 179) and controlling the user plane function to allocate user plane tunnel resources to the first terminal (for example, the SMF controls the UPF to allocate user plane tunnel resources such as N3 and N9 through the N4 session message), it also allocates user plane tunnel resources for terminal mutual access within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0216] When the above-mentioned method 2) is used to allocate user plane tunnel information for terminal mutual access corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal, user plane tunnel resources for terminal mutual access within the first terminal mutual access group are allocated if the first condition and the third condition are met.

[0217] Optionally, if the second network function 178 obtains that the first terminal has subscribed to the terminal mutual access service during the interaction process with the relevant network function (such as UDM), it saves the seventh information locally (the seventh information may include basic communication information such as mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group accessing this node). As an example, the seventh information may include at least one piece of information as shown in Table 2 above.

[0218] Step 3: The first application platform 179 may send a fifth request to the first network function after obtaining the second information.

[0219] The second information may include at least one of the following: the activation information of the terminal mutual access service of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, the configuration information of the terminal mutual access group of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, the registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0220] In some embodiments, the fifth request can be viewed as a subscription message / subscription request for the first information from the first application platform. After receiving the second information, the first application platform 179 may send a fifth request for subscribing to the first network function 173 directly and / or through a network capability open function (such as NEF).

[0221] The fifth request may include at least one of the following parameters: The first terminal accesses the identification information of terminals within the group; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The business transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs to and / or corresponds to the data network identifier, etc.

[0222] As an example, the first information may include at least one of the following: The identifier of the terminal within the first terminal access group; Within the first terminal access group, the terminal establishes an IP address corresponding to the session control and / or management functions or user plane functions selected when the first terminal access group is established. Terminals within the first terminal mutual access group establish identification information corresponding to the user face function selected when entering the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0223] Step 4: After determining that the service transmission channel established by the first terminal is a terminal mutual access service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, if the second network function 178 further determines that it has not subscribed to the fourth information from the first network function 173, it sends a first request to the first network function and receives the fourth information sent by the first network function. The first request is used to subscribe to the fourth information (mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group).

[0224] The subscription parameters carried in the first request may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information for the second network function.

[0225] The fourth information includes: the mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group, and / or the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0226] In some embodiments, the second network function subscribes to the fourth information via a first request in two ways, and one of these methods can be selected based on actual needs during implementation: In Method 1, the first request carries the identification information of the second network function, and / or, the first request carries an indication that only the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions is subscribed to in the first terminal inter-access group is for the first terminal inter-access group. That is, the fourth information includes: inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal inter-access group. Based on the first request, the first network function only feeds back the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access other session control and / or management functions in the first terminal inter-access group in the subscription event notification. Optionally, to support this implementation, the second network function needs to locally store the inter-access routing information of terminals in the first terminal inter-access group that access the local node.

[0227] Method 2: The first request is used to subscribe to the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, that is, the fourth information includes the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0228] Method 3: The second network function 178 can also forward the fourth request from the third network function 179 to the first network function 173, and forward the fifth information sent by the first network function 173 to the third network function 179. The fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information, which includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0229] The fourth request can be a query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information. Upon receiving the query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the sixth information, the first network function returns a query notification / subscription event notification carrying the fifth information to the second or third network function. The subscription parameters carried in the fourth request may include at least one of the following: The identification information of the specified terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0230] In this embodiment of the application, the mutual access routing information of a terminal within the first terminal mutual access group may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; Terminal identification information; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of the user plane function selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the session control and / or management functions and / or user plane functions selected by the terminal are used to assign an IP address to the terminal. When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to the terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0231] Step 5: When the seventh information changes, the second network function 178 updates the seventh information. For example, after receiving the fourth information, the second network function 178 updates Table 2 or Table 3 above. When updating Table 2 or Table 3 above, the parameters used for matching may include at least one of the following: the identification information of the first terminal mutual access group, the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds, and the identification information of the terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0232] Optionally, when the second network function 178 allocates the terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group using the method described in step 2), it can allocate the terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group to the first terminal if the first and third conditions are met. It also returns a subscription event notification to the first network function 173 in response to the third request in step 8. This subscription event notification may carry the following information: the terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group.

[0233] Specifically, the second network function 178 determines, based on the fourth information, that some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group have established service transmission channels corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group that are anchored on different user plane functions. Then, based on the above-mentioned second method, it allocates terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal.

[0234] Step 6: The second network function 178 sends sixth information to the third network function 179. The third network function 179 is the user plane function selected by the first terminal 175 when establishing a service transmission channel (such as a 5G PDU session) corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The sixth information includes mutual access routing information for at least some terminals within the first terminal mutual access group. For example, the second network function can synchronize the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal mutual access group listed in Table 2 or Table 3 to the third network function 179 (such as UPF).

[0235] Step 7: Upon receiving the first request, and with the third information reported by the second network function 178 carried in the first request, the first network function 173 determines that the previously generated twelfth information has changed, and therefore can update the twelfth information based on the third information. For example, at least one of the following fields in Table 1 above can be filled in based on the third information: the terminal's IP address, the terminal's inter-terminal access user plane tunnel information, the identifier of the session control and / or management function, and the identifier of the user plane function, etc. When filling in the information, the parameters used for matching can include at least one of the following: the terminal's identifier, the identifier and / or name of the inter-terminal access group to which the terminal belongs, the identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the inter-terminal access group belongs and / or the corresponding data network, the identifier of the session control and / or management function, etc.

[0236] Step 8: The first network function 173 sends first information to the first application platform, wherein the first information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the information required for mutual access from the first platform to realize mutual access.

[0237] As an example, the first information sent by the first network function to the first application platform in step 1103 may include at least one of the following: The identification information of at least some terminals within the first terminal mutual access group; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs to and / or corresponds to the data network identifier (such as DNN). The first terminal accesses the IP addresses of at least some terminals within the group, etc.

[0238] Step 9: After receiving the first request from the second network function 178, the first network function 173 may send a third request to the second network function 178.

[0239] The third request may be a subscription request / subscription message regarding third information. Upon receiving the subscription request / subscription message regarding the third information, the second network function 178 returns a subscription event notification carrying the third information to the first network function 173. The subscription parameters provided in the third request may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0240] The first request may be a subscription request / subscription message for fourth information. In some embodiments, the second network function may carry third information in the first request, that is, the second network function 178 may report the third information to the first network function 173 while subscribing to the fourth information from the first network function.

[0241] Step 10: After receiving the subscription event notification for the third request, the first network function 173 determines that the previously generated twelfth information has changed, and therefore updates the twelfth information. For example, at least one of the following fields in Table 1 above can be filled in according to the third information subscribed to in the third request: the terminal's IP address, the terminal's inter-terminal access user plane tunnel information, the identifier of the session control and / or management function, and the identifier of the user plane function, etc. When filling in the information, the parameters used for matching may include at least one of the following: the terminal's identifier, the identifier and / or name of the inter-terminal access group to which the terminal belongs, the identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the inter-terminal access group belongs and / or the corresponding data network, the identifier of the session control and / or management function, etc.

[0242] Step 11: The first network function 173 sends first information to the first application platform, wherein the first information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the information required for mutual access from the first platform to realize mutual access.

[0243] Specifically, the first information includes at least one of the following: the identification information of the terminals in the first terminal access group, the identification information of the first terminal access group, the IP address information of the terminals in the first terminal access group, and the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal access group belongs and / or corresponds.

[0244] Step 12: The first terminal 175 interacts with the first application platform 174 to obtain information such as the IP address of the target terminal, and initiates mutual access services for the target terminal.

[0245] The following are some implementation scenarios for terminal interoperability services.

[0246] Scenario 1: UE1 in the first terminal mutual access group accesses UE2. UE1 and UE2 access the same session control and / or management function (such as SMF). Then: (1) Scenario 1.1 When UE1 and UE2 access the same user plane function (such as UPF), they can achieve mutual access between terminals through routing forwarding within the user plane function.

[0247] (2) Scenario 1.2, when UE1 and UE2 access different user plane functions under the same session control and / or management function (such as SMF): for example, UE1 accesses UPF1 and UE2 accesses UPF2, there are two ways to implement terminal mutual access, as follows: Method 1: Based on locally stored user plane function data. The user plane function accessed by UE1 / UE2 enables terminal communication between UE1 and UE2 based on the locally stored user plane tunnel information and IP address of the peer UE corresponding to the first terminal communication group.

[0248] Method 2: User plane functions query and / or subscribe to the first network function. The user plane functions (such as UPF) accessed by UE1 and UE2 directly or through the session control and / or management functions (such as SMF) accessed by UE1 and UE2 query and / or subscribe to the first network function for the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information and IP address of the peer UE corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, so as to realize terminal mutual access between UE1 and UE2.

[0249] Scenario 2: UE1 accesses UE3. UE1 and UE3 access different session control and / or management functions (such as SMF). There are two implementations.

[0250] Method 1: Based on locally stored data of user plane functions. The user plane functions (such as UPF) accessed by UE1 and UE3 enable terminal communication between UE1 and UE3 based on the locally stored user plane tunnel information and IP address corresponding to the first terminal communication group.

[0251] Method 2: User plane functions query and / or subscribe to the first network function. The user plane functions (such as UPF) accessed by UE1 and UE3 directly or through the session control and / or management functions (such as SMF) accessed by UE1 and UE3 query and / or subscribe to the first network function for the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information and IP address of the peer UE corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, so as to realize terminal mutual access between UE1 and UE3.

[0252] The above describes a terminal mutual access implementation method proposed in the embodiments of this application. The following is a brief description of a terminal mutual access implementation device proposed in the embodiments of this application.

[0253] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal communication implementation device 1900 provided in some embodiments of this application. The terminal communication implementation device 1900 can be applied to a first network function. Please refer to... Figure 19 In one software implementation, the terminal communication implementation device 1900 may include: a first interaction module 1901 and a first sending module 1902.

[0254] The first interaction module 1901 is used to interact with the second network function, upon receiving a first request sent by the second network function, to obtain mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal belongs. The second network function is a session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first request is used to obtain mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0255] In this context, the first terminal refers to any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group. The content performed by the first terminal can be shared with other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. In a 5G network, the second network function can be SMF (Smart Frame Function).

[0256] Optionally, Figure 19 The device 1900 shown may also include at least one of the following: The first response module is used to respond to the second request sent by the first business system, to enable terminal mutual access service permissions for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0257] The first receiving module is used to receive the eleventh information, wherein the eleventh information is sent by the fourth network function after it enables the terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configures the terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The fourth network function may include, but is not limited to, user contract data storage function (such as UDM / UDR, etc.). The eleventh information includes the terminal mutual access service activation information and / or terminal mutual access group information of the first terminal.

[0258] Optionally, Figure 19 The apparatus 1900 shown may further include: an information generation module, used to generate twelfth information locally after granting terminal mutual access service permission to the first terminal and / or configuring terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and / or after receiving the eleventh information, the twelfth information including basic communication information required for terminal mutual access within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0259] Optionally, Figure 19The device 1900 shown may further include: an information update module for updating the twelfth information stored in the first network function when the twelfth information changes.

[0260] In some embodiments, a first request from a second network function can be viewed as a subscription message / subscription request from the second network function to the first network function to subscribe to fourth information, wherein the fourth information may include at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group, and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0261] In some embodiments, the first interaction module 1901 may be used to perform at least one of the following: 1) Obtain third information from the first request; and / or, send a third request to the second network function and receive third information sent by the second network function; wherein the third request is used to obtain third information, the third information including mutual access routing information of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group or mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0262] 2) In response to the first request, send fourth information to the second network function, wherein the fourth information includes at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group; and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0263] 3) Receive a fourth request sent by the third network function or by the third network function through the second network function, and send fifth information to the third network function or to the third network function through the second network function, wherein the fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information, and the fifth information includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0264] In this embodiment of the application, the mutual access routing information of a terminal within the first terminal mutual access group may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; Terminal identification information; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of the user plane function selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the session control and / or management functions and / or user plane functions selected by the terminal are used to assign an IP address to the terminal. When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to the terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0265] Optionally, Figure 19 The device 1900 shown may also include: The IP determination module is used to determine whether there is a conflict between the IP address of the second terminal and the IP address of the third terminal after obtaining the third information. The second terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group included in the third information, and the third terminal includes other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group other than the second terminal whose IP addresses were allocated when the first network function obtained the IP address corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group. The information indication module is used to send a first indication message to the second network function when there is a conflict between the IP address of the second terminal and the IP address of the third terminal. The first indication message is used to instruct the second network function to reassign an IP address to the second terminal.

[0266] The first sending module 1902 is used to send first information to the first application platform. The first information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. The terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the information required for mutual access from the first platform to realize mutual access.

[0267] As an example, the first information may include at least one of the following: The identifier of the terminal within the first terminal access group; Within the first terminal access group, the terminal establishes an IP address corresponding to the session control and / or management functions or user plane functions selected when the first terminal access group is established. Terminals within the first terminal mutual access group establish identification information corresponding to the user face function selected when entering the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0268] In some embodiments, the first sending module 1902 can be used to: directly send first information to the first application platform after discovering the first application platform. The method by which the first network function discovers the first application platform may include at least one of the following: Method 1: Discover the first application platform based on the application platform information configured locally by the first network function; Method 2: Query the fifth network function (such as NRF) based on the thirteenth information to discover the first application platform. The thirteenth information includes at least one of the following: the identifier and / or name of the first terminal mutual access group, the identifier information of the first terminal, and the identifier of the data network to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds. Method 3: Discover the first application platform based on the fourteenth information obtained from the terminal inter-access service permission activation information of the first terminal and / or the terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, wherein the fourteenth information includes the terminal inter-access group information of the first terminal inter-access group and / or the first application platform information to which the first terminal belongs.

[0269] In some embodiments, the first sending module 1902 can be used to: receive a fifth request from a first application platform and send first information to the first application platform, wherein the fifth request is used to obtain the first information.

[0270] The fifth request can be viewed as a subscription message / subscription request for the first information from the first application platform. After receiving the second information, the first application platform can send the fifth request for subscribing to the first network function directly and / or through a network capability open function (such as NEF).

[0271] The second information may include at least one of the following: the activation information of the terminal mutual access service of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, the configuration information of the terminal mutual access group of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, the registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal mutual access group, etc.

[0272] The fifth request may include at least one of the following parameters: The first terminal accesses the identification information of terminals within the group; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The business transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs to and / or corresponds to the data network identifier, etc.

[0273] Figure 19 The terminal communication implementation device 1900 shown can realize... Figure 11 The present invention provides a method for implementing terminal communication and achieves the same technical effect. The relevant parts can be referenced from each other, and will not be described repeatedly here.

[0274] Figure 20This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal inter-access implementation device 2000 provided in some embodiments of this application. The terminal inter-access implementation device 2000 can be applied to a second network function. The second network function is a session control and / or management function selected by a first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to a first terminal inter-access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal inter-access group. Please refer to... Figure 20 In one software implementation, the terminal communication implementation device 2000 may include: a first interaction module 2001 and / or a first sending module 2002.

[0275] The first interaction module 2001 is used to interact with the first network function to exchange mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when the first terminal meets the first condition and establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0276] The first condition includes signing up for terminal mutual access services and / or setting up terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0277] Optionally, the terminal mutual access implementation device 2000 may further include: a network element discovery module, used to discover the first network function by at least one of the following methods before exchanging mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group with the first network function: Method 1: Query the first network function from the fifth network function based on the ninth information. The ninth information may include at least one of the following: network function NF profile, NF service, NF information, NF type, number range, service area, device identifier, terminal inter-access group identifier, and the data network identifier and data type to which the service transmission channel of the terminal inter-access group belongs and / or corresponds. The first network function may be pre-registered with a network storage function (such as an NRF). Since the first network function is a newly added network function (such as a data plane function), it can be named as a new NF type.

[0278] Method 2: Discover the first network function based on the first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is the information of the first network function configured on the second network function.

[0279] It should be noted that when the first network function is discovered based on number segment, service area, etc., it is considered that users accessing each other's terminals may belong to different number segments and / or be distributed in different areas, and different number segments and / or areas may belong to different first network functions. Therefore, in some embodiments, there may be multiple first network functions, that is, multiple first network functions may need to communicate with each other directly and / or through control forwarding functions.

[0280] In some embodiments, the first interaction module 2001 may be used to perform at least one of the following: 1) Send a first request to the first network function and receive fourth information sent by the first network function, wherein the first request is used to report third information and / or obtain fourth information, and the fourth information includes at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group, and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0281] The first request may be a subscription request / subscription message regarding the fourth information. In some embodiments, after determining that the service transmission channel established by the first terminal is a terminal inter-access service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group, if the second network function further determines that it has not subscribed to the fourth information with the first network function, it sends a first request to the first network function. After receiving the subscription request / subscription message regarding the fourth information, the first network function returns a subscription event notification carrying the fourth information to the second network function. In some embodiments, the second network function may also carry third information in the first request, that is, the second network function may report the third information to the first network function while subscribing to the fourth information.

[0282] 2) Receive a third request sent by the first network function and send third information to the first network function. The third request is used to obtain the third information, which includes the mutual access routing information of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group or the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function.

[0283] The third request can be a subscription request / subscription message regarding third information. Upon receiving the subscription request / subscription message regarding the third information, the second network function returns a subscription event notification carrying the third information to the first network function.

[0284] 3) Forward the fourth request from the third network function to the first network function, and forward the fifth information sent by the first network function to the third network function. The fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information, which includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0285] The fourth request can be a query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information. After receiving the query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the sixth information, the first network function returns a query notification / subscription event notification carrying the fifth information to the second or third network function.

[0286] In this embodiment of the application, the mutual access routing information of a terminal within the first terminal mutual access group may include at least one of the following: Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; Terminal identification information; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of the user plane function selected by the terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the session control and / or management functions and / or user plane functions selected by the terminal are used to assign an IP address to the terminal. When a terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to the terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0287] Optionally, the terminal communication implementation device 2000 may further include: The first receiving module is configured to receive first indication information sent by the first network function after sending third information to the first network function, wherein the first indication information is configured to instruct the second network function to reassign an IP address to the second terminal, and the second terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group included in the third information. The IP allocation module is used to reallocate an IP address to the second terminal according to the first instruction information, or to instruct the sixth network function to reallocate an IP address to the second terminal according to the first instruction information. The IP address reallocated to the second terminal is different from the IP address of the third terminal. The third terminal includes other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group other than the second terminal, whose IP addresses were allocated when the first network function established the service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The sixth network function is the user plane function selected by the second terminal when establishing the service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0288] The second terminal may or may not be the same as the first terminal.

[0289] Optionally, the terminal communication implementation device 2000 may further include: an information allocation module, used to perform at least one of the following: 1) If the first terminal meets the first condition and the second condition, instruct the third network function to allocate terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal.

[0290] The first condition includes enabling terminal inter-access service permissions and / or setting terminal inter-access group information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected when the first terminal establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group. The second condition may include: ① The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is: a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds; ② The third network function has not assigned terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0291] 2) If the first terminal meets the first condition and the third condition, instruct the third network function to allocate terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group to the first terminal.

[0292] The first condition is the same as above and will not be repeated. The third condition may include: ① The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is: a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or corresponds; ② The third network function has not been assigned terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group; ③ When other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group establish a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is different from the third network function.

[0293] Optionally, the terminal mutual access implementation device 2000 may further include: an information generation module, configured to generate and save seventh information locally when it is determined that the first terminal meets the first condition. The seventh information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal mutual access group. For example, the seventh information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: Identification information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group; Identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which is corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; Identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal in the first terminal mutual access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function identification information selected is provided. The IP address assigned to a terminal in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0294] Optionally, the terminal communication implementation device 2000 may further include: an information update module, used to update the seventh information when the seventh information changes.

[0295] The first sending module 2002 is used to send sixth information to the third network function to assist in realizing the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group. The sixth information includes the inter-terminal access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal access group.

[0296] Figure 20 The terminal communication implementation device 2000 shown can realize... Figure 12 The present invention provides a method for implementing terminal communication and achieves the same technical effect. The relevant parts can be referenced from each other, and will not be described repeatedly here.

[0297] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal inter-access implementation device 2100 provided in some embodiments of this application. The terminal inter-access implementation device 2100 can be applied to a third network function, which is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group. Please refer to... Figure 21In one software implementation, the terminal communication implementation device 2100 may include: a first sending module 2101 and / or a first receiving module 2102.

[0298] The first sending module 2101 is used to send a fourth request to the first network function or to the first network function through the second network function when the first terminal initiates a mutual access service request for other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and to receive the fifth information sent by the first network function or by the first network function through the second network function, so as to realize the mutual access service between terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0299] The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal can be any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group. The fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information, which includes the mutual access routing information of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0300] Wherein, the first terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group, the second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the fifth information includes the mutual access routing information of the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0301] The fourth request can be a query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information. After receiving the query request / subscription request / subscription message regarding the fifth information, the first network function returns a query notification / subscription event notification carrying the fifth information to the second or third network function.

[0302] The first receiving module 2102 is used to receive the sixth information sent by the second network function in order to realize the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group.

[0303] Wherein, the first terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group, the second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the sixth information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0304] Figure 21 The terminal communication implementation device 2100 shown can realize... Figure 13 The present invention provides a method for implementing terminal communication and achieves the same technical effect. The relevant parts can be referenced from each other, and will not be described repeatedly here.

[0305] Figure 22This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal access implementation device 2200 provided in some embodiments of this application. The terminal access implementation device 2200 can be applied to a first application platform. Please refer to... Figure 22 In one software implementation, the terminal communication implementation device 2200 may include: a first sending module 2201 and a first receiving module 2202.

[0306] The first sending module 2201 is used to send a fifth request to the first network function and receive the first information sent by the first network function when the second information is obtained.

[0307] The second information includes at least one of the following: the terminal mutual access service activation information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, the terminal mutual access group configuration information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal mutual access group, and the registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal mutual access group; the fifth request is used to obtain the first information, which includes the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal belongs.

[0308] The first receiving module 2202 is used to respond to a query request from the first terminal for querying the eighth information and send the eighth information to the first terminal so that the first terminal can realize the mutual access service for other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0309] The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: group information of the first terminal mutual access group, mutual access routing information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, and online status information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group.

[0310] The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: the group information of the first terminal mutual access group, the mutual access routing information of the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the online status information of the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0311] Optionally, the terminal communication implementation device 2200 may further include at least one of the following: The first response module is used to respond to the sixth request sent by the first business system, and to enable terminal mutual access service permissions for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the first business system can be an existing business activation system, such as a Business & Operation Support System (BOSS). The first business system can send the sixth request to the first application platform to enable terminal mutual access service permissions for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

[0312] The second receiving module is used to receive the sixteenth information, wherein the sixteenth information is sent after the fourth network function or the first network function opens the terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configures the terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The fourth network function includes the user contract data storage function, and the sixteenth information includes the terminal mutual access service opening information and / or terminal mutual access group information of the first terminal.

[0313] The second response module is used to respond to the seventh request sent by the first terminal and configure and / or update the terminal inter-access group information of the first terminal.

[0314] Optionally, the first application platform can also send the configured and / or updated terminal access group information of the first terminal to the first network function. That is, in some embodiments, the first application platform supports the first terminal to set and / or update the terminal access group information in real time and synchronize the relevant information to the first network function.

[0315] Optionally, the terminal access implementation device 2200 may further include: an authentication module, used to authenticate the configured and / or updated terminal access group information of the first terminal according to the seventeenth information, wherein the seventeenth information includes terminal access service activation information for the first terminal and / or pre-configured terminal access group information.

[0316] Optionally, the terminal access implementation device 2200 may further include: a third response module, used to respond to the service request sent by the first terminal through a preset function body and establish a service transmission channel for the first terminal access group before the first receiving module 2202 receives the query request for querying the eighth information from the first terminal.

[0317] Optionally, the terminal access implementation device 2200 may further include: a fourth response module, used to respond to the registration request sent by the first terminal through the service transmission channel of the first terminal access group before the first receiving module 2202 receives the query request for querying the eighth information from the first terminal, register the first terminal to the first application platform, and receive the tenth information carried in the registration request.

[0318] Based on this, the first receiving module 2202 can be used to: receive a query request for querying the eighth information sent by the first terminal through a session, and in response to the query request, send the eighth information to the first terminal through the session.

[0319] Figure 22 The terminal communication implementation device 2200 shown can realize Figure 14 The present invention provides a method for implementing terminal communication and achieves the same technical effect. The relevant parts can be referenced from each other, and will not be described repeatedly here.

[0320] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal communication implementation device 2300 provided in some embodiments of this application. The terminal communication implementation device 2300 can be applied to a fourth network function. Please refer to... Figure 23 In one software implementation, the terminal communication implementation device 2300 may include: a first response module 2301 and a first sending module 2302.

[0321] The first response module 2301 is used to respond to the eighth request sent by the first business system, to enable terminal mutual access service permission for the first terminal and / or configure terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The first sending module 2302 is used to send eleventh information to the first network function and / or the first application platform, wherein the eleventh information includes the terminal mutual access service activation information and / or terminal mutual access group information of the first terminal.

[0322] Figure 23 The terminal communication implementation device 2300 shown can realize... Figure 15 The present invention provides a method for implementing terminal communication and achieves the same technical effect. The relevant parts can be referenced from each other, and will not be described repeatedly here.

[0323] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal communication implementation device 2400 provided in some embodiments of this application. The terminal communication implementation device 2400 can be applied to a first terminal. Please refer to... Figure 24 In one software implementation, the terminal communication implementation device 2400 may include: a first sending module 2401, a first receiving module 2402, and a communication implementation module 2403.

[0324] The first sending module 2401 is used to send a query request about the eighth information to the first application platform.

[0325] The first receiving module 2402 is used to receive the eighth information returned by the first application platform.

[0326] The mutual access implementation module 2403 is used to initiate mutual access services for other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group based on the eighth information.

[0327] The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: the group information of the first terminal mutual access group, the mutual access routing information of the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the online status information of the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

[0328] In some embodiments, the terminal access implementation device 2400 may further include: a session establishment module, configured to send a service request to the first application platform through a preset function to establish a session with the first application platform.

[0329] In some embodiments, the terminal access implementation device 2400 may further include: a registration module, used to send a registration request to the first application platform through a session established by the session establishment module, so as to register with the first application platform.

[0330] The preset functions may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: functions related to built-in applications (such as SDKs), mini-programs, and terminal modules.

[0331] In some embodiments, the first sending module 2401 can be used to: send a query request for the eighth information to the first application platform through the session when a session is established with the first application platform through a preset function, or when a session is established with the first application platform through a preset function and the user registers with the first application platform.

[0332] Figure 24 The terminal communication implementation device 2400 shown can realize... Figure 16 The present invention provides a method for implementing terminal communication and achieves the same technical effect. The relevant parts can be referenced from each other, and will not be described repeatedly here.

[0333] This application embodiment also provides a network-side device, including a processor and a memory. The memory stores programs or instructions that can run on the processor, and when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, they implement... Figure 11 , Figure 12 , Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 The steps of any of the terminal communication implementation methods shown in the examples.

[0334] This application embodiment also provides a terminal, characterized in that it includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing programs or instructions that can run on the processor, and the programs or instructions, when executed by the processor, implement... Figure 16 The steps of the terminal communication implementation method are shown.

[0335] This application embodiment also provides a non-transient computer-readable storage medium, on which a program or instruction is stored, and when the program or instruction is executed by a processor, it implements... Figure 11 , Figure 12 , Figure 13 , Figure 14 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 The steps of any of the terminal communication implementation methods shown in the examples.

[0336] This application also provides a computer program product, which is stored in a storage medium and executed by at least one processor to perform the following: Figure 11 , Figure 12 , Figure 13 , Figure 14 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 The steps of any of the terminal communication implementation methods shown in the examples.

[0337] This application embodiment also provides a communication system, including a first network function, a second network function, a third network function, and a first application platform, wherein the first network function is used to perform, for example, Figure 11 The terminal communication implementation method shown above, the second network function is used to perform, as follows: Figure 12 The terminal communication implementation method shown above uses a third network function to perform, such as... Figure 13 The terminal communication implementation method shown is used by the first application platform to execute, as follows: Figure 14 The terminal communication implementation method is shown.

[0338] In summary, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

[0339] The systems, devices, modules, or units described in the above embodiments can be implemented by computer chips or entities, or by products with certain functions. A typical implementation device is a computer. Specifically, a computer can be, for example, a personal computer, laptop computer, cellular phone, camera phone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, media player, navigation device, email device, game console, tablet computer, wearable device, or any combination of these devices.

[0340] Computer-readable media includes both permanent and non-permanent, removable and non-removable media that can store information using any method or technology. Information can be computer-readable instructions, data structures, modules of programs, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, phase-change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), other types of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile optical disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transferable medium that can be used to store information accessible by a computing device. As defined herein, computer-readable media does not include transient computer-readable media, such as modulated data signals and carrier waves.

[0341] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0342] The various embodiments in this application are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the method embodiments.

Claims

1. A method for implementing terminal inter-terminal communication, characterized in that, Applied to a first network function, the method includes: Upon receiving a first request from a second network function, the system interacts with the second network function to obtain mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal belongs. The second network function is a session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first request is used to obtain mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. Send first information to the first application platform, wherein the first information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group, and the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group can obtain the information required for mutual access from the first platform to realize mutual access.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inter-terminal access routing information within the first terminal access group includes at least one of the following: The identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which corresponds to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier information of the user plane function selected by the terminal in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; When a terminal in the first terminal access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group, the session control and / or management functions and / or user plane functions selected are the IP address assigned to that terminal. When a terminal in the first terminal mutual access group establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function selected is the terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to that terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group to which the first terminal interacting with the second network function belongs includes at least one of the following: Obtain third information from the first request, and / or send a third request to the second network function and receive third information sent by the second network function, wherein the third request is used to obtain the third information, and the third information includes the mutual access routing information of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group or the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. In response to the first request, a fourth message is sent to the second network function, wherein the fourth message includes at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group; and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The system receives a fourth request sent by the third network function or by the third network function through the second network function, and sends fifth information to the third network function or to the third network function through the second network function. The fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information, which includes the mutual access routing information of the corresponding first terminal mutual access group for the specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: After obtaining the third information, it is determined whether there is a conflict between the IP address of the second terminal and the IP address of the third terminal. The second terminal is any terminal included in the first terminal mutual access group in the third information. The third terminal includes other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group other than the second terminal, whose IP addresses were allocated when the first network function obtained the IP address corresponding to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group. If the IP address of the second terminal conflicts with the IP address of the third terminal, a first indication message is sent to the second network function, wherein the first indication message is used to instruct the second network function to reallocate an IP address for the second terminal.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Sending the first information to the first application platform includes: Receive a fifth request from a first application platform and send first information to the first application platform, wherein the fifth request is used to obtain the first information; or, Send the first message to the first application platform.

6. A method for implementing terminal inter-terminal communication, characterized in that, Applied to a second network function, the method includes: When the first terminal meets the first condition and establishes a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, it interacts with the first network function to exchange mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group. The first condition includes subscribing to terminal mutual access service and / or setting terminal mutual access group information corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal is any terminal belonging to the first terminal mutual access group. A sixth message is sent to a third network function to assist in realizing the inter-terminal access service within the first terminal access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group. The sixth message includes the inter-terminal access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal access group.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Before exchanging mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group with the first network function, the method further includes at least one of the following: Based on the ninth information, the fifth network function queries the first network function, wherein the ninth information includes at least one of the following: network function NF configuration file, NF service, NF information, NF type, number segment, service area, device identifier, terminal mutual access group identifier, and the data network identifier and data type to which the service transmission channel of the terminal mutual access group belongs and / or is located. The first network function is discovered based on the first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is the information of the first network function configured on the second network function.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The interaction with the first network function on the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group includes at least one of the following: Send a first request to the first network function and receive fourth information sent by the first network function, wherein the first request is used to report third information and / or obtain fourth information; Receive a third request sent by the first network function, and send the third information to the first network function, wherein the third request is used to obtain the third information; The fourth request from the third network function is forwarded to the first network function, and the fifth information sent by the first network function is forwarded to the third network function, wherein the fourth request is used to obtain the fifth information; The third information includes the mutual access routing information of the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, or the mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access the second network function corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; the fourth information includes at least one of the following: mutual access routing information of terminals in the first terminal mutual access group that access other session control and / or management functions when establishing the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group, and mutual access routing information of all terminals in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; the fifth information includes the mutual access routing information of a specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: After sending the third information to the first network function, the second network function receives the first indication information sent by the first network function, wherein the first indication information is used to instruct the second network function to reallocate an IP address for the second terminal, and the second terminal is any terminal included in the first terminal mutual access group in the third information. The first instruction information is used to reassign an IP address to the second terminal, or the first instruction information is used to instruct a sixth network function to reassign an IP address to the second terminal. The IP address reassigned to the second terminal is different from the IP address of the third terminal. The third terminal includes other terminals in the first terminal access group other than the second terminal whose IP addresses were assigned when the first network function established a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group. The sixth network function is the user plane function selected by the second terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Before sending the third information to the first network function, the method further includes: If the first terminal satisfies the first condition and the second condition, or if the first terminal satisfies the first condition and the third condition, the third network function is instructed to allocate terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group to the first terminal. The second condition includes: The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or is corresponding. The third network function does not assign terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group; The third condition includes: The service transmission channel established by the first terminal corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group is a service transmission channel established based on the data network identifier to which the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs and / or is corresponding. The third network function does not assign terminal inter-access user plane tunnel information corresponding to the first terminal inter-access group; When other terminals in the first terminal mutual access group establish a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the user plane function they select is different from the third network function.

11. The method according to any one of claims 6-10, characterized in that, The method further includes: If it is determined that the first terminal meets the first condition, the seventh information is generated and saved locally, wherein the seventh information includes the mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group; If the seventh piece of information changes, the seventh piece of information is updated. The seventh piece of information includes at least one of the following: The identification information of the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group; The identification information of the first terminal mutual access group; The data network identifier to which and / or which corresponds to the service transmission channel of the first terminal mutual access group belongs; The identification information of the session control and / or management functions selected by the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The identifier information of the user plane function selected by the terminal in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group; The IP address assigned to a terminal in the first terminal access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal access group; The terminal mutual access user plane tunnel information allocated to the terminals in the first terminal mutual access group when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

12. A method for implementing terminal inter-terminal communication, characterized in that, Applied to a third network function, the method includes: When the first terminal initiates a mutual access service request for other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, a fourth request is sent to the first network function or to the first network function through the second network function, and a fifth message is received from the first network function or the first network function through the second network function, so as to realize the mutual access service between terminals within the first terminal mutual access group. And / or, Receive the sixth message sent by the second network function to enable inter-terminal access services within the first terminal access group; Wherein, the first terminal is any terminal in the first terminal mutual access group, the second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, the fifth information includes mutual access routing information of a specified terminal in the first terminal mutual access group corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group, and the sixth information includes mutual access routing information of at least some terminals in the first terminal mutual access group.

13. A method for implementing terminal inter-terminal communication, characterized in that, Applied to a first application platform, the method includes: Upon obtaining the second information, a fifth request is sent to the first network function, and the first information sent by the first network function is received. The second information includes at least one of the following: terminal inter-access service activation information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; terminal inter-access group configuration information of the first terminal and / or the first terminal inter-access group; and registration information of the first terminal with the first application platform for the first terminal inter-access group. The fifth request is used to obtain the first information, which includes inter-access routing information of at least some terminals within the first terminal inter-access group to which the first terminal belongs. In response to a query request for the eighth information from the first terminal, the eighth information is sent to the first terminal to enable the first terminal to perform mutual access services for other terminals within the first terminal mutual access group. The first terminal belongs to the first terminal mutual access group, and the eighth information includes at least one of the following: group information of the first terminal mutual access group, mutual access routing information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group, and online status information of terminals within the first terminal mutual access group.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, Before responding to the query request for the eighth information from the first terminal, the method further includes: In response to a service request sent by the first terminal through a preset function, a service transmission channel for mutual access group of the first terminal is established with the first terminal. In response to the registration request sent by the first terminal through the service transmission channel, the first terminal is registered to the first application platform, and the tenth information carried in the registration request is received, wherein the tenth information includes at least one of the following: The identification information of the first terminal; The data network identifier to which the service transmission channel belongs and / or corresponds; The second network function or the third network function is the IP address assigned to the first terminal. The second network function is the session control and / or management function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group. The third network function is the user plane function selected by the first terminal when establishing a service transmission channel corresponding to the first terminal mutual access group.

15. A network-side device, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a program or instructions that can run on the processor, the program or instructions being executed by the processor to implement the steps of the terminal access implementation method as described in any one of claims 1-14.

16. A non-transient computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The readable storage medium stores a program or instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the terminal access implementation method as described in any one of claims 1-14.

17. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product is stored in a storage medium, and the computer program product is executed by at least one processor to implement the steps of the terminal access implementation method as described in any one of claims 1-14.

Images