A communication method, a communication device, and an access network equipment

Abstract

A communication method, communication device, and access network equipment are provided, relating to the field of communications. This communication method enables configuration of service transmission based on applications, ensuring a differentiated user experience when using specified applications, thereby improving user experience. The communication method includes: obtaining first configuration information from an access network equipment, the first configuration information being used to instruct a first application of a first user equipment on configuration parameters for service transmission; generating a first service virtual port based on the first configuration information; wherein the first service virtual port is used by the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission. Embodiments of this application are applied to the field of communications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a communication method, a communication device, and an access network equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of communication technology, communication services are becoming increasingly integrated and intelligent, and users' demands for these services are also rising. The access network refers to all equipment between the backbone network and terminal devices. Because the backbone network typically uses a fiber optic structure with high transmission speeds, the access network has become the bottleneck of the entire communication system.

[0003] When users utilize applications such as game applications, high-definition live sports broadcast applications, high-definition video-on-demand applications, and online live streaming applications on their terminal devices to achieve corresponding functions, service transmission occurs within the access network. This service transmission is typically achieved through multiple access network devices. Currently, all access network devices transmit services to all applications through the same transmission channel (i.e., the transmission channel between the service virtual ports of two access network devices), resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of this application provide a communication method, a communication device, and an access network equipment. The communication method can configure service transmission based on applications, ensuring that users have a differentiated experience when using specified applications, thereby improving user experience.

[0005] A first aspect provides a communication method applied to a communication device in an access network device. The communication method includes: acquiring first configuration information from the access network device, the first configuration information being used to instruct a first application of a first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters; and generating a first service virtual port based on the first configuration information; wherein the first service virtual port is used by the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission.

[0006] In the above scheme, the communication device in the access network equipment, based on configuration information (i.e., first configuration information) obtained from the access network equipment indicating configuration parameters for a specific application (i.e., the first application of the first user equipment), can generate a corresponding service virtual port (i.e., the first service virtual port) for that specific application. Furthermore, the application can perform service transmission through this service virtual port. The aforementioned configuration information comes from the access network equipment, that is, it is sent by the access network equipment to the communication device. Typically, the access network equipment includes service virtual ports, through which it performs service transmission for all applications. However, users have different experience requirements for different applications in specific scenarios. For example, in a gaming scenario, users have higher requirements for the gaming application experience and lower requirements for other applications. Therefore, if the first application and other applications all perform service transmission through the same service virtual port, it will result in poor service transmission quality for the specific application. Since users have higher requirements for the first application experience, the user experience will be severely affected. However, through the above solution, the access network device will generate a service virtual port corresponding to the first application based on the application's configuration parameters, enabling the application to transmit services through its corresponding service virtual port. This solution guarantees the service transmission quality of the application, ensuring a differentiated experience for users when using the specified application, thereby improving the user experience.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the above configuration parameters include at least one of the following: the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, the service flow associated with the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment, the transmission parameter template for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment in the uplink direction, the transmission parameter template for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment in the downlink direction, the duration for which the service virtual port corresponding to the first application can be used, the identification information of the first application, and the transmission performance indicators for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment.

[0008] In the above scheme, among the multiple configuration parameters for a specific application (i.e., the first application of the first user equipment), the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, the transmission parameter template for the first application of the first user equipment in the uplink direction, the transmission parameter template for the first application of the first user equipment in the downlink direction, the duration supported by the service virtual port corresponding to the first application, the identification information of the first application, and the transmission performance indicators of the first application of the first user equipment in the service transmission can all be used to indicate the correspondence between the specific application and the generated service virtual port. Therefore, the key parameter for generating the service virtual port corresponding to the first application is of higher importance. Correspondingly, the configuration parameter of the service flow associated with the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment is of lower importance. Of course, the configuration parameters indicated by the configuration information are not limited to the above parameters and can include more other types of parameters. The embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0009] Optionally, the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment includes: the name (identified as name) of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, the number (identified as index) of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, and the identity document (identity document, ID) of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment. For example, the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment may also include: broadband account, point-to-point protocol over Ethernet (PPPOE) protocol account, and universally unique identifier (UUID).

[0010] Optionally, the identification information of the first application includes: the unique identifier of the first application (identified as application-id), the list of five-tuples of the first application (identified as app-tuple), etc.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the above communication method further includes: obtaining second configuration information from the access network device, the second configuration information being used to instruct the second application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters; and generating a second service virtual port based on the second configuration information.

[0012] In the above scheme, the communication device, based on configuration information obtained from the access network device indicating the configuration parameters of another specific application (i.e., the second application of the first user equipment), can generate a corresponding service virtual port (i.e., a second service virtual port) for that application. Based on the other schemes described above, the communication device can generate a first service virtual port corresponding to the first application based on the configuration information of the first application. Furthermore, through the above schemes, the communication device can generate service virtual ports corresponding to different applications, enabling any application to transmit services through its corresponding service virtual port. For example, the communication device can generate corresponding service virtual ports for game applications, and it can also generate corresponding service virtual ports for online live streaming applications. Therefore, based on the above schemes, the communication device can generate corresponding service virtual ports for different applications, thereby further improving the user experience.

[0013] In one possible implementation, generating the first service virtual port based on the first configuration information includes: generating a first service virtual port that meets the transmission requirements of the first application of the first user equipment based on the first configuration information.

[0014] In the above scheme, the communication device can generate a first service virtual port that meets the transmission requirements of the first application of the first user equipment based on the first configuration information. Typically, different applications have different transmission requirements. For example, applications with higher immediacy, such as online live streaming applications, have relatively higher network requirements, meaning their transmission requirements (e.g., priority, bandwidth usage) are higher. Therefore, the above scheme can generate a service virtual port with higher priority and wider bandwidth according to the transmission requirements of the online live streaming application. Thus, the above scheme can adaptively generate corresponding service virtual ports for the application according to its transmission requirements, effectively ensuring the transmission quality of the application and further improving the user experience.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the above communication method further includes: receiving a first message, wherein the first message is a message for service transmission by a first application of a first user equipment; and transmitting the first message through a first service virtual port.

[0016] In the above scheme, the communication device can transmit received service transmission messages from the first application of the first user equipment through the generated first service virtual port. Based on the other schemes described above, the communication device can generate a corresponding first service virtual port for the first application based on its configuration information. Typically, the first application transmits services by transmitting messages. Therefore, when the first application transmits services, the communication device can transmit the service transmission messages through the first service virtual port corresponding to the first application. Thus, the above scheme can transmit application messages through the corresponding service virtual port, ensuring that the generated corresponding service virtual port can be used during service transmission, thereby guaranteeing the service transmission quality of the application.

[0017] In one possible implementation, transmitting the first message through the first service virtual port includes: transmitting the first message through the first service virtual port according to the transmission requirements.

[0018] In the above scheme, the communication device can transmit the first message according to the transmission requirements through the first service virtual port. Based on the other schemes mentioned above, the communication device can adaptively generate a corresponding service virtual port for the application according to the application's transmission requirements. Furthermore, when the application's message is transmitted through the generated service virtual port, the above scheme enables the application's message to be transmitted according to the transmission requirements. In this way, the transmission effect of the application's message can meet the transmission requirements. Therefore, the above scheme can transmit the application's message through the corresponding service virtual port according to the application's transmission requirements, resulting in high transmission quality of the application's message and significantly improving the user experience.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the transmission requirements are achieved through a Quality of Service (QoS) approach; or, the transmission requirements are achieved based on a Committed Access Rate (CAR) approach.

[0020] Specifically, Quality of Service (QoS) methods (also known as QoS policies) are typically used to address network congestion, latency, jitter, and packet loss. Committed Access Rate (CAR) methods (also known as CAR policies) are typically applied at network edge interfaces. CAR methods classify packets through CAR configuration, thereby controlling application traffic to enter and exit the network at specific rates, which helps operators better manage the network. Therefore, the above solutions, using QoS or CAR methods to achieve transmission requirements, can ensure service quality and reliability, meet user service needs, and thus guarantee a positive user experience.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the CAR policy can be configured with a committed information rate (CIR) value that ensures the user equipment can support the achievable rate.

[0022] Optionally, the CAR policy can be configured with a peak information rate (PIR) value, which indicates the maximum rate that the user equipment can support.

[0023] In one possible implementation, before transmitting the first message through the first service virtual port, the process further includes: determining that the first message is a message for service transmission by the first application of the first user equipment.

[0024] In the above scheme, the communication device can identify the received message (i.e., the first message). When it is determined that the received message is a message for service transmission by the first application of the first user equipment, the first message is transmitted through the generated first service virtual port. Typically, the communication device will also receive multiple messages for service transmission from different applications of different terminal devices, and all multiple messages are forwarded through the service virtual port. Therefore, when the communication device generates a corresponding first service virtual port for service transmission by the first application, it needs to identify the received message during message forwarding to ensure that the message of the first application can be transmitted through the corresponding first service virtual port, thereby ensuring the service transmission quality of the first application. Thus, the above scheme can identify the received message, thereby ensuring that the message of a specific application can be transmitted through the corresponding service virtual port, and thus ensuring the service transmission quality of that application.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the first message carries indication information; determining that the first message is a message for service transmission by a first application of a first user equipment includes: determining that the first message is a message for service transmission by a first application of a first user equipment based on the indication information carried in the first message.

[0026] Therefore, in the above scheme, when the communication device determines whether the received first message is a message for service transmission by the first application of the first user equipment, it can make this determination through the indication information carried in the first message. This indication information can indicate the user equipment associated with the first message and the associated application.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the indication information includes: Internet Protocol address information, destination Internet Protocol address information, source port, destination port, and protocol number.

[0028] In the above scheme, the indication information carried by the first message includes: source Internet Protocol (IP) address information (source IP address), destination Internet Protocol (IP) address information (destination IP address), source port, destination port, and protocol information (such as protocol number and protocol type), which is also called the message's 5-tuple. Typically, the 5-tuples for different applications will not be repeated.

[0029] For example, the 5-tuple of an online live streaming application (e.g., named "Online Live Streaming") and the 5-tuple of a video application will not overlap. The correspondence between the 5-tuple and the application is typically identified using fields such as the domain name in the message. For instance, when a communication device determines that the first message has a source IP address of 192.168.10.10, a destination IP address of 10.11.11.11, a source port of 1234, a destination port of 5678, and a protocol number of 11, and that the payload of the first message contains the phrase "zaixianzhibo," it can identify that the message is a service transmission message from the online live streaming application, and this correspondence between the 5-tuple and the application will also be recorded by the communication device. Furthermore, when the communication device subsequently receives messages carrying this 5-tuple, it knows that the message belongs to the game application.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the transmission requirements include at least one of the following: the priority of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; the bandwidth of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; and the rate information of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission, wherein the rate information includes one or more of the following: the minimum rate supported by the first user equipment and the maximum rate that the first user equipment can achieve.

[0031] Based on the above scheme, the application's transmission requirements include: the priority of the application's service transmission, the bandwidth of the application's service transmission, and the rate information of the application's service transmission. The rate information includes the minimum rate supported by the device and the maximum rate that the device can achieve, for example, corresponding to a rate range from the minimum to the maximum rate. For example, applications with higher real-time requirements, such as online live streaming applications, often have higher requirements for the priority, bandwidth, and rate of service transmission. Therefore, the above scheme enables the communication device to generate service virtual ports corresponding to the application based on transmission requirements of different dimensions. Furthermore, the above scheme enables the communication device to transmit application messages through the service virtual ports corresponding to the application based on transmission requirements of different dimensions.

[0032] Secondly, a communication device is provided, which is applied to an access network device. The communication device includes an interface unit and a processing unit; the interface unit is used to acquire first configuration information from the access network device, the first configuration information being used to instruct a first application of a first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters; the processing unit is used to generate a first service virtual port based on the first configuration information acquired by the interface unit; wherein the first service virtual port is used by the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the above configuration parameters include at least one of the following: the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, the service flow associated with the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment, the transmission parameter template for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment in the uplink direction, the transmission parameter template for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment in the downlink direction, the duration for which the service virtual port corresponding to the first application can be used, the identification information of the first application, and the transmission performance indicators for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the interface unit is further configured to acquire second configuration information from the access network device, the second configuration information being used to instruct the second application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters. The processing unit is further configured to generate a second service virtual port based on the second configuration information acquired by the interface unit.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the processing unit is specifically used to generate a first service virtual port that meets the transmission requirements of the first application of the first user equipment based on the first configuration information obtained by the interface unit.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the interface unit is further configured to receive a first message, which is a message for service transmission by a first application of the first user equipment. The processing unit is configured to control the interface unit to transmit the first message through the first service virtual port.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the processing unit is specifically used to control the interface unit to transmit the first message through the first service virtual port according to the transmission requirements.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the processing unit is specifically used to implement the transmission requirements through a Quality of Service (QoS) method; or, based on a Committed Access Rate (CAR) method.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to determine that the first message received by the interface unit is a message for the first application of the first user equipment to transmit services.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the first message carries indication information. The processing unit is specifically configured to determine, based on the indication information carried in the first message, that the first message is a message for service transmission by a first application of a first user equipment.

[0041] In one possible implementation, the indication information includes: Internet Protocol address information, destination Internet Protocol address information, source port, destination port, and protocol number.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the transmission requirements include at least one of the following: the priority of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; the bandwidth of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; and the rate information of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission, wherein the rate information includes one or more of the following: the minimum rate supported by the first user equipment and the maximum rate that the first user equipment can achieve.

[0043] Thirdly, a passive optical fiber network (PON) board is provided. This PON board is used to perform the communication method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0044] Fourthly, an access network device is provided. This access network device includes at least one communication device as described in the second aspect or a PON board as described in the third aspect.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned access network equipment is an optical network terminal (ONT) or an optical line terminal (OLT).

[0046] Fifthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. This computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when read and executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0047] Sixthly, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided. The computer program product includes: computer program code, which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to perform the communication method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0048] The technical effects of any of the possible design methods in the second to sixth aspects mentioned above can be compared with the technical effects of different design methods in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a passive optical fiber network provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a PON port provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a communication method provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a communication method provided in yet another embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a PON port provided for another embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided for an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0055] This application will present various aspects, embodiments, or features relating to systems that may include multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that individual systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, combinations of these approaches may also be used. It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0056] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] With the rapid development of communication technology, communication services are becoming increasingly integrated and intelligent, and users' demands for communication services are also increasing.

[0058] When users utilize applications such as game apps, high-definition live sports broadcast apps, and high-definition video-on-demand apps on their terminal devices to perform corresponding functions, these applications all transmit data. The data transmitted by any application while performing its function falls under the category of communication services. Generally, users have different needs regarding data transmission for different applications. Currently, all applications transmit data through the same transmission channel when performing services via the access network, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0059] The access network refers to all equipment between the backbone network and the terminal devices. Access methods typically include: copper wire (ordinary telephone line) access, fiber optic access, hybrid access using fiber optic coaxial cable and cable television cable, and wireless access.

[0060] Specifically, fiber optic access technology uses optical fiber as the transmission medium to transmit signals, including active optical access and passive optical access. In fiber-to-the-x (FTTx) networks, signal transmission occurs between the central office (e.g., the central control station) and the user side via optical fiber. Due to its advantages such as small size, low cost, and long transmission distance, it is now widely used in various scenarios.

[0061] A passive optical network (PON) is a typical optical communication network that uses fiber optic access technology (i.e., a fiber optic access network, or simply an optical access network). For example, refer to... Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of this application provides a schematic diagram of a passive optical fiber network. For ease of explanation, [the following is a simplified explanation]. Figure 1 The passive fiber optic network shown is represented as PON 10. Combined with... Figure 1 As shown, PON 10 includes: an optical line terminal (OLT) located on the network side (see reference). Figure 1 The OLT 101 in the text), the optical network termination (ONT) located on the user side (see...) Figure 1 The ONT 103 in the text and the optical distribution network (ODN) connecting the OLT and ONT (see reference) Figure 1 ODN 102 in the context of ODN 102. ODN 102 is typically implemented using a passive optical splitter (e.g., a 1:N passive optical splitter), and ONT 103 includes one or more ONTs configured (see reference 103). Figure 1 (ONT 103-1 to ONT 103-n in the text).

[0062] In one possible implementation, combining Figure 1 As shown, the OLT 101 in PON 10 is also used to communicate with the network management system (see reference). Figure 1 The network management system 104 is connected. Optionally, the network management system 104 includes one or more servers.

[0063] Optionally, ONT 103 is used to communicate with terminal devices (see reference). Figure 1 The terminal device 105 in the middle is connected. In one possible implementation, it is combined with Figure 1 As shown, the OLT 101 includes a transceiver module 101-1, which enables data transmission.

[0064] In the embodiments of this application, the user side is described using an ONT as an example, for example... Figure 1Taking ONT 103 as an example on the user side. Of course, the aforementioned ONT can also be implemented by an optical network unit (ONU). It is easy to understand that ONTs or ONUs are usually located in different positions on the user side (also known as the terminal side). The functions of ONTs and ONUs are similar, and they are usually regarded as components of the ONU.

[0065] It is not difficult to understand that, for the sake of clarity, only [the following is used here] Figure 1 The architecture shown is an example and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application. For example, ODN 102 includes a multi-stage beam splitter (with multiple beam splitters) to achieve multi-stage beam splitting of optical signals.

[0066] Specifically, in combination Figure 1 As shown, PON 10 typically transmits signals via broadcast in the downlink direction. In the uplink direction, it typically transmits signals via Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA).

[0067] Among them, ONT and OLT, as relay devices in this communication network, can also be broadly referred to as access network devices.

[0068] Typically, access network equipment includes a PON board (e.g., PON board 101-2 in OLT 101), which provides a PON port for communication between devices. The access network equipment uses this PON port to forward packets between devices.

[0069] In one possible implementation, the transceiver module 101-1 and the PON board 101-2 in the OLT 101 can be integrated together. It is easy to understand that, for ease of explanation, this is only referred to as... Figure 1 The structure shown is an example and should not be used to limit the positional relationship between the transceiver module and the PON board.

[0070] based on Figure 1 The architecture shown is exemplary, referencing Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of this application provides a schematic diagram of a PON port structure. This PON port is integrated into a PON board. Specifically, in conjunction with... Figure 2 As shown, the PON port includes: a voice service port (see reference). Figure 2 Voice service port 201 and multicast service port (see reference) Figure 2 Multicast service port 202) and service port (refer to Figure 2 (Service port 203 in the middle).

[0071] Typically, the aforementioned voice service ports (Voice over Internet Protocol service ports, also known as voice service virtual ports), multicast service ports (Interactive Personality Television service ports, also known as multicast service virtual ports), and service ports (also known as service virtual ports) are all virtual ports used to transmit the corresponding service streams. It's easy to understand that, for ease of explanation, only virtual ports are used here. Figure 2 The architecture shown is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application.

[0072] Combination Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the structure of a PON port on a PON board integrated into an access network device. Specifically, the voice service port is used for fixed-line telephone service transmission, i.e., for transmitting voice streams. The multicast service port is used for interactive personality television (IPTV) live broadcast service transmission, i.e., for transmitting live television streams. The service virtual port is the result of user service traffic classification (flow classification) based on Ethernet packet characteristics on a physical or logical port; it is also a Layer 2 logical port for the access network device to carry services. The service virtual port is the port that provides internet service to users and is used to transmit service streams.

[0073] It is easy to understand that the PON boards of access network devices usually include the above-mentioned ports. Therefore, when access network devices transmit services, there is a corresponding transmission channel between the service virtual ports of the two access network devices.

[0074] Generally, when a user uses different applications on the same terminal device (e.g., terminal device 105), all applications' services are transmitted through the same channel, resulting in a poor user experience. Therefore, it is necessary to tailor the experience to the user's specific needs when using designated applications. For example, in gaming and entertainment scenarios, users have higher requirements for the service transmission of gaming applications on their terminal devices compared to sports events applications.

[0075] Based on the above, a technical solution is needed that can configure service transmission based on the application, thereby improving the user experience. For example, refer to... Figure 3 As shown, an embodiment of this application provides a schematic diagram of a communication method that can be applied to a communication device in an access network device. The following will be combined with... Figure 3The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below. In the following embodiments, the communication device in the access network device is used to execute the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application as an example, and this should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application.

[0076] It should be noted that, referring to Figure 1 In the architecture shown, the communication devices in OLT 101 or ONT 103 can be used to execute the methods provided in the following embodiments of this application. Of course, other devices or equipment capable of performing similar functions can also execute the following communication method, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this. The communication method includes steps 301 to 303, which are described in detail below.

[0077] Step 301: The communication device obtains the first configuration information from the access network device.

[0078] For example, taking the access network device as OLT 101 as an example, combined with Figure 1 As shown, the communication device in OLT 101 obtains the first configuration information of OLT 101. Optionally, this communication device is implemented by a PON board in OLT 101.

[0079] In one possible implementation, combining Figure 4 As shown, the access network device receives this first configuration information from other devices. Specifically, taking the access network device OLT 101 as an example, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, in the uplink direction, the transceiver module 101-1 in OLT 101 receives the first configuration information sent from the server in the network management system 104. Further, the transceiver module 101-1 sends the received first configuration information to the PON board (i.e., the aforementioned communication device) inside the access network equipment. In this way, the communication device in OLT 101 can obtain the first configuration information from OLT 101.

[0080] Optionally, the first user equipment can be a terminal device, such as... Figure 1 The terminal device 105 shown is shown.

[0081] The first configuration information is used to instruct the first application of the first user equipment on the configuration parameters for service transmission.

[0082] Optionally, the above configuration parameters include at least one of the following: the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, the service flow associated with the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment, the transmission parameter template for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment in the uplink direction, the transmission parameter template for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment in the downlink direction, the duration for which the service virtual port corresponding to the first application can be used, the identification information of the first application, or the transmission performance indicators for the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment.

[0083] Optionally, the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment mentioned above includes: the name (identified as name) of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, the number (identified as index) of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, or the ID of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment. For example, the identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment may also include: broadband account, PPPoE protocol account, or UUID.

[0084] Optionally, the identification information of the first application mentioned above includes: the unique identifier of the first application (identified as application-id), the list of five-tuples of the first application (identified as app-tuple), etc.

[0085] Optionally, the five-tuple list (identified as app-tuple) of the message used by the first application for business transmission includes: source IP address, destination IP address, source port, destination port, and protocol type.

[0086] Typically, in an access network, the values ​​of configuration parameters in the five-tuple lists of different applications will not be duplicated. For example, the five-tuple for a game application will not be the same as the five-tuple for a video application.

[0087] Therefore, the communication device in the access network equipment (such as OLT 101) can identify the correspondence between the five-tuple of the received message and the application in advance by using fields such as the domain name of the received message, thereby determining the application corresponding to the received message.

[0088] For example, the 5-tuple of a message from a video application (e.g., named "Second") is: Source IP = 192.168.10.10, Destination IP = 10.11.11.11, Source Port = 1234, Destination Port = 5678, Protocol Number = 11. The presence of the word "dier" in the message payload identifies it as the "Second" video application. Simultaneously, the relationship between this 5-tuple and the video application is recorded. Furthermore, when a communication device in an access network device (e.g., OLT 101) identifies a subsequent received message with the same 5-tuple, it can determine that the subsequent received message belongs to the "Second" video application and is transmitting services.

[0089] Step 302: The communication device generates a first service virtual port based on the first configuration information.

[0090] Specifically, taking the access network device OLT 101 as an example, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, the communication device in OLT 101 generates a first service virtual port based on the first configuration information. This first service virtual port is used by the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission.

[0091] In one possible implementation, step 302 includes: the communication device in OLT 101 generating a first service virtual port that meets the transmission requirements of a first application of the first user equipment based on the first configuration information.

[0092] Optionally, the above transmission requirements include at least one of the following: the priority of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; the bandwidth of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; or the rate information of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission.

[0093] Optionally, the rate information includes one or more of the following: the minimum rate supported by the first user equipment, or the maximum rate that the first user equipment can achieve.

[0094] For example, applications with higher real-time requirements, such as online live streaming applications, often have higher requirements for the priority, bandwidth, and rate of service transmission. Therefore, step 302 above can generate the corresponding service virtual ports based on different dimensions of transmission requirements.

[0095] Based on steps 301 and 302 above, the above scheme enables the communication device in the access network equipment to generate a service virtual port corresponding to a specific application based on the configuration parameters of that application. Furthermore, it enables the access network equipment to transmit services for that application through its own corresponding service virtual port. Therefore, the above scheme facilitates application-level service forwarding (e.g., forwarding corresponding packets based on a specific application). This ensures the service transmission quality of the application, guarantees a differentiated experience for users when using a specified application, and thus improves the user experience.

[0096] Based on steps 301 and 302 above, exemplarily, refer to Figure 4 As shown, the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application further includes the following steps:

[0097] Step 303: The communication device receives the first message.

[0098] Specifically, taking the access network device OLT 101 as an example, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, the communication device in OLT 101 receives a first message. This first message is a message from the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission.

[0099] For example, in combination Figure 4 As shown, the access network device receives the first message from other devices. Specifically, in conjunction with... Figure 1 As shown, taking OLT 101 as an example of an access network device, in the uplink direction, OLT 101 receives the first message from ONT 103. Further, OLT 101 forwards the received first message to the communication device inside the device. Among these steps... Figure 4 Other devices shown include: other communication devices that communicate with the access network devices, such as ONTs, servers, etc.

[0100] Step 304: The communication device transmits the first message through the first service virtual port.

[0101] Specifically, taking the access network device OLT 101 as an example, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, the communication device in OLT 101 transmits the first message through the generated first service virtual port.

[0102] For example, in the downlink direction, the communication device in OLT 101 transmits a first message to the communication device in ONT 103 through the generated first service virtual port. Alternatively, in the uplink direction, the communication device in OLT 101 transmits a first message to the network management system 104 through the generated first service virtual port.

[0103] In one possible implementation, in conjunction with step 302, step 302 includes: the communication device transmitting a first message according to transmission requirements through a first service virtual port. That is, the communication device in OLT 101 transmits the first message according to transmission requirements through the generated first service virtual port.

[0104] Optionally, the communication device implements the transmission requirements using a QoS method. Alternatively, the communication device implements the transmission requirements based on a CAR method.

[0105] Specifically, QoS policies can typically be used to address issues such as network congestion, latency, jitter, and packet loss.

[0106] For example, if the transmission requirement of the first application is high priority, the communication device can meet the transmission requirements of the first application through QoS policies. Typically, each forwarding channel includes multiple queues. Each queue has a different scheduling priority, and packets that require priority scheduling can be sent to the high-priority queue, thus enabling the packet to be scheduled with priority.

[0107] Based on this, the communication device transmits the messages of the first application to the high-priority scheduling queue through the generated first service virtual port, thereby fulfilling the high-priority transmission requirements of the first application.

[0108] For example, in enterprise live-streaming sales scenarios, the QoS policy of the online live-streaming application can be configured for high-priority scheduling. This ensures that when multiple applications are simultaneously online in an enterprise environment, the packets from the online live-streaming application are guaranteed and transmitted with priority, resulting in a better user experience.

[0109] CAR (Carrier Response) policies are typically applied at network edge interfaces. The CAR method classifies packets through CAR configuration, thereby controlling application traffic to enter and exit the network at specific rates, which helps operators better manage the network.

[0110] In one possible implementation, the CAR policy can be configured with a committed information rate (CIR) value that ensures the user device can support a certain speed. For example, an operator can configure the CIR value for a user device's (e.g., a terminal device) gaming application to 10 Mbps and the PIR value to 20 Mbps. Then, when a user plays a game on their terminal device, the bandwidth usage can reach 10 Mbps, but will not exceed 20 Mbps. This ensures that other applications can still enjoy a smooth experience while the user is playing games. Furthermore, since multiple users typically share the same physical bandwidth, this strategy prevents a single user's application from consuming excessive bandwidth for extended periods, thus protecting the internet experience of other users.

[0111] Prior to step 304, the communication method further includes:

[0112] Step 305: The communication device determines that the first message is a message for the first application of the first user equipment to transmit services.

[0113] Specifically, taking the access network device OLT 101 as an example, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, before the communication device in OLT 101 transmits the first message through the first service virtual port, it first determines that the first message is a message for the first application of the first user equipment to transmit services.

[0114] In one possible implementation, the first message carries indication information. Optionally, the indication information includes: source Internet Protocol address information, destination Internet Protocol address information, source port, destination port, and protocol information.

[0115] For example, the aforementioned indication information could be a list of five-tuples (identified as app-tuple) of the messages transmitted by the first application for business purposes, including: source IP address (identified as source-ip), destination IP address (identified as destination-ip), source port (identified as source-port), destination port (identified as destination-port), and protocol type (identified as protocol-type).

[0116] In conjunction with step 301 above, in the access network, the five-tuples for different applications typically do not repeat. Therefore, step 305 includes: the communication device in the access network equipment determines, based on the indication information carried in the received first message, that the first message is a message for service transmission by the first application of the first user equipment.

[0117] Step 306: The communication device obtains the second configuration information from the access network device.

[0118] Specifically, taking the access network device OLT 101 as an example, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, the communication device in OLT 101 obtains second configuration information from access network device 105.

[0119] Step 307: The communication device generates a second service virtual port based on the second configuration information.

[0120] Specifically, taking the access network device OLT 101 as an example, combined with... Figure 1 As shown, the communication device in OLT 101 generates a second service virtual port based on the second configuration information. This second service virtual port is used for service transmission by the second application of the first user equipment.

[0121] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the order of the actions performed in steps 306 and 307 with those performed in steps 301 to 305. For example, the communication device can simultaneously obtain the first configuration information (refer to step 301) and the second configuration information (refer to step 306). Further, the communication device generates a first service virtual port based on the obtained first configuration information (refer to step 302); simultaneously, the communication device generates a second service virtual port based on the obtained second configuration information (refer to step 307).

[0122] Based on steps 301 to 307 above, the communication device in the access network equipment can generate a service virtual port corresponding to a certain application based on the configuration parameters of that application. Furthermore, the above scheme enables the application to transmit services through its corresponding service virtual port. This ensures the service transmission quality of the application, guarantees a differentiated experience for users when using the specified application, and thus improves the user experience. It should be noted that the communication method described in the above embodiments can be implemented not only by the communication device in the access network equipment (e.g., a PON board) but also by the communication devices on other network forwarding devices; the embodiments of this application do not limit this application.

[0123] In one possible implementation, the actions performed by the communication device in the communication method described in the above embodiments can also be implemented through the communication device in the optical modem.

[0124] Based on steps 301 to 307 above, for example, based on Figure 2 The architecture shown is referenced. Figure 5 As shown in the embodiments of this application, another structure of the PON port of the PON board integrated in the access network equipment is also provided.

[0125] In one possible implementation, the first service virtual port of the first application of the first user device generated in the above embodiments (i.e., the first service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the terminal device 105) can be represented as application (APP)-service virtual port (flow)1, i.e., app-flow 1. Optionally, the second service virtual port of the second application of the first user device generated in the above embodiments (i.e., the second service virtual port corresponding to the second application of the terminal device 105) can be represented as app-flow 2.

[0126] based on Figure 2 The architecture shown, specifically, combined with Figure 5 As shown in (1), the service virtual ports in this PON port include: the first service virtual port (i.e., app-flow 1, refer to...) Figure 5In (1), the first service virtual port 203-1 and the second service virtual port (i.e., app-flow 2, refer to) Figure 5 In (1), the second service virtual port 203-2). Among them, app-flow 1 and app-flow 2 are independent of the service ports corresponding to other service flows. For example, combined with Figure 5 As shown in (1), in service port 203, the first service virtual port 203-1 and the second service virtual port 203-2 are independent of the other parts except for app-flow 1 and app-flow 2.

[0127] In one possible implementation, combining Figure 5 As shown in (2), the first service virtual port (i.e., app-flow1, refer to) Figure 5 In (2), the first service virtual port 203-1 and the second service virtual port (i.e., app-flow 2, refer to) Figure 5 In (2) of the above, the second virtual service port 203-2) is parallel to the service port. App-flow 1 and App-flow 2 are independent of the service ports corresponding to other service flows. For example, combined with... Figure 5 As shown in (2), the first service virtual port 203-1 and the second service virtual port 203-2 are independent of service port 203 and are distributed in parallel with service port 203.

[0128] Optionally, the parameters of the command-line features during the execution of steps 301 to 307 above include:

[0129] Generate app-flow 1: Bind service-port, bind application, bind traffic template;

[0130] app-flow index <0,1023>service-port service-port-index <0,139263>app-type app-type-index <0,1023>;

[0131] inbound traffic-table index table-index <0,1023>outbound traffic-table index table-index <0,1023>;

[0132] Create a view with application ID 100;

[0133] app-type 100;

[0134] Add a quintuple;

[0135] add tuple{src-ip ipaddr |dst-ip ipaddr |src-port port <0,65535>|dst-port port <0,65535>|protocol{tcp|udp}}*;

[0136] For example, the key parameters mentioned above are app-flow 1, traffic-table (i.e., traffic template), and app-type (i.e., the first application name).

[0137] based on Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, by way of example, embodiments of this application provide two implementations of the above-described communication method, which are described in detail below:

[0138] (Method 1) Speed ​​limiting via CAR strategy:

[0139] (1) Level 1: When the communication device in the access network receives a message (e.g., the first message), it determines that the message is a service transmission message of the first application of the first user equipment (transmitted by app-flow 1) by querying the five-tuple list (as described in step 301). Further, the communication device implements traffic rate control based on the CAR policy during the transmission of the first application's message through app-flow 1. For example, by discarding or color-coding the service transmission message of the first application, traffic rate control is achieved to ensure transmission quality.

[0140] (2) Second level: All messages other than those of the first application of the first user equipment continue to be transmitted through the service port. For example, these messages can only be rate-limited at the service flow level through the service port to control the overall bandwidth rate of the user equipment.

[0141] (Method 2) Implement priority scheduling through QoS policies:

[0142] (1) Level 1: The communication device in the access network receives a message (e.g., the first message) and determines, by querying the five-tuple list (as described in step 301), that the message is a message for service transmission by the first application of the first user equipment (transmitted by app-flow 1). Further, the communication device configures app-flow 1 accordingly based on QoS policies. For example, it marks the priority of the transmitted messages.

[0143] (2) Second level: All packets other than those of the first application of the first user equipment continue to be transmitted through the service port. For example, these packets can only be transmitted through the service port. The default QoS policy of the service flow level, such as the default priority of these packets, is as follows.

[0144] Both of these methods enable differentiated scheduling (e.g., prioritization) for a specific application, thereby ensuring its transmission efficiency and improving user experience. Therefore, these solutions facilitate the implementation of QoS and CAR policies by access network devices (e.g., configuring the transmission of a specific application's service virtual port based on QoS or CAR policies).

[0145] For example, refer to Figure 6 As shown, an embodiment of this application provides a communication device. This communication device is applied to a communication device in an access network device. For example, the communication device may be a PON board in the aforementioned access network device. Specifically, in conjunction with... Figure 6 As shown, the communication device includes an interface unit 601 and a processing unit 602. The interface unit 601 is used to acquire first configuration information from the access network device, the first configuration information being used to instruct the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters; the processing unit 602 is used to generate a first service virtual port based on the first configuration information acquired by the interface unit 601; wherein, the first service virtual port is used for the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission.

[0146] In one possible implementation, interface unit 601 is further configured to acquire second configuration information from the access network device, the second configuration information being used to instruct the second application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters. Processing unit 602 is further configured to generate a second service virtual port based on the second configuration information acquired by interface unit 601.

[0147] In one possible implementation, interface unit 601 is further configured to receive a first message, which is a message for service transmission by a first application of the first user equipment. Processing unit 602 is further configured to transmit the first message received by interface unit 601 through a first service virtual port.

[0148] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 602 is specifically used to control the interface unit to transmit the first message through the first service virtual port according to the transmission requirements.

[0149] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 602 is specifically used to implement the transmission requirements through a Quality of Service (QoS) method; or, to implement the transmission requirements based on a Committed Access Rate (CAR) method.

[0150] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 602 is further configured to determine that the first message is a message for service transmission by the first application of the first user equipment.

[0151] In one possible implementation, the processing unit 602 is further configured to determine, based on the indication information carried in the first message, that the first message is a message for the first application of the first user equipment to transmit services.

[0152] In one possible implementation, the indication information includes: Internet Protocol address information, destination Internet Protocol address information, source port, destination port, and protocol number.

[0153] In one possible implementation, the transmission requirements include at least one of the following: the priority of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; the bandwidth of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission; and the rate information of the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission, wherein the rate information includes one or more of the following: the minimum rate supported by the first user equipment and the maximum rate that the first user equipment can achieve.

[0154] The interface unit 601 is further configured to execute the communication methods described in steps 301, 303, and 306; the processing unit 602 is further configured to execute the communication methods described in steps 302, 304, 305, and 307. It is understood that this communication device can directly reference the above-described methods. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The functions and effects of the communication methods shown are described below, and will not be repeated here.

[0155] For example, an embodiment of this application provides a passive optical fiber network (PON) board. This PON board is used to perform the communication method described in the above embodiments of this application (see...). Figure 3 or Figure 4 (As shown).

[0156] In one possible implementation, embodiments of this application provide an access network device. This access network device includes at least one communication device as described in the above embodiments of this application or a PON board as described in the above embodiments of this application.

[0157] Optionally, the aforementioned access network equipment is an optical network terminal (ONT) or an optical line terminal (OLT).

[0158] In one possible implementation, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when read and executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the communication method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0159] In one possible implementation, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product including instructions. The computer program product includes computer program code that, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to perform the communication method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0160] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software programs, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable devices. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that can be integrated with one or more media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state disk (SSD)). In embodiments of this application, the computer may include the aforementioned apparatus.

[0161] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, disclosure, and appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple components. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0162] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of this application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Thus, if such modifications and modifications of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Communication devices used in access network equipment; The communication method includes: Obtain first configuration information from the access network device, wherein the first configuration information is used to instruct the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters; Based on the first configuration information, generate the first service virtual port; The first service virtual port is used by the first application of the first user equipment to transmit services.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The configuration parameters include at least one of the following: The identification information of the service virtual port corresponding to the first application of the first user equipment, the service flow associated with the service transmission of the first application of the first user equipment, the transmission parameter template of the first application of the first user equipment in the uplink direction, the transmission parameter template of the first application of the first user equipment in the downlink direction, the duration supported by the service virtual port corresponding to the first application, the identification information of the first application, or the transmission performance indicators of the first application of the first user equipment in the service transmission.

3. The communication method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The communication method further includes: Obtain second configuration information from the access network device, the second configuration information being used to instruct the second application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters; Based on the second configuration information, a second service virtual port is generated.

4. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of generating the first service virtual port based on the first configuration information includes: Based on the first configuration information, a first service virtual port that meets the transmission requirements of the first application of the first user equipment is generated.

5. The communication method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The communication method further includes: Receive a first message, which is a message for the first application of the first user equipment to transmit services; The first message is transmitted through the first service virtual port.

6. The communication method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transmission of the first message through the first service virtual port includes: The first message is transmitted through the first service virtual port in accordance with the transmission requirements.

7. The communication method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The transmission requirements are achieved through Quality of Service (QoS) methods. Alternatively, the transmission requirement can be achieved based on the Committed Access Rate (CAR) method.

8. The communication method according to any one of claims 5-7, characterized in that, Before transmitting the first message through the first service virtual port, the process further includes: The first message is determined to be a message used by the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission.

9. The communication method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first message carries indication information; The determination that the first message is a message used by the first application of the first user equipment for service transmission includes: Based on the indication information carried in the first message, it is determined that the first message is a message used by the first application of the first user equipment to transmit services.

10. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The indication information includes: Internet Protocol address information, destination Internet Protocol address information, source port, destination port, and protocol number.

11. The communication method according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that, The transmission requirements include at least one of the following: The priority of the first application in the first user equipment for service transmission; The bandwidth for service transmission by the first application of the first user equipment; The rate information for the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission includes one or more of the following: the minimum rate supported by the first user equipment and the maximum rate that the first user equipment can achieve.

12. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes an interface unit and a processing unit; The interface unit is used to obtain first configuration information from the access network device, the first configuration information being used to instruct the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission configuration parameters. The processing unit is configured to generate a first service virtual port based on the first configuration information obtained by the interface unit; wherein the first service virtual port is used for the first application of the first user equipment to perform service transmission.

13. A passive optical fiber network (PON) board, characterized in that, The PON board is used to perform the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

14. An access network device, characterized in that, The access network equipment includes at least one communication device as described in claim 12 or a PON board as described in claim 13.

15. The access network device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The access network equipment is an optical network terminal or an optical line terminal.

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