Communication method and apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a communication method, device, electronic equipment and storage medium, and relates to the technical field of wireless communication. The method comprises: a policy control function (PCF) network element receiving a target message sent by a target network element (NF), wherein the target message comprises any one or more of the following: a target Internet Protocol (IP) address; a target fully qualified domain name (FQDN); a data network name (DNN) of a target protocol data unit (PDU) session; and single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) of the target PDU session. The present disclosure transmits data through a user plane, collects data from a user equipment by a core network element through the user plane, and establishes a channel between the user equipment and the core network element to collect user data, thereby solving the problem of low data transmission efficiency through a control plane.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of communication technology, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is actively researching the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in communication networks, aiming to improve network performance and service quality through intelligent means. In this process, training data for AI models plays a crucial role, and user data, as an important component of AI model training data in communication networks, is of great significance for improving the accuracy and efficiency of AI models. However, due to concerns about user privacy and security when collecting user data, 3GPP has been debating how to collect AI training data from user equipment and has not yet reached a consensus.

[0003] In related technologies, core network elements are used to collect training data from user equipment via control plane. However, data transmission efficiency is low when using the control plane, making it unsuitable for transmitting large amounts of training data.

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

[0005] This disclosure provides a communication method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium that at least partially overcomes the problem of low efficiency in transmitting data via the control plane in related technologies.

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

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a communication method is provided, comprising: a policy control function (PCF) network element receiving a target message sent by a target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0008] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0009] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0010] The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN);

[0011] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

[0012] In some embodiments, the PCF generates a target user routing policy URSP rule based on the target message, wherein the target URSP rule includes any one or more of the following:

[0013] The target IP address;

[0014] The target FQDN;

[0015] The DNN of the target PDU session;

[0016] S-NSSAI of the target PDU session;

[0017] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0018] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0019] In some embodiments, the PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule.

[0020] In some embodiments, the PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE associates traffic with the target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule.

[0021] In some embodiments, the PCF sending the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE includes: the PCF sending the target URSP rule to the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, so that the AMF network element sends the target URSP rule to the UE via control plane messages.

[0022] In some embodiments, the step of enabling the UE to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule includes any one or more of the following:

[0023] This enables the UE to match the target IP address of the traffic with the target IP address in the target URSP rule;

[0024] This enables the UE to match the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0025] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0026] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to the S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0027] In some embodiments, the target PDU session is used to enable the NF to collect target data from the UE.

[0028] In some embodiments, the target data includes any one or more of the following:

[0029] Artificial intelligence training data;

[0030] Inference data;

[0031] Truth value;

[0032] Label;

[0033] Perceive data.

[0034] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a communication method is also provided, comprising: a user terminal (UE) establishing a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to a target user routing selection policy (URSP) rule, wherein the target PDU session is used to enable a target network element (NF) to collect target data from the UE, wherein the target URSP rule includes any one or more of the following:

[0035] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0036] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0037] The target PDU session's data network name is DNN;

[0038] The single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) for the target PDU session;

[0039] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0040] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0041] In some embodiments, the target URSP rule is pre-configured in the UE.

[0042] In some embodiments, the UE establishing a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule includes any one or more of the following:

[0043] The UE matches the target IP address of the traffic with the target IP address in the target URSP rule;

[0044] The UE matches the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0045] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0046] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to the S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0047] In some embodiments, before the user terminal UE establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing policy URSP rules, the method further includes:

[0048] The UE receives the target URSP rule sent by the policy control function (PCF) network element.

[0049] In some embodiments, the target URSP rule sent by the UE to the policy control function (PCF) network element includes:

[0050] The UE receives the target URSP rule sent by the PCF through the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, wherein the target URSP rule is sent by the AMF network element through control plane messages.

[0051] In some embodiments, the target URSP rule received by the UE is generated by the PCF through receiving a target message sent by the target network element NF, wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0052] The target IP address;

[0053] The target FQDN;

[0054] DNN for the target PDU session;

[0055] S-NSSAI for the target PDU session.

[0056] In some embodiments, the target data includes any one or more of the following:

[0057] Artificial intelligence training data;

[0058] Inference data;

[0059] Truth value;

[0060] Label;

[0061] Perceive data.

[0062] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a communication device is also provided, comprising:

[0063] The target message acquisition module is used by the policy control function (PCF) network element to acquire target messages sent by the target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0064] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0065] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0066] The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN);

[0067] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

[0068] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a communication device is also provided, comprising:

[0069] The PDU session establishment module is used by the user terminal (UE) to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing selection policy (URSP) rules. The target PDU session is used to enable the target network element (NF) to collect target data from the UE. The target URSP rules include any one or more of the following:

[0070] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0071] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0072] The target PDU session's data network name is DNN;

[0073] The single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) for the target PDU session;

[0074] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0075] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0076] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is also provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to perform the communication method described in any of the preceding claims by executing the executable instructions.

[0077] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, on which a computer program is stored, which, when executed by a processor, implements the communication method described in any of the preceding claims.

[0078] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the communication method of any of the above.

[0079] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure involves a Policy Control Function (PCF) network element receiving a target message sent by a target network element (NF). The target message includes one or more of the following: a target Internet Protocol (IP) address; a target Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN); a target Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session's Data Network Name (DNN); and a Single Network Slice Selection Auxiliary Information (S-NSSAI) for the target PDU session. This disclosure performs data transmission via the user plane, employing a core network element to collect data from user equipment through a user-to-user interface, establishing a channel between the user equipment and the core network element to collect user data, thus solving the problem of low efficiency in data transmission via the control plane.

[0080] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0081] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0082] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary application system architecture for a communication method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0083] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a communication method applied to a PCF network element in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0084] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a specific example of a communication method applied to a PCF network element according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0085] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating yet another specific example of a communication method applied to a PCF network element according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0086] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a communication method applied to a terminal according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0087] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a specific example of a communication method applied to a terminal according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0088] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a communication method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0089] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0090] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a communication device applied to a PCF network element is shown in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0091] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a communication device applied to a terminal is shown in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0092] Figure 11 A structural block diagram of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0093] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0094] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Some block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0095] To facilitate understanding, before introducing the embodiments of this disclosure, the following explanations are provided for several terms involved in the embodiments of this disclosure:

[0096] 5GC: 5Generation Core, 5G core network;

[0097] RAN: Radio Access Network;

[0098] PCF: Policy Control Function;

[0099] AMF: Access and Mobility Management Function;

[0100] DNN: data network name;

[0101] NF: Network Function;

[0102] IP: Internet Protocol;

[0103] FQDN: Fully Qualified Domain Name;

[0104] PDU: Protocol Data Unit;

[0105] S-NSSAI: Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information;

[0106] UE: User Equipment, user terminal;

[0107] URSP: UE Route Selection Policy, user routing selection strategy;

[0108] AI / ML: Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning;

[0109] NWDAF: Network Data Analytics Function;

[0110] AnLF: Analytics logical function, a type of NWDAF;

[0111] MTLF: Model Training logical function, a type of NWDAF;

[0112] ADRF: Analytics Data Repository Function;

[0113] AF: Application Function;

[0114] OTT services: Over-the-top media services, where content or services are built on top of basic telecommunications services and therefore do not require additional support from network operators;

[0115] AIML: Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning.

[0116] The specific implementation methods of the embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0117] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary application system architecture to which the communication methods of the embodiments of this disclosure can be applied is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the system architecture may include terminal device 101, network 102, and network-side device 103.

[0118] Network 102 is a medium used to provide a communication link between terminal device 101 and network-side device 103, and can be a wired network or a wireless network.

[0119] Optionally, the aforementioned wireless or wired networks use standard communication technologies and / or protocols. The network is typically the Internet, but can also be any network, including but not limited to Local Area Networks (LANs), Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), mobile, wired or wireless networks, private networks, or any combination of virtual private networks. In some embodiments, technologies and / or formats including Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), etc., are used to represent data exchanged over the network. Furthermore, conventional encryption technologies such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), and Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) can be used to encrypt all or some links. In other embodiments, custom and / or dedicated data communication technologies can be used to replace or supplement the aforementioned data communication technologies.

[0120] Figure 1 Any of the terminal devices 101 shown can be used as a remote terminal or a relay terminal. Communication based on proximity service can be established between the remote terminal and the relay terminal. The remote terminal can directly access the network or access the network through the relay terminal.

[0121] Optionally, the terminal device 101 in this embodiment of the present disclosure may also be referred to as UE (User Equipment). In specific implementation, the terminal device 101 may be a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile internet device (MID), wearable device, or vehicle-mounted device, etc.

[0122] Optionally, the client for the application installed on different terminal devices can be the same, or the client for the same type of application based on different operating systems. Depending on the terminal platform, the specific form of the application client can also differ; for example, the application client can be a mobile client, a PC client, etc.

[0123] The network-side device 103 includes various network entities of the access network or core network, including but not limited to NF network elements, PCF network elements, and AMF network elements. It should be noted that the specific type of network-side device is not limited in this embodiment.

[0124] In one example of this disclosure, a policy control function (PCF) network element receives a target message sent by a target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0125] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0126] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0127] The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN);

[0128] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

[0129] Figure 2 A flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown, such as Figure 2 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0130] S202, the policy control function (PCF) network element receives a target message sent by the target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0131] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0132] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0133] The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN);

[0134] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

[0135] It should be noted that the aforementioned target network element (NF) can be a network element that collects data from the user equipment (UE). The aforementioned NF is an NF within the 5GC domain; for example, the aforementioned target network element can be an NWDAF network element, ADRF network element, AF network element, etc. The aforementioned target Internet Protocol (IP) address can be the IP address of the aforementioned target network element NF, or it can be the IP address of other NFs (e.g., the IP addresses collected and / or pre-configured by the target network element from other network elements). Similarly, the aforementioned target FQDN can be the FQDN of the aforementioned target network element NF, or it can be the FQDN of other NFs. The aforementioned target PDU session's DNN can be the DNN of the aforementioned target network element NF, or it can be the DNN of other NFs. The aforementioned target PDU session's S-NSSAI can be the S-NSSAI of the aforementioned target network element NF, or it can be the S-NSSAI of other NFs. For example, before the PDU session is established, the NF may only indicate the DNN or S-NSSAI for establishing the PDU session; however, after the PDU session is established, it may directly indicate the DNN and S-NSSAI corresponding to the PDU session.

[0136] In a specific instance, the target network element is used to collect artificial intelligence / machine learning training data from user equipment.

[0137] This disclosure enables data transmission via the user plane, employing core network elements to collect data from user equipment through the user plane, establishing a channel between the user equipment and core network elements to collect user data, thus solving the problem of low efficiency in data transmission via the control plane.

[0138] In one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 3 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment can generate target user routing policy rules through the following steps, which can improve the flexibility of routing selection and enhance the controllability of the network:

[0139] S302, PCF generates target user routing policy URSP rules based on the target message, wherein the target URSP rules include any one or more of the following:

[0140] Target IP address;

[0141] Target FQDN;

[0142] DNN for the target PDU session;

[0143] S-NSSAI of the target PDU session;

[0144] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0145] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0146] In one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 4 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment can establish a target protocol data unit session through the following steps, which can optimize the allocation of network resources and improve the efficiency of network data transmission:

[0147] S402, the PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE can establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule.

[0148] In a specific example, PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal using a container. The container can encrypt and sign the encapsulated target URSP rule to ensure the security and integrity of the information during transmission. Simultaneously, containerized delivery makes the target URSP rule more compact and efficient, reducing network bandwidth consumption and improving network transmission efficiency. Upon receiving the containerized target URSP rule, the user terminal can directly parse the information within the container, simplifying the user terminal's processing flow, reducing processing complexity, and improving response speed and performance.

[0149] In one example of this disclosure, the PCF sends a target URSP rule to the user terminal UE, enabling the UE to associate traffic with a target Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule. Isolating traffic through URSP rules and allocating different types of traffic to different PDU sessions reduces interference between different services, improves network security, and ensures efficient utilization of network resources.

[0150] It should be noted that if a PDU session has already been established, the association can be directly performed using the target URSP rule mentioned above.

[0151] In one example of this disclosure, the PCF sending target URSP rules to the user terminal UE includes: the PCF sending the target URSP rules to the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, so that the AMF network element can send the target URSP rules to the UE via control plane messages. The AMF network element, acting as a bridge between the PCF and the UE, is responsible for receiving the target URSP rules sent by the PCF and accurately transmitting these rules to the UE via control plane messages. The AMF network element ensures the integrity and accuracy of policy information, avoiding information loss or distortion during transmission. Furthermore, after receiving the target URSP rules sent by the PCF, the AMF network element can perform a series of processing and verifications to ensure the validity and compliance of the rules, enhancing network reliability and stability, and preventing network failures or security issues caused by rule errors or non-compliance. In 3GPP access, the UE supports multiple access technologies. When transmitting target URSP rules, the AMF network element can intelligently select the appropriate technology based on the UE's access method and network conditions to ensure that the rules are correctly applied to different access technologies.

[0152] In one example of this disclosure, enabling the UE to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rules includes any one or more of the following:

[0153] This enables the UE to match the target IP address of the traffic with the target IP address in the target URSP rule;

[0154] This enables the UE to match the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0155] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0156] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0157] It should be noted that by using the matching method, the UE can establish target PDU sessions more accurately, route traffic precisely, and improve network transmission efficiency.

[0158] In one example of this disclosure, a target PDU session is used to enable the NF to collect target data from the UE. The establishment of the target PDU session in this disclosure provides a direct data transmission channel between the UE and the data network, enabling the NF to collect target data from the UE in real time, avoiding data loss, tampering, or delay during transmission, thereby ensuring the authenticity and reliability of the collected target data.

[0159] In one instance of this disclosure, the target data includes any one or more of the following:

[0160] Artificial intelligence training data;

[0161] Inference data;

[0162] Truth value;

[0163] Label;

[0164] Perceive data.

[0165] Artificial intelligence training data:

[0166] Training data forms the foundation for AI model learning and optimization. Through a large amount of high-quality training data, the model learns the characteristics and patterns of the data, thus acquiring the ability to handle similar tasks. The quality and quantity of training data directly affect the model's accuracy and generalization ability. Abundant training data can shorten the model development cycle and improve development efficiency. Inference data is used to validate and test the model after training to evaluate its performance in practical applications. Inference data verifies the model's accuracy, stability, and reliability. Furthermore, it helps identify the model's shortcomings and errors in specific scenarios, providing a basis for model optimization. The ground truth is the accurate value of the data or measurement result, used to compare with the model output to evaluate the model's accuracy. The ground truth provides a reference standard for the model's output, helping to accurately evaluate the model's precision and performance. By comparing the model output with the ground truth, model parameters can be adjusted to improve model accuracy. Labels are identifiers used to classify or label data, guiding the model to learn and identify features in the data. Labels ensure data accuracy and consistency, improving data quality. Through labels, the model can learn the characteristics and patterns of the data more quickly, accelerating the training process. Perceptual data refers to data about the physical world acquired through devices such as sensors, used to support the decision-making and actions of artificial intelligence systems. Labeled data includes AI training data, inference data, ground truth, labels, and perceptual data; these data types collectively support the training of AI models.

[0167] Figure 5 A flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown, such as Figure 5 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0168] S502, the user terminal (UE) establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing selection policy (URSP) rules. The target PDU session is used to enable the target network element (NF) to collect target data from the UE. The target URSP rules include any one or more of the following:

[0169] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0170] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0171] The target PDU session's data network name is DNN;

[0172] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target PDU sessions;

[0173] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0174] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0175] It should be noted that the aforementioned target URSP rules can be configured directly in the UE or issued from the network. For example, the UE establishes a target PDU session based on the pre-configured target URSP rules or those issued from the network.

[0176] This disclosure enables data transmission via the user plane, employing core network elements to collect data from user equipment through the user plane, establishing a channel between the user equipment and core network elements to collect user data, thus solving the problem of low efficiency in data transmission via the control plane.

[0177] In one example of this disclosure, the target URSP rule is pre-configured in the UE. For instance, when the UE powers on or enters a specific network environment, the pre-configured URSP rule can be applied immediately without waiting for the network side to issue the target URSP rule. This reduces signaling overhead, improves network transmission efficiency, and ensures timely data transmission and processing.

[0178] In one example of this disclosure, the UE establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rules, including any one or more of the following:

[0179] The UE matches the destination IP address of the traffic with the destination IP address in the destination URSP rule;

[0180] The UE matches the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0181] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0182] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0183] In one embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 6As shown in the embodiments of this disclosure, before the user terminal (UE) establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing policy (URSP) rules, the communication method further includes the following step: distributing target URSP rules through the PCF network element to ensure the continuity and consistency of the URSP rules, thereby improving the flexibility of routing selection and enhancing the controllability of the network.

[0184] S602, UE receives the target URSP rule sent by the PCF network element.

[0185] In one example of this disclosure, the UE receiving the target URSP rule sent by the Policy Control Function (PCF) network element includes: the UE receiving the target URSP rule sent by the PCF through the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, wherein the target URSP rule is sent by the AMF network element through control plane messages.

[0186] In one example of this disclosure, the target URSP rule received by the UE is generated by the PCF through receiving a target message sent by the target network element NF, wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0187] Target IP address;

[0188] Target FQDN;

[0189] DNN for the target PDU session;

[0190] S-NSSAI for the target PDU session.

[0191] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment includes:

[0192] The first network element NF1 (equivalent to the aforementioned target NF) is the network element within the core network that collects user AIML training data. The first network element provides the PCF with first information (equivalent to the aforementioned target message). The first information includes the IP address or FQDN of NF1. The PCF generates a target URSP based on the first information to establish a target PDU session. The PCF then sends the target URSP to the UE. The UE uses the target URSP to establish a target PDU session with NF1. The target PDU session is used to enable NF1 to collect AIML data from the UE.

[0193] Figure 8 A flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the communication method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0194] S801, NF1 (equivalent to the target NF mentioned above) sends the first message (equivalent to the target message mentioned above);

[0195] S802, PCF generates target URSP rules based on the first message;

[0196] S803, PCF sends the target URSP rule to AMF;

[0197] S804, AMF sends the target URSP rule to the UE via control plane messages;

[0198] S805, the UE establishes a target PDU session according to the target URSP rules.

[0199] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a communication device, as described in the following embodiments. Since the principle by which this device embodiment solves the problem is similar to that of the above-described method embodiments, the implementation of this device embodiment can refer to the implementation of the above-described method embodiments, and repeated details will not be elaborated further.

[0200] Figure 9 This diagram illustrates a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the device includes: a target message acquisition module 91, a target URSP rule generation module 92, and a target URSP rule sending module 93.

[0201] The target message acquisition module 91 is used by the policy control function (PCF) network element to acquire the target message sent by the target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0202] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0203] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0204] The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN);

[0205] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

[0206] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the communication device further includes a target URSP rule generation module 92, used by the PCF to generate target user routing policy URSP rules based on the target message, wherein the target URSP rules include any one or more of the following:

[0207] Target IP address;

[0208] Target FQDN;

[0209] DNN for the target PDU session;

[0210] S-NSSAI of the target PDU session;

[0211] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0212] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0213] In one example of this disclosure, the communication device further includes a target URSP rule sending module 93, which is used by the PCF to send the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE can establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule.

[0214] In one example of this disclosure, the aforementioned target URSP rule sending module 93 is further configured to have the PCF send the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE associates traffic with the target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule.

[0215] In one example of this disclosure, the target URSP rule sending module 93 is further configured to have the PCF send the target URSP rule to the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, so that the AMF network element sends the target URSP rule to the UE via control plane messages.

[0216] In one example of this disclosure, the target URSP rule sending module 93 described above, which enables the UE to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule, includes any one or more of the following:

[0217] This enables the UE to match the target IP address of the traffic with the target IP address in the target URSP rule;

[0218] This enables the UE to match the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0219] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0220] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0221] In one example of this disclosure, the target PDU session in the aforementioned communication device is used to enable the NF to collect target data from the UE.

[0222] In one example of this disclosure, the target data in the aforementioned communication device includes any one or more of the following:

[0223] Artificial intelligence training data;

[0224] Inference data;

[0225] Truth value;

[0226] Label;

[0227] Perceive data.

[0228] It should be noted that the target message acquisition module 91 mentioned above corresponds to S202 in the method embodiment. The examples and application scenarios implemented by the above module and the corresponding steps are the same, but are not limited to the content disclosed in the above method embodiment. It should be noted that the above module, as part of the apparatus, can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions.

[0229] Figure 10 This diagram illustrates a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the device includes: a PDU session establishment module 1001 and a target URSP rule receiving module 1002.

[0230] The PDU session establishment module 1001 is used by the user terminal (UE) to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing selection policy (URSP) rules. The target PDU session is used to enable the target network element (NF) to collect target data from the UE. The target URSP rules include any one or more of the following:

[0231] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0232] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0233] The target PDU session's data network name is DNN;

[0234] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target PDU sessions;

[0235] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0236] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0237] In one example of this disclosure, the target URSP rule in the aforementioned PDU session establishment module 1001 is pre-configured in the UE.

[0238] In one example of this disclosure, the UE in the PDU session establishment module 1001 establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rules, including any one or more of the following:

[0239] The UE matches the destination IP address of the traffic with the destination IP address in the destination URSP rule;

[0240] The UE matches the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0241] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0242] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0243] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the communication apparatus further includes a target URSP rule receiving module 1002, used by the UE to receive target URSP rules sent by the policy control function (PCF) network element.

[0244] In one example of this disclosure, the aforementioned target URSP rule receiving module 1002 is further configured to allow the UE to receive a target URSP rule sent by the PCF through the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, wherein the target URSP rule is sent by the AMF network element through control plane messages.

[0245] In one example of this disclosure, the target URSP rule receiving module 1002 is further configured such that the target URSP rule received by the UE is generated by the PCF through receiving a target message sent by the target network element NF, wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0246] Target IP address;

[0247] Target FQDN;

[0248] DNN for the target PDU session;

[0249] S-NSSAI for the target PDU session.

[0250] In one example of this disclosure, the target data in the communication device includes any one or more of the following:

[0251] Artificial intelligence training data;

[0252] Inference data;

[0253] Truth value;

[0254] Label;

[0255] Perceive data.

[0256] Those skilled in the art will understand that various aspects of this disclosure can be implemented as systems, methods, or program products. Therefore, various aspects of this disclosure can be specifically implemented in the following forms: entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, microcode, etc.), or in a combination of hardware and software, collectively referred to herein as “circuit,” “module,” or “system.”

[0257] The following reference Figure 11To describe an electronic device 1100 according to such an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 The electronic device 1100 shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0258] like Figure 11 As shown, the electronic device 1100 is manifested in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of the electronic device 1100 may include, but are not limited to: at least one processing unit 1110, at least one storage unit 1120, and a bus 1130 connecting different system components (including storage unit 1120 and processing unit 1110).

[0259] The storage unit stores program code that can be executed by the processing unit 1110, causing the processing unit 1110 to perform the steps described in the "Exemplary Methods" section above according to various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0260] For example, processing unit 1110 can execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: the policy control function (PCF) network element receives a target message sent by the target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0261] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0262] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0263] The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN);

[0264] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

[0265] For example, processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: PCF generates target user routing policy URSP rules based on the target message, wherein the target URSP rules include any one or more of the following:

[0266] Target IP address;

[0267] Target FQDN;

[0268] DNN for the target PDU session;

[0269] S-NSSAI of the target PDU session;

[0270] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0271] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0272] For example, the processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: the PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule.

[0273] For example, the processing unit 1110 may perform the following steps in the above method embodiment: the PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE associates traffic with the target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule.

[0274] For example, the processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: the PCF sends the target URSP rule to the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, so that the AMF network element sends the target URSP rule to the UE through control plane messages.

[0275] For example, processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: to enable the UE to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rules, including any one or more of the following:

[0276] This enables the UE to match the target IP address of the traffic with the target IP address in the target URSP rule;

[0277] This enables the UE to match the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0278] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0279] This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0280] For example, the processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: the target PDU session is used to enable the NF to collect target data from the UE.

[0281] For example, the target data in processing unit 1110 includes any one or more of the following:

[0282] Artificial intelligence training data;

[0283] Inference data;

[0284] Truth value;

[0285] Label;

[0286] Perceive data.

[0287] For example, processing unit 1110 can execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: User terminal UE establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing selection policy (URSP) rules. The target PDU session is used to enable the target network element (NF) to collect target data from the UE. The target URSP rules include any one or more of the following:

[0288] Target Internet Protocol (IP) address;

[0289] Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN);

[0290] The target PDU session's data network name is DNN;

[0291] Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target PDU sessions;

[0292] The time window during which traffic matching is allowed;

[0293] Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

[0294] For example, the processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps of the above method embodiment: the target URSP rule is pre-configured in the UE.

[0295] For example, processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: The UE establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rules, including any one or more of the following:

[0296] The UE matches the destination IP address of the traffic with the destination IP address in the destination URSP rule;

[0297] The UE matches the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule;

[0298] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session;

[0299] The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

[0300] For example, the processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: the UE receives the target URSP rule sent by the policy control function PCF network element.

[0301] For example, processing unit 1110 can execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: the UE receives the target URSP rules sent by the policy control function (PCF) network element, including:

[0302] The UE receives the target URSP rule sent by the PCF through the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, wherein the target URSP rule is sent by the AMF network element through control plane messages.

[0303] For example, processing unit 1110 may execute the following steps in the above method embodiment: the target URSP rule received by the UE is generated by the PCF through receiving a target message sent by the target network element NF, wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following:

[0304] Target IP address;

[0305] Target FQDN;

[0306] DNN for the target PDU session;

[0307] S-NSSAI for the target PDU session.

[0308] Storage unit 1120 may include a readable medium in the form of a volatile storage unit, such as random access memory (RAM) 11201 and / or cache memory 11202, and may further include a read-only memory (ROM) 11203.

[0309] Storage unit 1120 may also include a program / utility 11204 having a set (at least one) of program modules 11205, such program modules 11205 including but not limited to: operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules and program data, each or some combination of these examples may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0310] Bus 1130 can represent one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory cell bus or memory cell controller, a peripheral bus, a graphics acceleration port, a processing unit, or a local bus using any of the various bus structures.

[0311] Electronic device 1100 can also communicate with one or more external devices 1140 (e.g., keyboard, pointing device, Bluetooth device, etc.), and with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with electronic device 1100, and / or with any device that enables electronic device 1100 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., router, modem, etc.). This communication can be performed via input / output (I / O) interface 1150. Furthermore, electronic device 1100 can also communicate with one or more networks (e.g., local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), and / or public networks, such as the Internet) via network adapter 1160. As shown, network adapter 1160 communicates with other modules of electronic device 1100 via bus 1130. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figures, other hardware and / or software modules can be used in conjunction with electronic device 1100, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0312] From the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to cause a computing device (such as a personal computer, server, terminal device, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0313] In particular, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the process described above with reference to the flowchart can be implemented as a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described communication method.

[0314] In exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A program product capable of implementing the methods described above is stored thereon. In some possible implementations, various aspects of this disclosure may also be implemented as a program product including program code, which, when run on a terminal device, causes the terminal device to perform the steps described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification according to various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0315] More specific examples of computer-readable storage media in this disclosure may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0316] In this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A readable signal medium may also be any readable medium other than a readable storage medium, capable of transmitting, propagating, or transmitting a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0317] Optionally, the program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0318] In practical implementation, program code for performing the operations of this disclosure can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can execute entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's device, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving remote computing devices, the remote computing device can be connected to the user's computing device via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0319] It should be noted that although several modules or units for the device used to perform actions have been mentioned in the detailed description above, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0320] Furthermore, although the steps of the method in this disclosure are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additional or alternative steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or a step may be broken down into multiple steps.

[0321] From the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to cause a computing device (such as a personal computer, server, mobile terminal, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0322] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The policy control function (PCF) network element receives a target message sent by the target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following: Target Internet Protocol (IP) address; Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN); The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN); Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The PCF generates target user routing policy URSP rules based on the target message, wherein the target URSP rules include any one or more of the following: The target IP address; The target FQDN; The DNN of the target PDU session; S-NSSAI of the target PDU session; The time window during which traffic matching is allowed; Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

3. The communication method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: The PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE can establish a target PDU session according to the target URSP rule.

4. The communication method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: The PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE so that the UE associates traffic with the target PDU session according to the target URSP rule.

5. The communication method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The PCF sends the target URSP rule to the user terminal UE in the following ways: The PCF sends the target URSP rule to the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, so that the AMF network element sends the target URSP rule to the UE via control plane messages.

6. The communication method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of enabling the UE to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule includes any one or more of the following: This enables the UE to match the target IP address of the traffic with the target IP address in the target URSP rule; This enables the UE to match the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule; This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session; This enables the UE to establish a target PDU session and route the matched traffic to the S-NSSAI through the target PDU session.

7. The communication method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, The target PDU session is used to enable the NF to collect target data from the UE.

8. The communication method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The target data includes any one or more of the following: Artificial intelligence training data; Inference data; Truth value; Label; Perceive data.

9. A communication method, characterized in that, include: User terminal (UE) establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing policy (URSP) rules. The target PDU session is used to enable the target network element (NF) to collect target data from the UE. The target URSP rules include any one or more of the following: Target Internet Protocol (IP) address; Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN); The target PDU session's data network name is DNN; The single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) for the target PDU session; The time window during which traffic matching is allowed; Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

10. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The target URSP rule is pre-configured in the UE.

11. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The UE establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target URSP rule, including any one or more of the following: The UE matches the target IP address of the traffic with the target IP address in the target URSP rule; The UE matches the FQDN of the traffic with the target FQDN in the target URSP rule; The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to the DNN through the target PDU session; The UE establishes a target PDU session and routes the matched traffic to the S-NSSAI through the PDU session.

12. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Before the user terminal (UE) establishes a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing selection policy (URSP) rules, the method further includes: The UE receives the target URSP rule sent by the policy control function (PCF) network element.

13. The communication method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The target URSP rules sent by the UE receiving policy control function (PCF) network element include: The UE receives the target URSP rule sent by the PCF through the Access and Mobility Management (AMF) network element, wherein the target URSP rule is sent by the AMF network element through control plane messages.

14. The communication method according to any one of claims 12-13, characterized in that, The target URSP rule received by the UE is generated by the PCF through receiving a target message sent by the target network element NF, wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following: The target IP address; The target FQDN; DNN for the target PDU session; S-NSSAI for the target PDU session.

15. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The target data includes any one or more of the following: Artificial intelligence training data; Inference data; Truth value; Label; Perceive data.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The target message acquisition module is used by the policy control function (PCF) network element to acquire target messages sent by the target network element (NF), wherein the target message includes any one or more of the following: Target Internet Protocol (IP) address; Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN); The target protocol data unit (PDU) session's data network name (DNN); Single network slice selection auxiliary information (S-NSSAI) for target protocol data unit (PDU) sessions.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The PDU session establishment module is used by the user terminal (UE) to establish a target protocol data unit (PDU) session according to the target user routing selection policy (URSP) rules. The target PDU session is used to enable the target network element (NF) to collect target data from the UE. The target URSP rules include any one or more of the following: Target Internet Protocol (IP) address; Target fully qualified domain name (FQDN); The target PDU session's data network name is DNN; The single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) for the target PDU session; The time window during which traffic matching is allowed; Location conditions that allow traffic matching.

18. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: processor; as well as Memory for storing the executable instructions of the processor; The processor is configured to execute the communication method of any one of claims 1 to 15 by executing the executable instructions.

19. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

20. A computer program product comprising: A computer program or instruction, characterized in that, when executed by a processor, the computer program or instruction implements the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

Images