Relay transmission method, switching method, device, and user device

Abstract

An embodiment of the present application provides a relay transmission method, including: establishing a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to a network; establishing a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device; and connecting to the network through the first relay and the second relay at the same time when the user device performs signal transmission with the network based on a multi-path transmission control protocol connection between the user device and a non-3G Partnership Project Interworking function entity; through the multi-path transmission control protocol agent of the non-3G Partnership Project Interworking function entity, multi-path capability is supported, and the capacity and connection reliability of the cellular system can be improved through multi-relay paths, which can be used for high-reliability and low-latency commercial and vertical industry applications and cloud network side home applications, solving the problem of how a remote UE establishes a multi-path connection establishment based on multi-relay with a network, enhancing the existing capacity of a 5G+ cellular system, and realizing high frequency coverage of the cellular network.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross-reference to Related Applications) This application is based on an application with a CN application number of 202210401186.6 and a filing date of April 15, 2022, claims its priority, and the disclosure content thereof is incorporated herein as a whole.

[0002] This application relates to the field of wireless communication, specifically, to a relay transmission method, a switching method, an apparatus, and a user device.

Background Art

[0003] In the field of wireless communication, since spectrum resources are extremely important, the current development trend of wireless communication is that the used frequency is getting higher and higher. However, there is a certain influence relationship between frequency and signal coverage. Through external tests, it has been clearly shown that as the frequency increases, the signal coverage radius is significantly reduced. Due to cost, current high-frequency base stations cannot be deployed on a large scale and the coverage range is limited.

[0004] The ProSe (Proximity-based Services) relay technology can enable a remote UE (User Equipment) outside the coverage to access the network through ProSe relay, which is a potential means to solve high-frequency coverage.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, embodiments of the present application provide a relay transmission method, a switching method, an apparatus, an electronic device, a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program product.

[0006] Other features and advantages of the present application will become clear from the following detailed description or be acquired partially through the practice of the present application.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention provides a relay transmission method that performs network registration on a relay to establish a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to a network, wherein the relay is configured to be connected to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, the relay includes a first relay and a second relay, and establishes a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device based on a network address assigned to the user device by the first relay, and the user device connects to the network simultaneously via the first relay and the second relay when transmitting signals with the network based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, wherein the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection.

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention provides a relay transmission device including a network registration module, a first session module, a second session module, and a transmission module, wherein the network registration module is configured to perform network registration to the relay, the first session module is configured to establish a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to the network, the relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, the relay includes a first relay and a second relay, the second session module is configured to establish a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device based on a network address assigned to the user device by the first relay, and the transmission module is configured to connect to the network simultaneously via the first and second relays when the user device transmits signals to the network, based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, the multipath transmission control protocol connection being established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection.

[0009] In the technical solution according to the embodiment of the present application, the transmission module establishes a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay based on the network address of the second relay and the new network address of the user device, wherein the network address of the second relay and the new network address of the user device are obtained based on the multipath transmission control protocol, and a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol is established between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the third protocol data unit session connection, the user device is connected to the network via the first relay using the multipath transmission control protocol connection, and the user device is connected to the network via the second relay using the substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol.

[0010] In the technical proposal according to the embodiment of the present application, the relay transmission device further includes a security module, which is configured to establish a signaling security protocol tunnel between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and to perform non-access layer registration for the user device based on the signaling security protocol tunnel, thereby allowing the user device to access the network.

[0011] In the technical proposal according to the embodiment of the present application, the security module is configured to establish a security protocol association between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address and network key exchange protocol of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, and based on the security protocol association, the user device's request information and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity receive response information to the request information, the request information includes a network key exchange verification request and the user device's multipath parameters, and the response information includes a network key exchange verification request response and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity's multipath capability parameters, and based on the network key exchange verification request and the network key exchange verification request response, a network key exchange is performed between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, and after the network key exchange is completed, the security module is configured to establish the multipath transmission control protocol connection and the multipath transmission control protocol substream connection based on the user device's multipath capability parameters and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity's multipath capability parameters.

[0012] One embodiment of the present invention provides another relay transmission method that performs relay discovery, establishes a second protocol data unit session connection with a first relay, the first relay is connected to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and establishes a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the user device and the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, the network address of the user device is assigned by the first relay, the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity is obtained based on the first protocol data unit session connection between the relay and the network, the relay includes a first relay and a second relay, and when the user device transmits signals to the network based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection, it simultaneously connects to the network via the first relay and the second relay, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection.

[0013] One embodiment of the present invention provides a user device comprising a relay discovery unit, a session unit, a multipath transmission control protocol unit, and a transmission unit, wherein the relay discovery unit is configured to perform relay discovery, the session unit is configured to establish a second protocol data unit session connection with a first relay, the first relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and the multipath transmission control protocol unit connects the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the user device and the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity. The multipath transmission control protocol connection is configured to establish a multipath transmission control protocol connection, wherein the network address of the user device is assigned by a first relay, the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity is obtained based on a first protocol data unit session connection between the relay and the network, the relay includes a first relay and a second relay, and the transmission unit is configured to connect to the network simultaneously via the first relay and the second relay when the user device transmits signals to the network based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection, the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection.

[0014] In the technical solution according to the embodiment of the present application, the relay discovery unit is configured to perform relay discovery to discover the first relay, establish a unicast communication connection between the user device and the first relay, receive the network address of the user device assigned by the first relay based on the unicast communication connection, and establish a second protocol data unit session connection between the user device and the first relay based on the network address of the user device.

[0015] In the technical solution according to the embodiment of the present application, the transmission unit is configured to receive and record the network address of a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity and the network addresses of a plurality of relay paths for performing multipath simultaneous relay transmission, based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection, to obtain a new network address of the user device and the network address of the second relay based on the network addresses of the plurality of relay paths, and if it is necessary to extend the relay path, to establish a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay based on the new network address of the user device, the network address of the second relay and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, to establish a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol based on the third protocol data unit session connection and the first protocol data unit session connection, to connect the user device to the network via the first relay using the multipath transmission control protocol connection, and to connect the user device to the network via the second relay using the substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol.

[0016] In the technical proposal according to the embodiment of the present application, the user device further includes a registration unit, which is configured to send registration request information to the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity when the user device first accesses the network, the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity forwards the registration request information to the core network element to perform a non-access network registration process, receives an authentication completion message sent by the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, completes registration, and accesses the network.

[0017] One embodiment of the present invention provides a relay switching method that includes performing network registration with a relay to establish a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to a network, wherein the relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, the relay includes a first relay and a second relay, establishing a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device based on a network address assigned to the user device by the first relay, establishing a signaling security protocol tunnel between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity so that the user device connects to the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity via the first relay and accesses the network, and multiplexing the signaling security protocol tunnel to establish a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay so that the user device connects to the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity via the second relay and accesses the network.

[0018] In the technical proposal according to the embodiment of the present application, multiplexing the signaling security protocol tunnel to establish a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay includes establishing a signaling security protocol tunnel between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity; performing non-access layer registration for the user device based on the signaling security protocol tunnel to allow the user device to access the network; multiplexing the signaling security protocol tunnel and reconfiguring the network address of the user device using internet key update mobility and multihoming protocols when relay switching is initiated; and establishing a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay based on the reconfigured network address of the user device.

[0019] One embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic device including one or more processors and a storage device for storing the one or more programs, wherein when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the electronic device is made to execute the relay transmission method or the relay switching method described above.

[0020] One embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium in which computer-readable instructions are stored, and when a computer-readable instruction is executed by a computer processor, the computer is caused to execute the relay transmission method described above, or to execute the relay switching method described above.

[0021] One embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the relay transmission method described above, or the steps in the relay switching method described above.

[0022] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely illustrative and explanatory, and cannot limit the present application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] Here, the drawings are incorporated into the specification, showing embodiments that conform to the present application, and are used to explain the principles of the present application together with the specification. Clearly, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can also obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative labor. [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of an exemplary system architecture in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 2] It is a flowchart of a relay transmission method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 3] It is a topology diagram showing a relay transmission method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart of the implementation of multi-path simultaneous transmission in a relay transmission method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 5] It is a sequence of the implementation of multi-path simultaneous transmission in a relay transmission method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart of another relay transmission method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart of a relay switching method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram of a relay transmission device in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram of a user device in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 10] It is a hardware configuration diagram of a user device in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Figure 11]This is a hardware configuration diagram of another user device in some exemplary embodiments of the present application. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Herein, the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings are described in detail. Where the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise stated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not representative of all embodiments consistent with the present application. In contrast, these are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application, which are described in detail in the appended claims.

[0025] The block diagrams shown in the drawings represent only functional entities and do not need to correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities may be implemented in software form, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0026] The flowchart shown in the diagram is merely illustrative and does not require the inclusion of all content and operations / steps, nor does it require execution in the order described. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be merged or partially merged, so the actual order of execution may vary depending on the situation.

[0027] In this application, "plural" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationships between related objects and indicates that three relationships exist. For example, A and / or B indicates that A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The letter " / " generally indicates that the preceding and succeeding related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0028] In 5G networks, it is necessary to improve the existing capacity of 5G cellular systems using simultaneous relay transmission. However, ProSe relay technology, a related technology, does not support multi-relay simultaneous transmission that can improve system capacity. Therefore, it is not possible to directly achieve high-frequency coverage of cellular networks using ProSe relay technology.

[0029] To solve the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a relay transmission method, a switching method, an apparatus, an electronic device, a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program product. Furthermore, by achieving, at least to some extent, the establishment of MPTCP (MultiPath Transmission Control Protocol) multi-relay connections between N3IWF (Non-3 GPP InterWorking Function) control and remote UEs, the capacity and connection reliability of cellular systems can be improved, making them applicable to high-reliability, low-latency commercial and vertical industry applications.

[0030] First, the 5G core network is supported via non-3GPP access networks (e.g., WLAN access), and non-3GPP access networks can connect to the 5G core network via an N3IWF. The N3IWF connects the 5G core network's CP (control Plane) and UP (user plane) functions via the N2 and N3 interfaces, respectively. If the selected N3IWF and 3GPP access are on the same PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network), then UEs simultaneously connected to the same 5G core network on the PLMN via both 3GPP and non-3GPP access are served by the same AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function).

[0031] MPTCP allows Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections to maximize channel resource utilization using multiple paths, and plays a particularly significant role in wireless network environments. In addition to the gain in data transmission rate due to the channel demultiplexing mechanism, links can be added or dropped without interrupting the end-to-end TCP connection as users enter or leave the coverage area. MPTCP includes PC5 (Direct Attachment Communication Interface, a communication interface between terminals) and Uu (Cellular Network Communication Interface, a communication interface between terminals and base stations). To solve short-range communication between two terminals, 3GPP proposed ProSe technology. Based on 3GPP LTE, ProSe defines a new logical interface PC5, enabling short-range communication between two ProSe UEs via the PC5 interface. ProSe includes the ProSe Direct Discovery process and the ProSe Direct Communication process, and the air interface sources used in these two processes can be preconfigured.

[0032] In a 5G network, the PDU (Protocol Data Unit) connection service is a service that exchanges PDU packets between user equipment (UE) and the data network (DN). The PDU connection service is realized when the UE or application server initiates the establishment of a PDU session. A single PDU session is the process of communication between a single user terminal UE and a data network DN. After the PDU session is established, a data transmission channel is established between the UE and the DN.

[0033] IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) enables VPNs through its corresponding tunneling technology. IPSec has two modes: tunnel mode and transmission mode. Tunnel mode is suitable for protecting communication between different networks (when communication must pass through an intermediate, untrusted network). Tunnel mode is primarily used to interact with gateway or terminal systems that do not support L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) / IPSec or PPTP (Point-to-Point Protocol) connections. Embodiments of this invention are not limited thereto.

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application relate to technologies such as computer technology and wireless communication technology, and will be specifically described by the following embodiments.

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary system architecture in some exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the system architecture may include a UE, a relay transmission device 101, and a network, where the relay transmission device 101 may be a communication line connecting the UE and the 5G network, and the transmission medium may include overhead wires, cables, optical cables, and radio waves, and may be at least one of a processing computer, computing cluster, neural network computer, etc. Using this relay transmission device 101, the relevant engineers can realize multi-ProSe relay simultaneous transmission, improve the existing capacity of the 5G+ cellular system, and achieve high-frequency coverage of the cellular network.

[0037] For example, the relay transmission device 101 controls the establishment of MPTCP connections with remote UEs using N3IWF, controls access to remote UEs using AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function), controls the flow of billing for multiple relay paths using SMF (Session Management Function), and improves the capacity and connectivity reliability of the cellular system through simultaneous transmission of multiple ProSe relays. It can be used for highly reliable, low-latency business and vertical industry applications, as well as cloud-side-home applications.

[0038] In addition, the relay transmission method in the embodiment of this application is generally performed by a relay transmission device 101.

[0039] The implementation details of the technical proposal of the embodiment of this application are described in detail below.

[0040] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a relay transmission method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application, which can be performed by a relay transmission device that may be the relay transmission device 101 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, this relay transmission method includes at least steps S210 to S230, which will be described in detail below.

[0041] In S210, network registration is performed for the relay, a first protocol data unit session connection is established from the relay to the network, the relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay.

[0042] Figure 3 is a topology diagram of a relay transmission method shown in some exemplary embodiments of the present application, where, as shown in Figure 3, the remote UE and the U2N relay are connected to each other via the PC5 interface, the U2N relay and the NG-RAN (5G Radio Access Network) are connected to each other via the Uu port, the NG-RAN and the UPF (User Plane Function) are connected to each other via the N3 interface, the UPF and the N3IWF are connected via the N6 port, and the N3IWF and the AMF are connected via the N2 port. In some embodiments of the present application, the Layer 3 U2N (UE-to-Network relay) relay performs a registration process to establish a PDU session connection to the network. The remote UE has the MPTCP (Multipath TCP) function enabled, and the MPTCP protocol enables steering, switching, and splitting of TCP traffic across multiple relay paths. By recording the IP assigned by the U2N relay on each path, it can be used for multipath transmission. N3IWF allows MPTCP proxy information (IP address, port number, MPTCP proxy type) to be sent to the remote UE.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the PDU connection service is a service that exchanges PDU packets between a user device UE and a data network DN, and the PDU connection service is realized by the UE or an application server AF (Application Function) initiating the establishment of a PDU session. A single PDU session is the process of communication between a single user terminal UE and a data network DN, and once a PDU session is established, a data transmission channel is established between the UE and the DN. In this embodiment, a remote UE connected to a U2N relay that supports N3IWF can select an N3IWF and determine an N3IWF IP address. In practical applications, there may be scenarios that do not support multipath N3IWF (for example, where the MPTCP agent function is not added). In this case, an MPTCP field can be added when configuring the FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name), and an N3IWF that supports multipath can be selected based on the FQDN.

[0044] In S220, a second protocol data unit session connection is established between the first relay and the user device based on the network address assigned to the user device by the first relay.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present application, the remote UE performs U2N relay discovery, establishes a unicast mode communication connection, and relays a PDU session with the relay based on the IP address assigned by the first relay.

[0046] In S230, based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, the user device connects to the network simultaneously via a first relay and a second relay when transmitting signals with the network, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on a first protocol data unit session connection and a second protocol data unit session connection.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present application, when an MPTCP connection is established, the N3IWF stores an MPTCP session entry including the MA-PDU session IP address and its TCP port of the remote UE, and a link-specific multipath IP address and its TCP port (meaning that for a specific path, the multipath IP address and TCP port of each path are stored). When an uplink or downlink MPTCP service is received, the N3IWF can use the stored MPTCP session entry for subsequent IP translation. The session information in the session entry in this embodiment may include relevant information such as number, IMSI, IMEI, PDU session ID, session type (IPv4, IPv6, IPv4v6, Ethernet, Unstructured), uplink and downlink speeds, billing ID, roaming status information, UE IP information, PCF information, QoS information, tunnel information, destination address, SMF identifier, slice information, default DRB information, data network name, AMF information, user location information, session management information, UPF ID, online billing identifier, and offline billing identifier. In this embodiment, those skilled in the art will see that when performing multipath relay transmission, the method is not limited to employing two relay paths, and the second relay may include multiple paths, thus enabling simultaneous relay multipath transmission.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present invention, based on a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to the network and a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device, a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and a non-third-generation partnership project interworking functional entity is utilized to support multipath capability, thereby increasing the capacity and connectivity reliability of the cellular system through multiple relay paths. This can be used in highly reliable, low-latency commercial and vertical industry applications, as well as in cloud network-side home applications, demonstrating how remote UEs can solve the problem of establishing multipath connectivity based on multiple relays with the network, increasing the existing capacity of 5G+ cellular systems, and achieving high-frequency coverage of cellular networks.

[0049] Figure 4 shows a flowchart for realizing multipath simultaneous transmission in a relay transmission method. As shown in Figure 4, it includes steps S410 to S430, and the details are as follows.

[0050] In S410, a third protocol data unit session connection is established from the user device to the second relay based on the network address of the second relay and the new network address of the user device, the network address of the second relay and the new network address of the user device being obtained based on the multipath transmission control protocol.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present application, a relay path between a remote UE and a first relay and a network can be established by a first protocol data unit session connection and a second protocol data unit session connection, and if the remote UE needs to extend a new relay path, it can perform discovery of a new U2N relay via the remote UE, establish a new unicast mode communication connection, and establish a PDU session with the second relay based on the new IP address assigned by the second relay to relay. Similarly, a remote UE connected to a U2N relay that supports N3IWF selects an N3IWF and determines an N3IWF IP address. Until it secures a connection to the same N3IWF based on the N3IWF IP or FQDN, the remote UE obtains a new IP, establishes a PDU session with the new U2N relay, and establishes a new relay path between the remote UE and the second relay and a network.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present application, a user device (i.e., a remote UE) can use a modified IKE (Internet Key Exchange) process to demonstrate its MPTCP capability, establish an MPTCP connection with the N3IWF and signaling an IPsec tunnel, perform NAS (Non-Access Stratum) registration, and forward parameters demonstrating multipath capability to the AMF and SMF via the N3IWF. In this embodiment, IPsec is a protocol packet that protects the network forwarding protocol cluster of the IP protocol by encrypting and authenticating IP protocol packets.

[0053] In S420, a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol is established between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the third protocol data unit session connection.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present application, when a remote UE needs to extend a new relay path, it ensures it connects to the same N3IWF based on the N3IWF IP or FQDN, at which point the remote UE obtains a new IP and establishes a new U2N relay and PDU session. The remote UE can demonstrate its MPTCP capability using a modified IKE process, and based on a first protocol data unit session connection and a third protocol data unit session connection, the remote UE establishes a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP substream with the N3IWF.

[0055] In S430, a multipath transmission control protocol connection is used to connect the user device to the network via a first relay, and a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol is used to connect the user device to the network via a second relay.

[0056] Figure 5 shows a sequence for realizing multipath simultaneous transmission in a relay transmission method. In some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in Figure 5, first, a Layer-3 U2N relay performs a registration flow and establishes a PDU session connection with the network, i.e., a first protocol data unit session connection. Then, a remote UE performs discovery of the U2N relay, establishes a unicast mode communication connection, establishes a PDU session with the relay based on the IP address assigned by the relay, and relays. A remote UE connected to a U2N relay that supports N3IWF selects the N3IWF and determines the N3IWF IP address. In actual applications, since there may be N3IWF scenes that do not support multipathing, an MPTCP field can be added when constructing the FQDN, and an N3IWF that supports multipathing can be selected based on the FQDN. The remote UE can then demonstrate its MPTCP capability using a modified IKE process, establish a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP connection with the N3IWF, perform NAS registration, and forward parameters indicating multipath capability to the AMF and SMF via the N3IWF. Finally, if the remote UE needs to extend a new relay path, it repeats the above pre-established relay path until it ensures it is connected to the same N3IWF based on the N3IWF IP or FQDN. At this time, the remote UE obtains a new IP and establishes a new U2N relay and PDU session. The remote UE can establish a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP substream with the N3IWF by demonstrating its MPTCP capability using a modified IKE process.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present application, after establishing a second protocol data unit session connection between a first relay and the user device, a signaling security protocol tunnel can be established between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, and non-access layer registration is performed on the user device based on the signaling security protocol tunnel to allow the user device to access the network.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present application, the non-access layer can support signaling and data transmission between the core network and user devices as a functional layer between the core network and user devices, and the functions of the non-access layer include mobility management, paging control, session management and identity management, and the top-level functions of the control surface between the UE and AMF include general processes that support the mobility of the UE, such as authentication, authentication, generic UE configuration update and security control mode processes, and support session management processes, and through the above processes establish and maintain data connectivity between the UE and the data network and support NAS transmission processes for providing the transmission of payloads such as UE parameter update information. In this embodiment, non-access layer registration is performed on the user device based on a signaling security protocol tunnel to allow the user device to access the network.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present application, after establishing a signaling security protocol tunnel between a user device and a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, a security protocol association is established between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address and network key exchange protocol of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, and based on the security protocol association, the user device's request information and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity's response information to the request information are established. Upon receiving the report, the request information includes a network key exchange verification request and the user device's multipath parameters, and the response information includes the network key exchange verification request response and the multipath capability parameters of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. Based on the network key exchange verification request and the network key exchange verification request response, a network key exchange is performed between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. After the network key exchange is completed, a multipath transmission control protocol connection and a multipath transmission control protocol substream connection are established based on the user device's multipath capability parameters and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity's multipath capability parameters.

[0060] Figure 6 is a flowchart of another relay transmission method in some exemplary embodiments of the present application, which is performed by a user device, i.e., a remote UE, and includes at least steps S610 to S630 as follows.

[0061] In S610, relay discovery is performed, and a second protocol data unit session connection is established with the first relay, and the first relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present application, the remote UE performs relay discovery to find a first relay, establishes a unicast communication connection between the user device and the first relay, receives the user device's network address assigned by the first relay based on the unicast communication connection, and establishes a second protocol data unit session connection between the user device and the first relay based on the user device's network address.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present application, the remote UE enables MPTCP functionality to record the IP addresses assigned by U2N relays on each path for multipath transmission. The remote UE performs U2N relay discovery, establishes a unicast mode communication connection, and establishes and relays a PDU session with the first relay based on the IP address assigned by the first relay.

[0064] In S620, a multipath transmission control protocol connection is established between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the user device and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. The network address of the user device is assigned by a first relay, and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity is obtained based on a first protocol data unit session connection between the relay and the network. The relay includes a first relay and a second relay.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present application, a multipath transmission control protocol connection is established between the user device and the N3IWF, and MPTCP proxy information sent from the N3IWF to the remote UE, namely the IP address, port number, and type of the MPTCP proxy, is received.

[0066] In S630, when a user device transmits signals to the network based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection, it connects to the network simultaneously via a first relay and a second relay, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on a first protocol data unit session connection and a second protocol data unit session connection.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present application, based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection, the network address of a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity and the network addresses of multiple relay paths for performing multipath simultaneous relay transmission are received and recorded; based on the network addresses of the multiple relay paths, a new network address of the user device and the network address of a second relay are obtained; if it is necessary to extend the relay paths, a third protocol data unit session connection is established from the user device to the second relay based on the new network address of the user device, the network address of the second relay, and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity; a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol is established based on the third protocol data unit session connection and the first protocol data unit session connection; the user device is connected to the network via the first relay using the multipath transmission control protocol connection; and the user device is connected to the network via the second relay using the substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present application, the remote UE uses a modified IKE process to demonstrate its MPTCP capability, establish a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP connection with the N3IWF, perform NAS registration, and forward parameters demonstrating multipath capability to the AMF and SMF via the N3IWF. When the remote UE needs to extend a new relay path, it ensures it remains connected to the same N3IWF as the original relay path, at which point the remote UE obtains a new IP and establishes a new U2N relay and PDU session. It uses a modified IKE process to demonstrate its MPTCP capability and establish a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP substream with the N3IWF.

[0069] In some embodiments of this application, the process of modifying IKE first involves the remote UE selecting an N3IWF from a 5G PLMN based on the N3IWF IP or FQDN, initiating an initial IKE exchange, and establishing an IPsec security association (SA, Security Association) with the selected N3IWF, i.e., a security protocol association. For IPSec to work, the devices on both sides must first agree on an SA (Security Association). This is a security strategy agreement between the two parties. The SA can include a cryptographic algorithm, an identification algorithm, a shared session key, and a key expiration date. Since an SA is unidirectional, two SAs must be established for bidirectional communication. The IPSec receiving device can decrypt and receive encrypted data using IPSec based on the receiving SA database, thereby achieving privacy and integrity of the transmitted data. IKE is a network key exchange protocol and a core component of IPSec technology. Through IKE, both parties can authenticate, exchange shared keys, generate secret key resources, and manage keys. IKE is executed in two stages to determine the IKE and IPSec SAs. In the first phase, the parties verify each other using IKE and determine a session key. At this stage, an ISAKMP (Network Security-Related Key Management Protocol) SA is created using DH (Diffie-HellmAn) exchange, cookies, and ID exchange. Once the ISAKMP SA is determined, all IKE communication between the initiator and responder is protected by encryption and integrity checks. The goal at this stage is to establish a secure communication channel between the parties to protect the negotiation in Phase 2. In Phase 2, the IP data stream is protected using ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) or AH (Authentication Header) to negotiate and determine the IPSec SA.In this embodiment, the remote UE initiates the IKE_AUTH exchange by sending an IKE_AUTH request message, to which the UE adds its MP_CAPABLE or MP_JOIN parameter to indicate that the sender has MPTCP capability and wishes to establish an MPTCP connection on this connection, or establish a new substream on an existing MPTCP connection. The N3IWF responds with an IKE_AUTH reply message, to which the N3IWF adds its MP_CAPABLE or MP_JOIN parameter to indicate that this N3IWF has MPTCP proxy functionality. The remote UE verifies the N3IWF information and sends the remote UE, the N3IWF's MP_CAPABLE / MP_JOIN parameter, and ACK acknowledgment information to the N3IWF.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present application, the MPTCP structure mainly includes kind, Length, and subtype, where the kind field indicates that this header option is an MPTCP header option, the Length field indicates the length of the header option, the subtype field indicates the subtype of the MPTCP option, and the remaining bytes are the specific data of this subclass option. The value of subtype indicates a different subtype of the MPTCP option, where the subtype includes MP_CAPABLE and MP_JOIN.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present application, when a user device first accesses the network, it sends registration request information to a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, which then forwards the registration request information to a core network element to perform a non-access network registration process, receives an authentication completion message from the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, completes registration, and accesses the network.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present application, a remote UE must send a registration request when it first accesses the network. Here, the MP_INDICATOR parameter is added to the registration request to indicate the UE's multipath capability to the network. When the UE first accesses, the N3IWF forwards the registration request to the AMF and executes the registration process. The UE completes identity verification, and the N3IWF sends verification completion information to the UE. The N3IWF forwards the registration request, including the MP_INDICATOR parameter, to the SMF for subsequent use by the remote UE in flows such as billing and traffic control where multipath functionality is used.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present application, a signaling IPsec tunnel and an MPTCP connection or substream are established between a remote UE and an N3IWF, with each MPTCP substream corresponding to one signaling IPsec tunnel. The MPTCP proxy function of the N3IWF stores MPTCP session entries containing all addresses of the remote UE (IPs assigned by U2N relay on each substream). When the UE first accesses, the AMF sends a NAS registration acceptance message to the N3IWF, which forwards it to the UE via the established signaling IPsec tunnel and simultaneously sends its own MPTCP agent information.

[0074] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing a relay switching method in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0075] As shown in Figure 7, the relay switching method includes the following steps.

[0076] In S710, network registration is performed for the relay to establish a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to the network, the relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in Figure 5, the process of performing network registration with the relay and establishing a session connection from the relay to the network is the same as in the embodiments described above, and will not be explained here.

[0078] In S720, a second protocol data unit session connection is established between the first relay and the user device based on the network address assigned for the user device by the first relay.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figure 5, the process for establishing a connection between the first relay and the remote UE is the same as in the embodiments described above and will not be described here.

[0080] In S730, a signaling security protocol tunnel is established between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, connecting the user device to the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity via the first relay and allowing it to access the network.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present application, as shown in Figure 5, the process for establishing a connection between the remote UE and the N3IWF is the same as in the embodiments described above and will not be explained here.

[0082] In S740, the signaling security protocol tunnel is multiplexed to establish a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay, and the user device is switched to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity via the second relay and access the network.

[0083] In some embodiments of the present application, the remote UE establishes an IPsec tunnel using IKE, establishes one session path from the remote UE to the relay network, and when initiating a path switch, establishes a new path through the second relay by reusing the established tunnel, thereby performing relay data transmission. The relay switch is then completed by releasing the old PC5 connection (i.e., the path from the remote UE to the first relay before the switch) via the remote UE. This embodiment differs from the embodiments of the relay transmission method described above in that it is possible to establish an IPsec tunnel using only IKE without using the MPTCP function. By multiplexing the established tunnels, the outer layer IP address of the remote UE facing the same N3IWF as before is reconfigured.

[0084] In some embodiments of the present application, multiplexing a signaling security protocol tunnel to establish a third protocol data unit session connection from a user device to a second relay includes establishing a signaling security protocol tunnel between the user device and a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity; performing non-access layer registration for the user device based on the signaling security protocol tunnel to allow the user device to access the network; multiplexing the signaling security protocol tunnel and reconfiguring the network address of the user device using internet key update mobility and multihoming protocols when relay switching is initiated; and establishing a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay based on the reconfigured network address of the user device.

[0085] In some embodiments of the present application, the outer layer IP address facing the same N3IWF as before the UE can be reconfigured using the MOBIKE (IKEv2 Mobility and Multihoming Protocol) mechanism. The N3IWF can reuse the mechanism designated for local mobile anchors in untrusted non-3GPP access networks using MOBIKE as specified in Section 6.2.9 of TS23.501. Relay data transmission is then performed over a new relay path based on a newly established second relay, and finally the old PC5 connection is released on the remote side to complete the relay switchover. As those skilled in the art will know, the relay switchover method in this embodiment and the relay transmission method in the above embodiments are based on the overall idea of ​​using the same N3IWF as an anchor to achieve multipath forwarding and relay path switching of the relay path, and in actual applications, the relay switchover method in this embodiment may be used independently or in combination with the relay transmission method in the above embodiments, but this is not limited here and is therefore omitted here.

[0086] Figure 8 shows a diagram of the configuration of the relay transmission device in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] As shown in Figure 8, the relay transmission device 800 includes a network registration module 810, a first session module 820, a second session module 830, and a transmission module 840. The network registration module 810 is configured to perform network registration for relays. The first session module 820 is configured to establish a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to the network, the relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay. The second session module 830 is configured to establish a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device based on the network address assigned to the user device by the first relay. The transmission module 840 is configured to connect to the network simultaneously via a first relay and a second relay when a user device transmits signals to the network, based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and a non-third-generation partnership project interworking functional entity, the multipath transmission control protocol connection being established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present application, a Layer-3 U2N relay performs a registration process via a network registration module 810 and establishes a PDU session connection with the network via a first session module 820. A remote UE can perform discovery of the U2N relay, establish a unicast mode communication connection, and establish a PDU session with the relay based on the IP address assigned by the relay via a second session module 830. Relay transmission is performed via a transmission module 840. If the remote UE needs to extend a new relay path, it ensures it is connected to the same N3IWF based on the N3IWF IP or FQDN, obtains a new IP, and establishes a PDU session with the new U2N relay. The remote UE can establish a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP substream with the N3IWF by demonstrating its MPTCP capability using a modified IKE process.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present invention, first, a Layer-3 U2N relay performs a registration process and establishes a PDU session connection with the network, i.e., a first protocol data unit session connection; then, a remote UE performs discovery of the U2N relay, establishes a unicast mode communication connection, establishes a PDU session with the relay based on the IP address assigned by the relay, and a remote UE connected to a U2N relay that supports N3IWF selects the N3IWF and determines the N3IWF IP address. Considering scenarios where an N3IWF does not support multipath, an MPTCP field is added when constructing the FQDN to select an N3IWF that supports multipath based on the FQDN. The remote UE then uses the modified IKE process to demonstrate its MPTCP capability, establish a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP connection with the N3IWF, perform NAS registration, and forward parameters indicating multipath capability to the AMF and SMF via the N3IWF. Finally, if the remote UE needs to extend a new relay path, it performs steps 2 and 3 until it ensures it connects to the same N3IWF based on the N3IWIP or FQDN. At this time, the remote UE obtains a new IP and establishes a new U2N relay and PDU session. The process of demonstrating its MPTCP capability using the modified IKE process and establishing a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP substream with the N3IWF is shown in Figure 5.

[0090] Figure 9 shows a diagram of the user device configuration in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] As shown in Figure 9, the user device 900 includes a relay discovery unit 910, a session unit 920, a multipath transmission control protocol unit 930, and a transmission unit 940. The relay discovery unit 910 is configured to perform relay discovery. Session unit 920 is configured to establish a second protocol data unit session connection with a first relay, the first relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity. The multipath transmission control protocol unit 930 is configured to establish a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the user device and the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, wherein the network address of the user device is assigned by a first relay, and the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity is obtained based on a first protocol data unit session connection between the relay and the network, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay. The transmission unit 940 connects to the network via a first relay and a second relay simultaneously when a user device transmits signals to the network based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on a first protocol data unit session connection and a second protocol data unit session connection.

[0092] In some embodiments of the present application, the user device receives and records the network address of a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity and the network addresses of multiple relay paths for performing multipath simultaneous relay transmission, based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection, obtains a new network address for the user device and the network address of a second relay based on the network addresses of the multiple relay paths, establishes a third protocol data unit session connection from the user device to the second relay based on the new network address of the user device, the network address of the second relay, and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, establishes a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol based on the third protocol data unit session connection and the first protocol data unit session connection, connects the user device to the network via the first relay using the multipath transmission control protocol connection, and connects the user device to the network via the second relay using the substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present application, a remote UE (i.e., a user device) demonstrates its MPTCP capability using a modified IKE process, establishes a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP connection with the N3IWF, performs NAS registration, and forwards parameters demonstrating multipath capability to the AMF and SMF via the N3IWF. If the remote UE needs to extend a new relay path, it ensures it remains connected to the same N3IWF as the original relay path, at which point the remote UE obtains a new IP and establishes a new U2N relay and PDU session. It demonstrates its MPTCP capability using a modified IKE process and establishes a signaling IPsec tunnel and MPTCP substream with the N3IWF.

[0094] In some embodiments of the present application, the process by which a user device modifies IKE is as follows: First, the remote UE selects an N3IWF from a 5G PLMN based on the N3IWF IP or FQDN; the remote UE initiates an initial IKE exchange, establishing an IPsec security association (SA), i.e., a security protocol association, with the selected N3IWF; the remote UE sends an IKE_AUTH request message to initiate an IKE_AUTH exchange, where the UE's MP_CAPABLE or MP_JOIN parameter is added to the IKE_AUTH request message to indicate that the sender has MPTCP capability and wishes to establish an MPTCP connection on this connection, or wishes to establish a new substream on an existing MPTCP connection. The N3IWF responds with an IKE_AUTH response message, where the N3IWF's MP_CAPABLE or MP_JOIN parameter is added to the IKE_AUTH response message to indicate that this N3IWF has MPTCP proxy capability. The remote UE verifies the information from the N3IWF and sends the MP_CAPABLE / MP_JOIN parameters of the remote UE and the N3IWF, as well as an ACK confirmation message, to the NI3WF.

[0095] Furthermore, the relay transmission device and user device provided in the above-described embodiments belong to the same concept as the relay transmission method provided in the above-described embodiments, and the specific methods by which each module and unit performs its operation are described in detail in the embodiments of the method and will not be described here.In actual use, the relay transmission device and user device provided in the above embodiments can be assigned the above functions by different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or some of the functions described above, and is not limited thereto.

[0096] Figure 10 shows a hardware configuration diagram of a user device suitable for use in implementing an embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] In some embodiments of the present application, the device includes one or more processors and, if executed by one or more processors, one or more machine-readable media containing instructions that cause the device to perform the method described in Figure 2. In practical applications, the device may be a terminal device or a server, and embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific device. As shown in Figure 10, the terminal device may include an input device 1000, a first processor 1001, an output device 1002, a first memory 1003, and at least one communication bus 1004. The communication bus 1004 is used to provide communication connections between elements. The first memory 1003 may include high-speed RAM memory and may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk memory, which can store various programs to complete various processing functions and implement the method steps of this embodiment.

[0098] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first processor 1001 can be implemented as, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a digital signal processing unit (DSPD), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a controller, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, or other electronic component, and the first processor 1001 is coupled to the input device 1000 and the output device 1002 by a wired or wireless connection.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present application, the input device 1000 may include a plurality of input devices that include, for example, a user-oriented user interface, a device-oriented device interface, and a software programmable interface. Optionally, the device-oriented device interface may be a wired interface for transmitting data between devices, or a hardware insertion interface (e.g., a USB interface, a serial port, etc.) for transmitting data between devices; optionally, the user-oriented user interface may be, for example, a user-oriented control button, an audio input device for receiving audio input, and a touch-sensing device (e.g., a touchscreen, a touch panel, etc. with touch-sensing capabilities) for receiving user touch input; optionally, the software programmable interface may be, for example, an input pin interface or input interface on a chip, which is an entry point for the user to edit or modify a program; and the output device 1002 may include an output device such as a display or sound. The processor of this terminal device includes functions for executing the user transition processing module described above, and specific functions and technical effects can be found in the embodiments described above and are omitted here.

[0100] Figure 11 shows a hardware configuration diagram of another user device.

[0101] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 11 is a specific embodiment of Figure 10 in practice. As shown in Figure 11, the terminal device of this embodiment may include a second processor 1101 and a second memory 1102. The second processor 1101 executes computer program code stored in the second memory 1102 to implement the method described in Figure 2 in the embodiments described above. The second memory 1102 is configured to store various types of data to support operation on the terminal device. Examples of this data include any application or method for operating on the terminal device, such as instructions such as messages and signaling. The second memory 1102 may include random access memory (abbreviated as RAM) and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk memory. Optionally, the second processor 1101 is provided in the processing component 1100. The terminal device may also include a communication component 1103, a power supply component 1104, a multimedia component 1105, an audio component 1106, an input / output interface 1107, and / or a sensor component 1108. The specific components included in the terminal device are determined on an ad-hoc basis and are not limited to this embodiment. The processing component 1100 typically controls the overall operation of the terminal device. The processing component 1100 may include one or more second processors 1101 for executing instructions to complete all or some of the steps of the data processing method described above. Furthermore, the processing component 1100 may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between the processing component 1100 and other components. For example, the processing component 1100 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between the multimedia component 1105 and the processing component 1100. The power supply component 1104 supplies power to various components of the terminal device.The power component 1104 may include a power management system, one or more power supplies, and other components related to the generation, management, and distribution of power for terminal devices. The multimedia component 1105 includes a display that provides an output interface between the terminal device and the user. In some embodiments, the display may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the display includes a touch panel, the display is implemented as a touchscreen and can receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors for sensing touches, slides, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors can not only sense the boundaries of a touch or slide action but also detect the duration and pressure associated with the touch or slide action. The audio component 1106 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component 1106 includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive external audio signals when the terminal device is in an operating mode, such as a voice recognition mode. The received audio signals may be further stored in a second memory 1102 or transmitted via a communication component 1103. In some embodiments, the audio component 1106 further includes a speaker for outputting an audio signal. The input / output interface 1107 provides an interface between the processing component 1100 and peripheral interface modules, which may be click wheels, buttons, etc. These buttons include, but are not limited to, volume buttons, power buttons, and lock buttons. The sensor component 1108 includes one or more sensors for providing various modes of state evaluation to the terminal device. For example, the sensor component 1108 can detect the on / off state of the terminal device, the relative position of the component, and whether or not there is contact between the user and the terminal device. The sensor component 1108 may include proximity sensors configured to detect the presence of nearby objects when there is no physical contact, including detecting the distance between the user and the terminal device.In some embodiments, the sensor component 1108 may include a camera or the like. The communication component 1103 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between the terminal device and other devices. The communication component 1103, voice component 1106, input / output interface 1107, and sensor component 1108 in the embodiment of Figure 11 can all be embodiments of the input device in the embodiment of Figure 10.

[0102] Another aspect of this embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the relay transmission method described above. The computer-readable storage medium may be included in the electronic device described in the above-described embodiment, or it may exist independently and not be incorporated into an electronic device.

[0103] The computer-readable medium shown in the embodiments of this application may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination of the two. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination of more than one of these. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media 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), flash memory, optical fiber, portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the above. In this application, the computer-readable signal medium may include data signals propagating in a baseband carrying a computer-readable computer program, or as part of a carrier wave. The data signals propagating in this manner may include, but are not limited to, electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination of the above. The computer-readable signaling medium may be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium capable of transmitting, propagating, or transmitting a program used by or in combination with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer program contained in the computer-readable medium may be transmitted by any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, or any suitable combination described above.

[0104] Flowcharts and block diagrams in the drawings illustrating the feasible architectures, functions, and operations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present application. Herein, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, program segment, or part of code containing one or more executable instructions for realizing a given logical function. It should also be noted that in alternative implementations, the functions shown in the blocks may occur in an order different from the order shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutively represented blocks may actually be executed essentially in parallel, or in reverse order depending on the related functions. Each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, can be realized in a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a given function or operation, or in a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0105] While the detailed description above mentions several modules or units of the device for performing operations, such division is not mandatory. In practice, according to embodiments of the present invention, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in a single module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of a single module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied in multiple modules or units.

[0106] The units described in the embodiments of this application may be implemented by software or by hardware, and the described units may be installed on a processor. However, the names of these units do not in any case constitute a limitation of the units themselves.

[0107] While the detailed description above mentions several modules or units of the device for performing operations, such division is not mandatory. In practice, according to embodiments of the present invention, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in a single module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of a single module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied in multiple modules or units.

[0108] As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the above description of embodiments, the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software, and can also be implemented by combining the necessary hardware with the software. Accordingly, the technical aspects of the embodiments of this application may be embodied in the form of a software product which may be stored on a non-volatile storage medium (which may be a CD-ROM, USB disk, mobile hard disk, etc.) and include several instructions for performing the methods of the embodiments of this application.

[0109] Those skilled in the art will readily conceive of other embodiments of the Application after considering the specification and practicing the embodiments disclosed herein. The Application aims to cover any modifications, uses, or adaptive changes of the Application, including common or conventional technical means known in the Art but not disclosed herein, in accordance with the general principles of the Application.

[0110] The foregoing description of this application is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment of the application and is not intended to limit the embodiments of the application. A person skilled in the art will understand that appropriate modifications or changes can be easily made based on the main concept and spirit of the application, and therefore the scope of protection of this application must be limited to the scope of protection claimed in the claims.

Claims

1. Network registration is performed on the relay to establish a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to the network, the relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay. Based on the network address assigned to the user device by the first relay, a second protocol data unit session connection is established between the first relay and the user device, Based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, the user device accesses the network when transmitting signals to the network, by having the first relay and the second relay simultaneously connect to the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection. A relay transmission method characterized by the following.

2. Based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, when the user device transmits signals to the network, simultaneously connecting to the network via a first relay and a second relay is: Based on the network address of the second relay and the new network address of the user device, a third protocol data unit session connection is established from the user device to the second relay, and the network address of the second relay and the new network address of the user device are obtained based on the multipath transmission control protocol. Based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the third protocol data unit session connection, a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol is established between the user device and the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity. This includes connecting a user device to the network via a first relay using the multipath transmission control protocol connection, and connecting a user device to the network via a second relay using the substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol. The relay transmission method according to feature 1.

3. After establishing a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device, the method further: Based on the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, a signaling security protocol tunnel is established between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, This includes performing non-access layer registration for the user device based on the signaling security protocol tunnel, thereby allowing the user device to access the network. The relay transmission method according to feature 2.

4. After establishing a signaling security protocol tunnel between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, the method further: Based on the network address and network key exchange protocol of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, a security protocol association is established between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. Based on the aforementioned security protocol association, the user device's request information and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity receive response information to the request information, the request information includes a network key exchange verification request and the user device's multipath parameters, and the response information includes a network key exchange verification request response and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity's multipath capability parameters. Based on the aforementioned network key exchange verification request and network key exchange verification request response, a network key exchange is performed between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. After the network key exchange is completed, the following steps are taken: establishing the multipath transmission control protocol connection and the substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol based on the multipath capability parameters of the user device and the multipath capability parameters of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. The relay transmission method according to feature 3.

5. The relay discovery is performed, a second protocol data unit session connection is established with the first relay, and the first relay is configured to connect to a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. A multipath transmission control protocol connection is established between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the user device and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, wherein the network address of the user device is assigned by a first relay, and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity is obtained based on a first protocol data unit session connection between the relay and the network, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay. Based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection, the user device connects to the network simultaneously via a first relay and a second relay when transmitting signals to the network, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection. A relay transmission method characterized by the following.

6. Performing relay discovery and establishing a second protocol data unit session connection with the first relay is: After performing relay discovery and finding the first relay, a unicast communication connection is established between the user device and the first relay. Based on the unicast communication connection, the user device receives the network address of the user device assigned by the first relay, This includes establishing a second protocol data unit session connection between the user device and the first relay based on the network address of the user device. The relay transmission method according to feature 5.

7. When the user device transmits signals to the network based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection, it simultaneously connects to the network via the first relay and the second relay. Based on the aforementioned multipath transmission control protocol connection, the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity and the network addresses of multiple relay paths for performing multipath simultaneous relay transmission are received and recorded. Based on the network addresses of the aforementioned multiple relay paths, the new network address of the user device and the network address of the second relay are obtained. If it is necessary to extend the relay path, a third protocol data unit session connection is established from the user device to the second relay based on the new network address of the user device, the network address of the second relay, and the network address of the non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity. Based on the third protocol data unit session connection and the first protocol data unit session connection, a substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol is established, This includes connecting a user device to the network via a first relay using the multipath transmission control protocol connection, and connecting a user device to the network via a second relay using the substream connection of the multipath transmission control protocol. The relay transmission method according to feature 5.

8. When the user device transmits signals to the network based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection, before simultaneously connecting to the network via the first and second relays, When the user device accesses the network for the first time, it sends registration request information to the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, which then forwards the registration request information to the core network element to execute the non-access network registration process. This includes receiving an authentication completion message sent by the aforementioned non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, completing registration, and accessing the network. The relay transmission method according to feature 5.

9. A relay transmission device including a network registration module, a first session module, a second session module, and a transmission module, The aforementioned network registration module is configured to perform network registration for the relay, The first session module is configured to establish a first protocol data unit session connection from the relay to the network, the relay is configured to connect to a non-third generation partnership project interworking function entity, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay. The second session module is configured to establish a second protocol data unit session connection between the first relay and the user device based on the network address assigned to the user device by the first relay. The transmission module connects to the network via a first relay and a second relay simultaneously when the user device transmits signals to the network, based on a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and a non-third-generation partnership project interworking functional entity, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection. A relay transmission device characterized by the following features.

10. A user device including a relay discovery unit, a session unit, a multipath transmission control protocol unit, and a transmission unit, The relay discovery unit is configured to perform relay discovery, The session unit is configured to establish a second protocol data unit session connection with a first relay, and the first relay is configured to connect to a non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity. The multipath transmission control protocol unit is configured to establish a multipath transmission control protocol connection between the user device and the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity based on the network address of the user device and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity, wherein the network address of the user device is assigned by a first relay, and the network address of the non-third-generation partnership project interworking function entity is obtained based on a first protocol data unit session connection between the relay and the network, and the relay includes a first relay and a second relay. The transmission unit is configured to connect to the network simultaneously via a first relay and a second relay when the user device transmits signals to the network based on the multipath transmission control protocol connection, and the multipath transmission control protocol connection is established based on the first protocol data unit session connection and the second protocol data unit session connection. A user device characterized by the following features.

11. An electronic device including memory and a processor, The processor is coupled to the memory and configured to execute the relay transmission method described in any one of claims 1 to 8 based on instructions stored in the memory. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

12. When executed by a processor, it stores computer program instructions that execute the relay transmission method described in any one of claims 1 to 8. A computer-readable storage medium characterized by the following features.

13. A computer program that includes instructions, When the aforementioned instruction is executed by the processor, the processor is instructed to execute the relay transmission method described in any one of claims 1 to 8. A computer program characterized by the following features.

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