Service management method, and terminal, network device, management server, and medium

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure is a service management method, wherein the method is based on a terminal. The method comprises: sending identification information to a network device, wherein the identification information comprises an identifier of a terminal; receiving service state information sent by the network device, wherein the service state information comprises a valid service subscribed to by the terminal; and on the basis of the service state information, establishing and storing local service information, wherein the local service information comprises the valid service. Further provided in the present disclosure are a terminal, a network device, a management server, and a computer-readable medium.

Description

Business management method, terminal, network equipment, management server, medium

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202311170597.X filed on September 11, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of business management, and in particular to a business management method, terminal, network device, management server, and computer-readable medium. Background Art

[0004] Terminals in a communication network can subscribe to different services. In some cases, these services need to be queried, modified, and managed.

[0005] However, the current business management method is inconvenient, cumbersome and time-consuming to operate, cannot achieve batch management of a large number of terminals (such as IoT terminals), and is not applicable to some terminals (such as terminals without voice services or operating interfaces).

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present disclosure provides a service management method, a terminal, a network device, a management server, and a computer-readable medium.

[0008] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a service management method based on a terminal, the method comprising:

[0009] Sending identification information to a network device; the identification information includes an identification of the terminal;

[0010] receiving service status information sent by the network device; the service status information includes valid services subscribed by the terminal;

[0011] According to the service status information, local service information is established and stored; the local service information includes the valid service.

[0012] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a service management method based on a network device, the method comprising:

[0013] Receiving identification information sent by a terminal; the identification information includes an identification of the terminal;

[0014] Determining a valid service contracted by the terminal according to the identification information;

[0015] Sending service status information to the terminal; the service status information includes the valid service.

[0016] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a service management method based on a management server, the method comprising:

[0017] receiving local service information sent by the terminal through a dedicated connection with the terminal; the local service information sent by the terminal includes valid services subscribed by the terminal;

[0018] The valid services of the terminal are recorded.

[0019] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a terminal comprising a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any one of the service management methods of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a network device, which includes a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any one of the service management methods of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a management server comprising a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any one of the business management methods of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements any one of the business management methods of the embodiments of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In the drawings accompanying this disclosure:

[0024] FIG1 is a flow chart of a method for service management of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG2 is a flow chart of a method for service management of a network device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG3 is a flow chart of a method for managing services of a management server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG4 is a block diagram of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG5 is a block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG6 is a block diagram of a management server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG7 is a block diagram of a computer-readable medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture in another service management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG9 is a signaling diagram of an example process (1) of a method for service management according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG10 is a signaling diagram of an example process (2) of a method for service management according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG11 is a signaling diagram of an example process (3) of the method for service management according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG12 is a signaling diagram of an example process (4) of the method for service management according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG13 is a signaling diagram of an example process (5) of the method for service management according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the service management method, terminal, network device, management server, and computer-readable medium provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the illustrated embodiments may be embodied in different forms, and the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth below. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully understand the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0039] The accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the detailed embodiments, they are used to explain the present disclosure and do not constitute a limitation of the present disclosure. The above and other features and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by describing the detailed embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] The present disclosure may be described with reference to plan views and / or cross-sectional views by way of ideal schematic views of the present disclosure. Therefore, the exemplary illustrations may be modified according to manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances.

[0041] In the absence of conflict, the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the various features therein may be combined with each other.

[0042] The terms used in this disclosure are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used in this disclosure, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more related enumerated items. As used in this disclosure, the singular forms "a" and "the" are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used in this disclosure, the terms "comprising" and "made of" specify the presence of the features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this disclosure have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art. It will also be understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this disclosure, and will not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined in this disclosure.

[0044] The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but includes modifications of the configurations formed based on the manufacturing process. Therefore, the regions illustrated in the drawings have schematic properties, and the shapes of the regions shown in the drawings illustrate the specific shapes of the regions of the elements, but are not intended to be limiting.

[0045] With the development of 5G (fifth-generation mobile communication technology) and 6G (sixth-generation mobile communication technology), more and more terminals (such as IoT terminals) can access communication networks (such as 5G networks and 6G networks), and these terminals can sign up for various different services within the communication networks.

[0046] Therefore, in many cases, users may need to query, modify, and manage services of terminal contracts (such as SIM card contracts).

[0047] In some related technologies, users can go to the operator's business hall or contact service personnel, and the service personnel will query and modify the contracted services in the background.

[0048] In other related technologies, users can operate an APP or web page on the terminal to achieve business management; or use the terminal to dial a service number and perform key operations according to prompts to achieve business management.

[0049] It can be seen that the above business management methods are very inconvenient, especially the method of going to the business hall or contacting service personnel is more troublesome and time-consuming.

[0050] Moreover, the above business management methods can only manage a "single" terminal; but with the development of technology, the number of terminals and businesses has increased dramatically. For example, a user may manage dozens or even tens of thousands of IoT terminals (such as household appliances, street lights, cameras, electricity meters, water meters, etc.), and the number of possible businesses may also be tens of thousands. It is obviously unrealistic to manage so many terminals and businesses one by one.

[0051] Furthermore, some service management methods have specific requirements for terminals and are not applicable to some devices. For example, service management via a service hotline requires the terminal to be capable of voice over air services. This is not possible if the terminal is only subscribed to data services and cannot make calls. Another example is service management methods that operate apps or web pages, which require the terminal to be able to perform specific operations and are not applicable to terminals without an operation interface. However, many terminals, especially IoT terminals such as street lights, cameras, electricity meters, and water meters, generally do not have voice services or operation interfaces.

[0052] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a service management method based on a terminal.

[0053] The method of the embodiment of the present disclosure is executed by a terminal, which can be any electronic device that can connect to a network device and access a communication network (i.e., a core network, such as a 5G network, a 6G network, etc.), such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, etc., and in particular, it can be an Internet of Things terminal, such as household appliances, street lights, cameras, electricity meters, water meters, etc.

[0054] 8 , the terminal (UE) of the embodiment of the present disclosure accesses the communication network through a network device (such as a core network) and can sign up for some services (or services), and the method of the embodiment of the present disclosure is used to manage the situation of the terminal signing up for services.

[0055] 1 , the service management method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the following steps S101 to S103 implemented by a terminal.

[0056] In step S101, identification information is sent to a network device, where the identification information includes an identification of a terminal.

[0057] In step S102, service status information sent by the network device is received, wherein the service status information includes valid services subscribed by the terminal.

[0058] In step S103, local service information is created and stored according to the service status information, and the local service information includes valid services.

[0059] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, after the terminal is connected to the network device (such as when registering with the communication network after being turned on), the identifier representing its own identity (such as IMEI) can be added to the identification information (such as the PDU session establishment request message) and sent to the network device; and the network device can query and obtain the service (valid service) currently actually signed by the terminal based on the terminal's identifier, and add the valid service to the service status information (such as the PDU session request acceptance message) and feedback it to the terminal.

[0060] After receiving the service status information, the terminal can parse out its own valid service status, create local service information (such as a service list) that records its own valid services, and store the local service information locally; that is, each terminal records the status of its own valid services.

[0061] It should be understood that the method of the embodiment of the present disclosure may also include other contents.

[0062] For example, the identification information may also be a PDU session establishment request message, which also includes other content in addition to the identification.

[0063] For another example, after receiving the identification information, the network device may, in addition to determining the valid service, also perform other processes of establishing a PDU session (including interaction between modules within the network device).

[0064] For example, the service status information can also be a PDU session request acceptance message. After receiving the information, the terminal can not only store local service information, but also complete other PDU session establishment processes (such as feedback to the network device to confirm the establishment of the PDU session).

[0065] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a new service management mechanism is adopted between the terminal and the communication network (core network), and the status of valid services (local service information) is directly recorded in the terminal. Therefore, by modifying the local service information, the terminal can notify the network device to modify the status of its service. Among them, the management of information in the terminal does not have to be carried out by going to the business hall or contacting service personnel, communication networks (such as APP, web pages), voice services (such as calling customer service), etc., but can be achieved by directly operating the terminal, controlling the terminal with a management server, etc. Therefore, the management of services (such as query, modification, etc.) in the embodiment of the present disclosure is very convenient and fast, and can realize batch management of a large number of terminals (such as Internet of Things terminals), and can even be carried out when the terminal is not connected to the Internet (the communication network is unreachable); moreover, the embodiment of the present disclosure has no requirements for the nature of the terminal, and terminals with only data services but no voice services or no operating interface (such as Internet of Things terminals) can also be implemented.

[0066] In some embodiments, the service status information further includes recommended services for the terminal, and the local service information further includes recommended services.

[0067] As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the service status information received by the terminal may further include services (recommended services) recommended to the terminal by the network device, so that the terminal may also store the recommended services in the local service information (service list).

[0068] In some embodiments, when needed (such as when local service information is created, or when the user performs certain operations), the terminal can also display (such as display, voice broadcast, etc.) recommended services for user selection.

[0069] In some embodiments, as another embodiment of the present disclosure, even if the terminal does not have the function of displaying recommended services (such as the terminal is a street lamp), it can still store the recommended services in the local service information, so that after the terminal subsequently sends the local service information to the management server, the recommended services can be displayed on the management server for user selection (detailed description will be given later).

[0070] Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure can also recommend services, increase the possibility of expanding services, and provide users with more choices, thereby improving user experience.

[0071] In some embodiments, after establishing and storing local service information (step S103 ), the service management method further includes the following steps S104B1 and S104B2 .

[0072] In step S104B1, service change information sent by a network device is received, where the service change information includes changes to valid services.

[0073] In step S104B2, local service information is updated according to the service change information.

[0074] As one method of an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a network device discovers that the status of a terminal's valid service has changed (added, deleted, modified, etc., such as the expiration of a valid service), the change status of the valid service can be added to the service change information and sent to the terminal. The terminal can modify its own local service information based on the received service change information (such as deleting the above expired valid service) to ensure that the latest valid service status is always recorded in the local service information.

[0075] It should be understood that in some embodiments, if the recommended service changes (such as the launch of a new service), the above process may also be triggered, that is, the network device may also add the changes in the recommended service to the service change information, and after the terminal receives the service change information, it also updates the recommended service recorded in the local service information.

[0076] In some embodiments, after establishing and storing local service information (step S103 ), the service management method further includes the following steps S104C1 to S104C3 .

[0077] In step S104C1, a service modification instruction is received, wherein the service modification instruction is used to instruct modification of valid services in the local service information of the terminal.

[0078] In step S104C2, local service information is updated according to the service modification instruction.

[0079] In step S104C3, service modification information is sent to the network device according to the updated local service information. The service modification information includes the modification of the valid service in the local service information of the terminal.

[0080] As one method of an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user may also proactively send a service modification instruction to the terminal to modify (add, delete, modify, such as adding a recommended service to the valid services) the valid services recorded in the local service information within the terminal; then, the terminal may generate service modification information based on the above modifications and send it to the network device for the network device to make corresponding modifications (such as signing a new contract for the above recommended services for the terminal).

[0081] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the user can modify the valid service actually signed by directly operating the terminal, which is convenient and easy to implement.

[0082] In some embodiments, the user may modify the local service information in various ways; for example, the user may directly operate the terminal, or the user may control the terminal through a management server (described later).

[0083] It should be understood that the specific manner in which the terminal sends the service modification information to the network device and the specific manner in which the network device processes the service modification information may vary depending on the state of the terminal when receiving the service modification instruction.

[0084] For example, if the terminal is in a connected state when receiving a service modification instruction, it can send a PDU session modification request message to the network device as service modification information, and the network device can obtain the modification of the valid service in the process of modifying the PDU session.

[0085] For another example, if the terminal is in an idle state when receiving a service modification instruction, it may send a service request message to the network device as service modification information, and the network device obtains the modification of the valid service in the service request process.

[0086] In some embodiments, the service status information includes an ePCO (extended Protocol Configuration Option) parameter.

[0087] As one approach of an embodiment of the present disclosure, an ePCO parameter may be used as service status information for transmitting valid services.

[0088] The ePCO parameter is typically used to provide the terminal with additional information for connecting to the communication network. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, parameters representing the service situation can be added to the ePCO extended parameters, such as using the protocol identifier (Protocol ID) field from FF00H to FFFFH in the ePCO to transmit service information. For example, the structure of the service situation parameter 0xFF01H can be as shown in Table 1 below.

[0089] Table 1. Structure table of business situation parameters

[0090] In Table 1, service name length indicates the length of the service; service name indicates the name of the service; S-NSSAI (Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) indication indicates whether slice information is carried, and DNN (Data Network Name) indication indicates whether DNN information is carried. If the terminal enables multi-slice and DNN access, the two flag bits DNN indication and S-NSSAI indication need to be carried. If the terminal is a single DNN or single slice, the corresponding fields are optional and do not need to be carried; service validity indication indicates the type of service. For example, if its value is 0, it indicates that the service is a recommended service, and if its value is 1, it indicates that the service is a valid service.

[0091] It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present disclosure, other information related to valid services transmitted between the terminal and the network device, such as service change information, service modification information, etc., can also be in the form of ePCO parameters and will not be described in detail here.

[0092] It should be understood that when using ePCO parameters to transmit services, the specific fields and formats used are not limited to the above forms.

[0093] It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present disclosure, information such as service status information, service change information, and service modification information is not limited to the form of ePCO parameters.

[0094] In some embodiments, after establishing and storing local service information (step S103), the service management method further includes the following steps S105A and / or S105B.

[0095] In step S105A, local service information is sent to the management server via a dedicated connection with the management server.

[0096] In step S105B, a service modification instruction sent by the management server is received via a dedicated connection with the management server. The service modification instruction is used to instruct modification of an effective service.

[0097] As one method of the embodiment of the present disclosure, service management of the terminal may also be performed through a separate "management server".

[0098] Referring to Figure 8 , the management server is a separate server from network devices (such as the core network). It communicates with multiple terminals under its control via dedicated connections (e.g., connections secured by public-private key encryption, also known as dedicated channels), enabling direct service management of these terminals without requiring the involvement of network devices. For example, an enterprise's management server can establish connections with all of its IoT terminals and manage their services.

[0099] It should be understood that the above-mentioned "dedicated connection" refers to other connections different from the "connection between the terminal and the network device in the communication network", but it does not mean that the dedicated connection cannot pass through the communication network. That is, the dedicated connection can be a direct connection between the management server and the terminal (such as a near-field communication connection), or it can be a connection realized through the communication network (such as a VPN connection, etc.).

[0100] Thus, after obtaining local service information (including initial establishment or updates), a terminal can send the service-related information to the management server via a dedicated connection, allowing the management server to obtain the latest service status of all subordinate terminals. Accordingly, a user can also modify the terminal's active services on the management server. The management server can then send the modifications to the corresponding terminal in the form of service modification instructions, allowing the terminal to update its local service information according to the service modification instructions and send the service modification information to the network device (as described in steps S104C1 to S104C3 above).

[0101] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the management server can simultaneously obtain business information of multiple terminals, so that the management server can query massive business information, such as querying and filtering according to complex preset conditions; moreover, the management server can also modify the business conditions of a large number of terminals (such as all terminals filtered out by certain conditions) at one time.

[0102] That is to say, the embodiment of the present disclosure can implement "batch" business management of a large number of terminals by setting up a management server, greatly reducing the amount of business management operations and greatly increasing the number of manageable terminals.

[0103] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for business management based on network equipment.

[0104] The method of the embodiment of the present disclosure is executed by a network device, which is used to provide communication network (i.e., core network, such as 5G network, 6G network, etc.) services to the terminal and provide the terminal with services for the business it has signed a contract for.

[0105] 8 , the network device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is connected to a plurality of terminals, and the method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is used to manage the service subscription status of the terminals.

[0106] 8 , the network device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plurality of different modules, which together implement the function of providing communication network services.

[0107] Referring again to FIG. 2 , the service management method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the following steps S201 to S203 implemented by the network device.

[0108] In step S201, identification information sent by a terminal is received, where the identification information includes the terminal's identification.

[0109] In step S202, the valid service subscribed by the terminal is determined according to the identification information.

[0110] In step S203, service status information is sent to the terminal, where the service status information includes valid services.

[0111] When the terminal sends identification information (such as when the terminal is turned on and registered), the network device searches its own records based on the terminal's identification to determine the service (valid service) currently signed by the terminal, and adds the valid service to the service status information and sends it to the terminal so that the terminal can establish local service information based on it.

[0112] In some embodiments, between receiving identification information sent by the terminal (step S201) and sending service status information to the terminal (step S202), the service management method further includes: step S2021, determining recommended services for the terminal based on the identification information. The service status information also includes the recommended services.

[0113] As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the service status information may also determine what service (recommended service) needs to be recommended to the terminal according to the terminal identifier, and send the recommended service to the terminal together with the service status information.

[0114] In some embodiments, after sending the service status information to the terminal (step S203), the service management method further includes: step S204A1, in response to a change in an active service subscribed by the terminal, sending service change information to the terminal, wherein the service change information includes a change in the active service.

[0115] As one method of an embodiment of the present disclosure, when a network device finds that the valid service (or recommended service) of a terminal has changed, the corresponding change can be added to the service change information and sent to the terminal so that the terminal can update local service information.

[0116] In some embodiments, after sending the service status information to the terminal (step S203), the service management method further includes the following steps S204B1 and S204B2.

[0117] In step S204B1, service modification information sent by the terminal is received, wherein the service modification information includes modification of valid services in the local service information of the terminal.

[0118] In step S204B2, the recorded valid business is updated according to the business modification information.

[0119] When the terminal modifies its local service information according to the service modification instruction of the user or the management server, it sends service modification information indicating the corresponding modification to the network device, so that the network device modifies the valid service status of the terminal recorded in itself according to the service modification information.

[0120] In some embodiments, the traffic status information includes ePCO parameters.

[0121] As one manner of an embodiment of the present disclosure, the above service status information (which may also include service change information, service modification information, etc.) may be in the form of ePCO parameters.

[0122] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a service management method based on a management server.

[0123] The method of the embodiment of the present disclosure is executed by a management service. Referring to FIG8 , the management server communicates with multiple terminals under it through a dedicated connection (such as a connection protected by public-private key encryption) and performs service management on the terminals.

[0124] 3 , the service management method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the following steps S301 and S302 .

[0125] In step S301, local service information sent by the terminal is received via a dedicated connection with the terminal. The local service information sent by the terminal includes valid services subscribed by the terminal.

[0126] In step S302, the valid services of the terminal are recorded.

[0127] After receiving the local service information sent by the terminal, the management server can record it for subsequent users to query, modify, etc.

[0128] In some embodiments, after recording the valid services of the terminal (step S302), the service management method further includes: step S303, sending a service modification instruction to the terminal through a dedicated connection with the terminal.

[0129] The service modification instruction is used to instruct modification of valid services in the local service information of the terminal.

[0130] The management server may also send a service modification instruction to the terminal, so that the terminal can update local service information according to the service modification instruction, and send the service modification information to the network device (such as steps S104C1 to S104C3 above).

[0131] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, if the local service information sent by the terminal includes recommended services, the management server may also display the recommended services for the user to select as new services for the terminal, and send corresponding service modification instructions to the terminal.

[0132] In the fourth aspect, referring to Figure 4, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a terminal, which includes a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any one of the service management methods of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] In the fifth aspect, referring to Figure 5, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a network device, which includes a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any one of the business management methods of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0134] In the sixth aspect, referring to Figure 6, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a management server, which includes a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the processor, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements any business management method of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0135] In the seventh aspect, referring to FIG. 7 , an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable medium on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, any one of the business management methods of the embodiment of the present disclosure is implemented.

[0136] Among them, the processor is a device with data processing capabilities, including but not limited to the central processing unit (CPU); the memory is a device with data storage capabilities, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM, more specifically such as SDRAM, DDR, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory (FLASH); the I / O interface (read-write interface) is connected between the processor and the memory, which can realize information exchange between the memory and the processor, including but not limited to the data bus (Bus), etc.

[0137] Example:

[0138] The following is an exemplary introduction to the overall process of a business management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0139] The service management method of the embodiment of the present disclosure is performed based on the network architecture with reference to FIG. 8 .

[0140] The UE (User Equipment) is a terminal that can sign a service in the embodiment of the present disclosure, such as an Internet of Things terminal.

[0141] (R)AN (Radio Access Network) consists of base stations (such as gNBs) and controllers, and is used to provide wireless coverage and wireless access services, thereby connecting UEs to the core network.

[0142] The core network is the network device of the embodiment of the present disclosure, which is connected to the UE through the (R)AN and is also connected to the operator's data network (DN), so that it can manage the services subscribed by the terminal (subscribed in the operator's data network).

[0143] The core network can specifically adopt the 5G network architecture, which includes multiple modules (or network elements). The basic functions and relationships of each module are as follows:

[0144] AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function): AMF is the interface point between the UE and SMF. It is responsible for handling RAN connection management and mobility management, as well as UE security and authorization management.

[0145] SMF (Session Management Function): SMF is responsible for managing sessions, including session establishment, modification, and release, as well as policy and flow control.

[0146] UPF (User Plane Function): UPF is responsible for handling data packet transmission and forwarding, and can implement QoS (Quality of Service) policies.

[0147] AUSF (Authentication Server Function): AUSF is responsible for authentication and security policy management. It is also responsible for handling session establishment with other networks and can also store UE security information such as keys and authentication vectors.

[0148] Unified Data Management (UDM): UDM is used to manage all user data, including user configuration, user policies, and access rights.

[0149] PCF (Policy Control Function): PCF is responsible for policy control, including target QoS policy, bandwidth allocation policy, access control, etc. PCF can interact with other modules such as UDM and UDR to obtain the necessary information to perform policy control.

[0150] NSSF (Network Slice Selection Function): NSSF is responsible for network slice selection. It selects the appropriate network slice for the UE based on the UE's needs and network conditions, and also coordinates operations between SMF and AMF.

[0151] NEF (Network Exposure Function): As the interface to the 5G network, NEF enables application developers to expose network resources through APIs. NEF provides a unified way for applications to access network resources. The text on the lines connecting different modules indicates the corresponding interface type. For example, the connection between the UE and (R)AN is through the Uu (air interface).

[0152] In different situations, the service management method of the embodiment of the present disclosure may enter different processes.

[0153] Process (1): UE initiates registration to obtain the list of PCFs.

[0154] This process (1) is used when the UE is plugged in with a SIM card and powered on normally: after starting up, the UE will initiate a registration process with the communication network, and the PCF will send the UE's subscribed services (valid services) and recommended services (recommended services) to the SMF. The SMF will send the service information to the UE via the AMF and the base station through the ePCO parameter. The UE will parse the ePCO parameter to obtain the service set (local service information) and store it locally.

[0155] 9 , process (1) may include the following steps 1 to 9.

[0156] Step 1: UE initiates a PDU session establishment request message (identification information).

[0157] The PDU Session Establishment Request message initiated by the UE contains parameters such as NAS Head, PDU Session Type, 5GSM Capacity, Extended protocol configuration options (EPCO), etc., which can be carried by custom parameters in EPCO.

[0158] Step 2: AMF sends a PDU session establishment request message to SMF.

[0159] The AMF receives the session establishment request message carrying the ePCO parameters through the N1 interface, and forwards the session establishment request message to the SMF through Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext Request. The parameters carried in the ePCO remain unchanged.

[0160] Step 3: SMF sends a PDU session policy creation message to PCF.

[0161] SMF forwards the PDU session policy creation message to PCF through the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Create Request request message.

[0162] Step 4: PCF processes the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Create Request message and returns a response message.

[0163] After PCF receives the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Create Request request message from the N7 interface, PCF obtains the service information in the database based on IMSI, DNN and slice, including the names of the currently signed service (valid service) and the recommended service (recommended service), which are stored in the two array parameters enableservice and recommendedservice respectively. These array parameters can contain one or more service names. After that, PCF sends the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Create Response response message to SMF, which carries the names of the currently valid service and the recommended service.

[0164] Step 5: SMF decodes the service information and sends it to UPF.

[0165] SMF processes the service information returned by PCF and sends a PFCP Session Establishment Request message to UPF.

[0166] Step 6: UPF completes the service name setting and returns a response message to SMF.

[0167] The UPF receives the service name in the PFCP Session Establishment Request message through the N4 interface, completes the function setting according to the service name on the media plane, and returns a PFCP Session Establishment Response message to the SMF.

[0168] Step 7: SMF carries the service name through the ePCO field.

[0169] SMF encapsulates the service name received according to the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Create Response response message into the ePCO field of the Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer Request request message and sends the request message to AMF.

[0170] Step 8: AMF sends the service name to the UE through the N1 interface.

[0171] After receiving the ePCO parameters through the N1 interface, the AMF sends the ePCO parameters (service status information) to the UE through the PDU Session Establishment Accept message.

[0172] Therefore, after receiving the session request acceptance message, the UE can decode the ePCO parameters and obtain the UE's service set (local service information); the UE stores the service set and provides an interface presentation, and the user can view, import, export, and other functions of the service set through the web page.

[0173] Process (2): Service information update initiated by PCF.

[0174] This process (2) is used when the core network discovers that the service situation has changed: when the PCF meets the service trigger update conditions, the PCF actively initiates the UE's service update. The trigger update conditions may include: the service subscribed by the UE in the PCF has changed, including the addition, deletion and modification of the subscribed service; the service recommended to the UE in the PCF has changed, including the addition, deletion and modification of the recommended service.

[0175] 10 , process (2) may include the following steps 1 to 5.

[0176] Step 1: PCF sends Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer message to AMF.

[0177] The Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer message includes SUPI, UE service information and notification target address. The UE service information includes the name of the UE's changed subscription service and the recommended service.

[0178] Step 2: The core network triggers the service request process.

[0179] If the UE is in idle state and is reachable in base station access (the UE enters idle state due to being in a static state for a long time), the AMF sends a Network Triggered Service Request: If the AMF fails to page the UE, the AMF sends a Namf_Communication_N1N2TransferFailureNotification message to the PCF to inform the UE that the service information of the UE cannot be delivered to the UE; if the AMF paging the UE is successful, the UE initiates the service request process.

[0180] Step 3: AMF sends service information to UE.

[0181] If the UE is in a connected state, the AMF transparently transmits the UE's service information (service change information) received from the PCF to the UE (Delivery of Service).

[0182] Step 4: UE returns the service set update result.

[0183] The UE receives the service information, updates the local service set, and returns the update result (Result of the Delivery of Service) to the AMF.

[0184] Step 5: AMF notifies PCF of the Namf_N1MessageNotify message.

[0185] AMF receives the service set update result returned by UE and subscribes to PCF. It uses Namf_N1MessageNotify to forward the UE's response to PCF. PCF processes the push status and update time of UR service in the database. The push status is completed and the update time is the system time at this time.

[0186] Process (3): UE connection state changes service information.

[0187] This process (3) is used when the UE's service set is modified by a service modification instruction from the user or the management server, and the UE is in a connected state: When the UE is in a connected state, if the user modifies the service name in the service set on the UE, the UE triggers the PDU session modification process, carries the new service name to the PCF through the ePCO parameter, and updates the new service name to the UPF.

[0188] 11 , process (3) may include the following steps 1 to 13.

[0189] Step 1: PDU Session Modification Request

[0190] If the UE finds that its service has been modified and is in a connected state, it initiates a PDU session modification request (service modification information) to the AMF to modify the established PDU session. The message carries the ePCO parameter containing the new service name.

[0191] Step 2: Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext

[0192] When AMF receives the PDU Session Modification Request, it generates an Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext message based on its content. The message contains the service name and other SM context related information that needs to be updated, such as the QoS Flow that needs to be added or deleted, and the network slice that needs to be modified.

[0193] Step 3: Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Request

[0194] SMF sends an Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Request message to PCF, which carries the new service name.

[0195] Step 4: Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Response

[0196] After receiving the Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Request, the PCF extracts the service name and updates it into the database. At the same time, it generates an Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Response message and sends it to the SMF for further processing. The message contains the new service information.

[0197] Step 5: Response of Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext

[0198] SMF transmits the new service name to AMF through the ePCO field carried in the Response of Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext.

[0199] Step 6: N2 Session Request

[0200] The AMF encapsulates the ePCO field into a NAS message and sends it to the base station through the N2 Session Request message.

[0201] Step 7: PDU Session Modification Command

[0202] After receiving the N2 Session Request message, the base station sends the NAS message to the UE via the PDU Session Modification Command. The UE parses the ePCO parameters and extracts the new service name.

[0203] Step 8: PDU Session Modification Command Ack

[0204] If the UE determines that the new name is consistent with the name modified by the user, it replies with a PDU Session Modification Command Ack message to the base station. The PDU Session Modification Command Ack message carries the operation result and related parameters of the UE successfully setting up the new service.

[0205] Step 9: N2 NAS uplink transfer.

[0206] The base station sends the result of the UE successfully setting up a new service to the AMF through the N2 NAS uplink transfer message via the NAS layer information.

[0207] Step 10: Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request.

[0208] The AMF sends a Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request message to the SMF, which contains the new service name.

[0209] Step 11: Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Response

[0210] After receiving the Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request message, the SMF stores the UE's new service name and replies with the Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Response message to the AMF.

[0211] Step 12: N4 Session Modification Request

[0212] SMF constructs an N4 Session Modification Request message containing new service information and sends it to UPF.

[0213] Step 13: N4 Session Modification Response

[0214] After receiving the N4 Session Modification Request message, the UPF updates the UE's new service information and takes effect the message identification rules contained in the service information. At the same time, it generates an N4 Session Modification Response message to the SMF.

[0215] Process (4): UE idle state changes service information

[0216] This process (4) is used when the UE's service set is modified by a service modification instruction from the user or the management server, and the UE is in an idle state: When the UE is in an idle state, if the user modifies the service name in the service set on the UE, the UE initiates a service request process and carries the ePCO parameter containing the new service name to the PCF. After successful local processing by the PCF, it returns the request to the UE and UPF to ensure that the new service status takes effect in a timely manner.

[0217] 12 , process (4) may include the following steps 1 to 13.

[0218] Step 1: Service Request

[0219] When the UE finds that its service has been modified and is in a connected state, it triggers the service request process and sends a Service Request message (service modification information) to the base station. The message carries information such as the ePCO parameter containing the new service name, UE identifier, requested service type, QoS parameters, etc.

[0220] Step 2: N2 Message (Service Request)

[0221] After receiving the Service Request message, the base station sends an N2 message (Service Request) to the AMF, which carries information such as the ePCO parameter containing the new service name, UE identifier, requested service type, and QoS parameters.

[0222] Step 3: Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext_Request

[0223] The AMF then sends an Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext_Request message to the SMF, which carries information such as the ePCO parameter containing the new service name, UE identity, requested service type, QoS parameters, etc.

[0224] Step 4: Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Request

[0225] The SMF sends an Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Request message carrying the new service name to the PCF.

[0226] Step 5: Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Response

[0227] PCF parses the new service name and updates the new service name to the database. At the same time, it constructs an Npcf_SMPolicyControl_Update Response message in response, which contains the new service name.

[0228] Step 6: Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext_Response

[0229] SMF sends the Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext_Response message to AMF, which contains the determined new service name, UE identity, QoS parameters and other information.

[0230] Step 7: N2 Request

[0231] The AMF sends an N2 Request message to the base station, requesting to establish a data path for the UE and transparently transmit the new service to the UE.

[0232] Step 8: RRC connection reconfiguration

[0233] The UE and the base station exchange RRC connection reconfiguration messages, update the resource configuration of the requested service, and pass the new service to the UE for confirmation. If the UE is successfully set to the new service, it notifies the base station.

[0234] Step 9: N2 Request Ack

[0235] After the base station receives the new service name of the UE, it sends an N2 Request Ack message to the AMF, indicating that the data path is successfully established and the new service name.

[0236] Step 10: Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request

[0237] After receiving the new service name, the AMF sends another Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request message to the SMF, which contains the new service name and updated information about the current session, such as the IP address of the UPF.

[0238] Step 11: N4 Session Modification Request

[0239] SMF sends an N4 Session Modification Request message to UPF, requesting to establish a data path for the session and carrying the new service name to UPF.

[0240] Step 12: N4 Session Modification Response

[0241] The UPF responds to the SMF with an N4 Session Modification Response message, confirming that the data path has been successfully established and the service name has been updated.

[0242] Step 13: SMF sends Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Response message to AMF, indicating that the data path has been successfully established and the new service has taken effect.

[0243] Process (5): Management server manages massive UEs

[0244] This process (5) is used to manage a large number of UEs (such as IoT UEs) using a dedicated management server: a management server is introduced into the network architecture to manage the services of a large number of UEs. The management server can be accessed by a large number of UEs and can receive and store service sets from the UEs. It can query and present the services of a large number of UEs according to different conditions, initiate large-scale modifications to the services of UEs that meet certain conditions, and then send the service changes to the PCF and UPF through the UEs to achieve batch management of a large number of UEs.

[0245] 13 , the process of process (5) may include the following steps 1 to 7.

[0246] Step 1: After the UE is turned on, it initiates a registration process to the core network (such as the 5G core network 5GC) according to process (1). The UE obtains the service set and stores it locally.

[0247] Step 2: The management server uses an asymmetric encryption algorithm (such as RSA or ECC) to generate a public-private key pair. When the UE wants to communicate with the management server, it sends an https request to the management server, requesting the management server's public key. The UE generates a random password, encrypts the random password using the public key provided by the management server, and then sends the encrypted random password to the management server via the https connection. After receiving the encrypted random password sent by the UE, the management server uses its own private key to decrypt it and obtain the original random password. As a result, the management server and the UE both have the same random password. They use this random password to establish a symmetric encryption channel (dedicated connection). After that, communication between the UE and the management server can be carried out through this symmetric encryption channel to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the data.

[0248] Step 3: After the UE stores the service set locally, it sends a registration request message (local service information) to the management server. The parameters carried in this message include the contracted service name, recommended service name, IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity), GPS parameters, time to obtain the service, operating system version, software version, hardware information, etc. Among them, IMEI is the unique identifier of the UE and can be used as the basis for the management server to distinguish the information of different UEs. After receiving the registration request message, the management server stores the data in the local database and sends a response message to the UE. The parameters carried in this response message include result tag, reason value, time parameter, etc. Among them, the management server can actually receive and store relevant information of a large number of UEs.

[0249] Step 4: After all UEs to be managed are registered with the management server, data queries can be performed on the management server based on service name, service type (contracted or recommended), map information, IMEI, etc. For example, the interface provided by the management server can be used to query UEs that match contracted services, recommended services, slices, DNN, and other conditions on a large scale. When the management server loads map information, UEs can be filtered based on the UE's GPS parameters according to conditions such as province, city, street, county, street, community, and road. UEs with the same longitude and latitude but different altitudes can also be displayed in layers and gradients. Due to the large amount of data, all queries can use back-end paging technology and be sent to the front end in batches according to the user's selection.

[0250] Step 5: Users can modify the subscription services of a large number of UEs that meet the selected criteria on the management server interface. After the user completes the settings, the interface will switch to the change progress interface, which displays the current total number of UEs, the number of UEs that successfully modified, and the number of UEs that failed to modify. For UEs that failed to modify, the failure reason can also be queried. The failure reason is divided into domains and failure details. The domain includes management server, UE, and core network. The failure details provide detailed failure information under a specific domain.

[0251] Step 6: A controller with a queue function is set up at the back end of the management server, which converts the massive UEs determined above into queues in batches to avoid overloading the management server; the controller changes the service of the UE in batches according to the first-in-first-out principle of the queue, that is, through the service set between the corresponding UE and the service set, it sends a new service set request message (service modification instruction) to the UE.

[0252] Step 7: After receiving the message, the UE compares the new service name with the locally stored service set: if the comparison results are consistent, a response message is returned to the management server through the symmetric encryption channel, and an identifier of successful change is carried; if the comparison results are inconsistent, the UE modifies the local service set and, depending on whether it is in a connected state or an idle state, performs the above process of changing the service information according to the above process (3) or process (4), and returns a response message to the management server through the symmetric encryption channel based on whether the modification of the information in the core network is successful.

[0253] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or some of the steps, systems, and functional modules / units in the apparatus disclosed above may be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0254] In hardware implementations, the division between functional modules / units mentioned in the above description does not necessarily correspond to the division of physical components; for example, one physical component may have multiple functions, or one function or step may be performed by several physical components in cooperation.

[0255] Some or all of the physical components may be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor, or a microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software may be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which may include a computer storage medium (or non-transitory medium) and a communication medium (or temporary medium). As is well known to those skilled in the art, the term computer storage medium includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data). Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM, more specifically SDRAM, DDR, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory (FLASH) or other disk storage; compact disc (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical disc storage; magnetic cassettes, tapes, disk storage or other magnetic storage; any other medium that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed by a computer. Furthermore, as is well known to those skilled in the art, communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include any information delivery media.

[0256] The present disclosure has disclosed example embodiments, and although specific terms are employed, they are used and should be interpreted only in a general illustrative sense and not for purposes of limitation. In some instances, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise expressly indicated, features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with a particular embodiment may be used alone or in combination with features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with other embodiments. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for business management, based on a terminal, wherein: The method comprises: Sending identification information to a network device; the identification information includes an identification of the terminal; Receiving service status information sent by the network device; the service status information includes valid services subscribed by the terminal; According to the service status information, local service information is established and stored; the local service information includes the valid service.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The service status information also includes recommended services for the terminal, and the local service information also includes the recommended services.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the local service information is established and stored, the method further includes: Receiving service change information sent by the network device; the service change information includes a change of the valid service; The local service information is updated according to the service change information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the local service information is established and stored, the method further includes: receiving a service modification instruction; the service modification instruction is used to instruct modification of the valid service in the local service information of the terminal; updating the local service information according to the service modification instruction; Sending service modification information to the network device according to the updated local service information; the service modification information includes the modification of the valid service in the local service information of the terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The service status information includes ePCO parameters.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the local service information is established and stored, the method further includes: sending the local service information to the management server via a dedicated connection with the management server; and / or, The service modification instruction sent by the management server is received through a dedicated connection with the management server; the service modification instruction is used to indicate the modification of the valid service.

7. A method for business management based on network equipment, wherein: The method comprises: Receiving identification information sent by a terminal; the identification information includes an identification of the terminal; Determining a valid service subscribed by the terminal according to the identification information; Sending service status information to the terminal; the service status information includes the valid service.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: Between the receiving of the identification information sent by the terminal and the sending of the service status information to the terminal, the method further includes: The recommended service for the terminal is determined according to the identification information; the service status information also includes the recommended service.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein: After sending the service status information to the terminal, the method further includes: In response to a change in the valid service contracted by the terminal, service change information is sent to the terminal; the service change information includes the change in the valid service.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein: After sending the service status information to the terminal, the method further includes: receiving service modification information sent by the terminal; the service modification information includes modification of the valid service in the local service information of the terminal; The recorded valid service is updated according to the service modification information.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The service status information includes ePCO parameters.

12. A method for business management, based on a management server, wherein: The method comprises: Receiving local service information sent by the terminal through a dedicated connection with the terminal; the local service information sent by the terminal includes valid services subscribed by the terminal; The valid services of the terminal are recorded.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: After recording the valid services of the terminal, the method further includes: A service modification instruction is sent to the terminal via a dedicated connection with the terminal; the service modification instruction is used to instruct modification of the valid service in the local service information of the terminal.

14. A terminal comprising a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program executable by the processor, and the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the service management method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

15. A network device, comprising a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program executable by the processor, and the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the service management method described in any one of claims 7 to 11.

16. A management server comprising a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program executable by the processor, and the computer program implements the service management method according to claim 12 or 13 when executed by the processor.

17. A computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the service management method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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