Delay control method and related apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a delay control method and a related apparatus. The method comprises: receiving first information sent by an application server, wherein the first information indicates an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of a first data stream, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is a transmission delay requirement of data transmission between a first terminal device and a second terminal device; and generating a policy and charging control (PCC) rule on the basis of the first information, wherein the PCC rule is used for indicating an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream from the first terminal device to a first user plane function network element and / or a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream from a second user plane function network element to the second terminal device. By configuring the end-to-end delay requirement of the first data stream, the end-to-end delay guarantee between the terminal devices is realized, various service requirements are met, and the communication quality is improved.

Description

A time delay control method and related device

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on November 30, 2023, with application number 202311634372.5 and application name “A Delay Control Method and Related Devices”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a delay control method and related devices. Background Art

[0003] In the current Quality of Service (QoS) model, after receiving a data packet, the user plane function (UPF) maps the packet to the same QoS flow for transmission based on the packet forwarding model (PDR). Each QoS flow is associated with a QoS profile, which includes QoS-related parameters such as the packet delay budget (PDB). The PDB is the upper limit on the time it takes for a packet to travel between the UPF and the terminal device.

[0004] With the development of fifth-generation mobile communications (5G) technology, media services are experiencing exponential growth. This evolution has led to the emergence of media services such as high-definition video and extended reality (XR) services. These new media services may require data exchange between multiple devices. For example, in XR media services, multiple users on multiple devices need to play games simultaneously, requiring the exchange of game-related data between these devices.

[0005] In the current QoS model, latency control only applies to transmission between the UPF and the terminal device. Therefore, controlling the end-to-end transmission latency between terminal devices has become a pressing technical issue. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a delay control method, which is applied to a policy control function network element, and includes:

[0007] receiving first information sent by the application server, where the first information indicates an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is a transmission delay requirement for data transmitted between the first terminal device and the second terminal device;

[0008] Based on the first information, a policy and charging control PCC rule is generated, where the PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of a first quality of service QoS flow, and / or the QoS requirements of a second QoS flow, where the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

[0009] It should be noted that the first user plane function network element and the second user plane function network element can be the same user plane function network element or different user plane function network elements. The first user plane function network element is a user plane function network element serving the first terminal device, and the second user plane function network element is a user plane function network element serving the second terminal device.

[0010] It should be noted that when the network includes a first session management function network element and a second session management function network element, the first session management function network element is the session management function network element of the first terminal device, and the second session management function network element is the session management function network element of the second terminal device. The policy control function network element can send a first PCC rule to the first session management function network element, where the first PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow; and the policy control function network element can send a second PCC rule to the second session management function network element, where the second PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element generates a PCC rule based on the end-to-end delay requirement of the first data flow configured by the application server. The PCC rule is used to indicate the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. In this way, each network element or device in the uplink direction of the first data flow in the network performs delay guarantee for the data packets of the first data flow according to the PCC rule, and each network element or device in the downlink direction of the first data flow in the network performs delay guarantee for the data packets of the first data flow according to the PCC rule. Through the coordination and cooperation between each network element or device, end-to-end delay guarantee is achieved between terminal devices, meeting various business needs and improving communication quality.

[0012] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the PCC rule includes: first indication information, where the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add first time information of the data packet to the data packet of the first data stream, and the first time information indicates the time information when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet.

[0013] In one example, the first terminal device adds first time information to a data packet transmitted in the first QoS flow according to the first indication information, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet.

[0014] Optionally, the first indication information is also used to instruct the user plane functional network element to add the first time information to the data packet of the first data stream. Specifically, the user plane functional network element extracts the first time information from the data packet of the first data stream according to the first indication information. Then the user plane functional network element adds the first time information to the data packet again, for example, adds the first time information to the general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) message header of the data packet. The user plane functional network element forwards the data packet of the first data stream with the first time information added to the GTP-U message header to the second terminal device through the first data stream.

[0015] Optionally, the first indication information is further used to instruct the access network device to send the data packet to the second terminal device within the transmission delay budget of the data packet of the first data stream. Specifically, the access network device sends the data packet to the second terminal device within the transmission delay budget of the data packet of the first data stream based on the first indication information.

[0016] In the embodiment of the present application, explicit first indication information is used to instruct each network element or device to provide an end-to-end delay guarantee service for the first data stream, thereby improving communication quality.

[0017] With reference to the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the PCC rule further includes: an end-to-end transmission delay budget for the first data flow, where the end-to-end transmission delay budget is a transmission delay budget for data transmitted between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. The PCC rule may also include: an end-to-end transmission delay budget for the first data flow, thereby increasing the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow includes: an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device. This improves the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation of the first aspect, the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement and the downlink transmission delay requirement satisfies or is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement. By limiting the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement and the downlink transmission delay requirement to be less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement, end-to-end transmission of data packets of the first data stream is ensured within the specified transmission delay requirement, thereby improving communication quality. For example, the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement, the first transmission delay value, the downlink transmission delay requirement, and the second transmission delay value satisfies or is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

[0020] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the policy and charging control PCC rule is generated based on the first information, including: obtaining a first transmission delay value from the application server to the first user plane functional network element and / or a second transmission delay value from the application server to the second user plane functional network element; determining the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow based on the first information and the first transmission delay value, and / or the second transmission delay value. In the process of generating the PCC rule, the transmission delay value between the application server and the user plane functional network element, such as the N6 transmission delay value, can also be considered to further improve the accuracy of the end-to-end delay guarantee service and improve the communication quality.

[0021] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, generating the PCC rule according to the first information includes: generating a first PCC rule according to the first information, the first PCC rule being used to indicate the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow; and generating a second PCC rule according to the first information, the second PCC rule being used to indicate the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow.

[0022] Optionally, the same policy management function network element may generate multiple PCC rules, or different policy management function network elements may generate different PCC rules. In an embodiment of the present application, when a network includes multiple policy management function network elements, multiple PCC rules related to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow may also be generated through negotiation, thereby improving the implementation flexibility of the solution to meet the needs of different services.

[0023] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the method also includes: sending a first subscription request, the first subscription request is used to request a first notification service, the first notification service is to send a first notification message when the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold; receiving the first notification message, the first notification message indicates that the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to the first threshold; according to the first notification message, updating the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream.

[0024] In the embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element can send the first subscription request to the application server or to the user plane function network element, thereby improving the implementation flexibility of the solution. The first notification message can be used to notify that the transmission delay of the first data flow is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

[0025] With reference to the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow are updated according to the first notification message. Optionally, the first notification message may also include second indication information, where the second indication information is used to instruct the policy management function network element to update the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, thereby improving the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0026] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes: determining a target transmission delay requirement combination from a transmission delay requirement set, the transmission delay requirement set including one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations, each group of the transmission delay requirement combination including the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement; and updating the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream according to the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0027] In this embodiment of the present application, after receiving the first information, the policy management function network element generates a PCC rule based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, and then generates a transmission delay requirement set based on the PCC rule. The application server determines the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet based on the first time information and / or the second time information. Then, based on the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet, the application server determines a target transmission delay requirement combination from the transmission delay requirement set, thereby improving delay guarantee performance, ensuring normal service operation, and enhancing communication quality.

[0028] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes: sending a transmission delay requirement set, the transmission delay requirement set including one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations, each group of the transmission delay requirement combination including the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement; receiving a second notification message, the second notification message indicating a target transmission delay requirement combination, the target transmission delay requirement combination belonging to the transmission delay requirement set including one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations; and updating the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream according to the second notification message.

[0029] Optionally, the policy management function network element sends a second subscription request to the application server, where the second subscription request is used to request the application server to provide a second notification service. The second notification service is that the application server sends the second notification message after determining the target transmission delay requirement from the transmission delay requirement set.

[0030] In a possible implementation manner, the policy management function network element includes the transmission delay requirement set in the second subscription request.

[0031] In another possible implementation, after receiving the first information sent by the application server, the policy management function network element generates a transmission delay requirement set according to the first information, and then sends the transmission delay requirement set to the application server.

[0032] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes: updating the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow, and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow, according to the updated uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. After the policy management function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, it can timely update the PCC rules, specifically update the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow indicated by the PCC rules, and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow, to ensure timely adjustment of the transmission delay requirement applied by the delay guarantee service and improve communication quality.

[0033] In conjunction with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the first subscription request further includes: description information of the first data flow, and / or the first threshold. The description information of the first data flow includes any one or more of the following information: a source Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first data flow, a destination IP address of the first data flow, a source port of the first data flow, a destination port of the first data flow, transport layer protocol information of the first data flow, a queue pair of the first data flow, a service type of the first data flow, or a port index of the first data flow.

[0034] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes: obtaining the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet, and the first data packet belongs to the first data flow: updating the second PCC rule according to the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet. Alternatively, the policy control function network element may also obtain the time when the first user plane function network element receives or sends the first data packet, or the time when the application server receives or sends the first data packet, to update the PCC rule. In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element may timely update the PCC rule according to the actual transmission status of the data packet in the first data flow, and then timely adjust the transmission delay requirement applied by the delay guarantee service to improve the communication quality.

[0035] In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application proposes a delay control method, which is applied to an application server or an application function network element. The method includes: sending first information, where the first information indicates the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is the transmission delay requirement for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement is used by the wireless communication network to determine the transmission delay requirement of the wireless communication network from the first terminal device to the second terminal device.

[0036] In this embodiment of the present application, the application server can send the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream to each network element or device in the network. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is the transmission delay requirement for data transmitted between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. Through the coordination and cooperation between the various network elements or devices, end-to-end delay guarantee is achieved between terminal devices, meeting various service requirements and improving communication quality.

[0037] In conjunction with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the first information further includes: description information of the first data flow, the description information of the first data flow including any one or more of the following information: the source Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first data flow, the destination IP address of the first data flow, the source port of the first data flow, the destination port of the first data flow, the transport layer protocol information of the first data flow, the queue pair of the first data flow, the service type of the first data flow, or the port index of the first data flow. By carrying the description information of the first data flow, the first information associates and binds the transmission delay requirement with the first data flow.

[0038] In conjunction with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the description information of the first data stream included in the first information may include description information of an uplink data stream and / or description information of a downlink data stream. The description information of the uplink data stream or the downlink data stream includes the same content as the description information of the first data stream and only needs to be modified to the uplink data stream or the downlink data stream accordingly.

[0039] In conjunction with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the first information indicates: an end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates an upper limit on the transmission time of data packets in the first data stream. This improves the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0040] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes: obtaining first time information, the first time information indicating the time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, and the first data packet is carried by the first data stream; and / or, obtaining second time information, the second time information indicating the time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicating the time when the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device.

[0041] Optionally, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is updated according to the first time information and the second time information.

[0042] Specifically, the application server determines the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet based on the first time information and the second time information. Then, based on the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet and the first threshold, it determines whether to update the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, and further determines whether to send a first notification message to the policy management function network element. In one possible example, when the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet is less than or equal to the first threshold, the first notification message is sent to the policy management function network element; when the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet is greater than the first threshold, the first notification message is not sent.

[0043] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the update of the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream can not only update the upper limit of the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, but also update the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream. For example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream before the update is 20 milliseconds, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream after the update is 30 milliseconds. For another example, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream before the update is 15 milliseconds, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 15 milliseconds; after the update, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 10 milliseconds, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 20 milliseconds.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present application, the application server can timely adjust the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of the first data stream according to the actual transmission status of the data packets of the first data stream, thereby improving the adaptability to different business scenarios, meeting various business needs, and improving communication quality.

[0045] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, updating the end-to-end transmission delay requirement according to the first time information and / or the second time information includes: receiving a transmission delay requirement set sent by a policy management function PCF, the transmission delay requirement set including one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations, each group of the transmission delay requirement combination including the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement; determining a target transmission delay requirement combination from the transmission delay requirement set according to the first time information and / or the second time information, the target transmission delay requirement combination belonging to the transmission delay requirement set; and updating the end-to-end transmission delay requirement according to the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0046] In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element can send a set of transmission delay requirements related to the first data flow to the application server, so that the application server can determine or update the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow based on the transmission delay requirement set, improve the delay guarantee performance, ensure the normal operation of the service, and improve the communication quality.

[0047] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, determining or updating the end-to-end transmission delay requirement based on the transmission delay requirement set includes: sending a second notification message to the policy management function, where the second notification message indicates the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0048] In an embodiment of the present application, after the application server updates the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream according to the transmission delay requirement set, it can also notify the policy management function to update the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, thereby improving the delay guarantee performance, ensuring the normal operation of the service, and improving the communication quality.

[0049] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the method also includes: receiving a first subscription request sent by a policy management function network element, the first subscription request is used to request the provision of a first notification service, the first notification service is to send a first notification message when the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold; obtaining first time information, the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, and the first data packet is carried by the first data stream; and / or, obtaining second time information, the second time information indicates the time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicates the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device; based on the first time information and / or the second time information, and the first threshold, determine whether to send the first notification message to the policy management function network element.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element can subscribe to the first notification service from the application server so as to timely update the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of the first data flow according to the first notification message of the application server, improve the delay guarantee performance, ensure the normal operation of the service, and improve the communication quality.

[0051] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the first information includes: the QoS requirements of the first quality of service QoS flow, and / or the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow, wherein the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device. There are multiple possible implementation methods for the first information, which improves the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0052] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the first information includes: QoS parameters of a first quality of service QoS flow, and / or QoS parameters of a second QoS flow, wherein the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device. There are multiple possible implementation methods for the first information, which improves the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0053] In conjunction with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the first information is further used to indicate a packet detection rule of the first data flow. There are multiple possible implementations of the first information, which improves the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0054] In conjunction with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the first information further includes: a first transmission delay value between the application server and a first user plane functional network element, and a second transmission delay value between the application server and a second user plane functional network element, where the first user plane functional network element provides services for the first terminal device and the second user plane functional network element provides services for the second terminal device. The application server may also provide a transmission delay value between the application server and the user plane functional network element, such as an N6 transmission delay value, to further improve the accuracy of the end-to-end delay guarantee service and enhance communication quality.

[0055] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the first user plane function network element and the second user plane function network element are the same user plane function network element.

[0056] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes: receiving the first data packet sent by the first terminal device, the first data packet being carried in the first data stream; and sending the first data packet with the first time information added to the second terminal device, the first time information indicating the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet. The application server can obtain the first time information from the data packet, and then add the first time information to the outer header of the data packet, such as the GTP-U header, to facilitate other network elements or devices to obtain the first time information. In a possible implementation, the first data packet sent by the application server to the second terminal device and the first data packet received by the application server from the first terminal device have different address information.

[0057] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application proposes a delay control method, which is applied to a session management function network element, and the method includes: receiving a policy and charging control PCC rule; obtaining third information according to the PCC rule, the third information including the QoS requirement of the first quality of service QoS flow, and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow, the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow including the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow including the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device; and sending the third information.

[0058] In an embodiment of the present application, after receiving the PCC rules, the session management function network element can obtain third information based on the PCC rules, where the third information may include the uplink transmission delay requirement and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. For example, the third information may include: the QoS rules of the first QoS flow sent to the first terminal device; the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data flow sent to the access network device; the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow sent to the access network device; the packet detection rules of the first data flow and / or the QoS enforcement rules of the first data flow sent to the user plane function network element. The session management function network element then sends the third information to other network elements or devices, so that each network element or device in the uplink direction of the first data flow in the network performs delay guarantee for the data packets of the first data flow based on the third information, and each network element or device in the downlink direction of the first data flow in the network performs delay guarantee for the data packets of the first data flow based on the third information. Through the coordinated cooperation between the various network elements or devices, end-to-end delay guarantee is achieved between terminal devices, meeting various service requirements and improving communication quality.

[0059] In combination with the third aspect, in a possible implementation of the third aspect, sending the third information includes: sending the third information to the first terminal device, the third information includes the QoS rules of the first QoS flow, and the QoS rules of the first QoS flow indicate that the first terminal device adds the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet to the data packet transmitted in the first data stream.

[0060] In this embodiment of the present application, the session management function network element may further instruct the first terminal device, through the QoS rule of the first QoS flow, to add first time information to a data packet of the first QoS flow. The first time information is used to indicate the time when the first terminal device sent or generated the data packet. This allows other network elements in the network to obtain the first time information of the data packet, thereby facilitating latency guarantee.

[0061] In combination with the third aspect, in a possible implementation of the third aspect, the session management function network element sends the third information, including: sending the third information to the first terminal device, the third information includes first indication information, and the first indication information indicates that the first terminal device adds the time information of sending or generating the data packet by the first terminal device to the data packet transmitted in the first data stream.

[0062] In one example, the QoS rule of the first QoS flow includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add first time information of the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet, so that the first terminal device adds the time information of the first terminal device sending or generating the data packet in the data packet transmitted in the first QoS flow according to the first indication information.

[0063] In this embodiment of the present application, the session management function network element may further instruct the first terminal device, through explicit first indication information, to add first time information to a data packet of the first QoS flow. The first time information is used to indicate the time when the first terminal device sent or generated the data packet. This allows other network elements in the network to obtain the first time information of the data packet, thereby facilitating latency guarantee.

[0064] In conjunction with the third aspect, in one possible implementation of the third aspect, sending the third information includes: sending the third information to an access network device, the third information including: an end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicating an upper limit on the transmission time of data packets in the first data stream, and the access network device providing communication services for the second terminal device. Multiple possible implementations of the third information enhance the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0065] In combination with the third aspect, in a possible implementation of the third aspect, sending the third information includes: sending the third information to the access network device, the third information including: the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow, and / or, the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow, wherein the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device. There are multiple possible implementation methods for the third information, which improves the implementation flexibility of the solution. For example, the session management function network element sends the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow to the first access network device, and the session management function network element sends the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow to the second access network device.

[0066] In combination with the third aspect, in a possible implementation of the third aspect, sending the third information includes: sending the third information to a user plane functional network element, the third information including: a packet detection rule of the first data flow and / or a QoS execution rule of the first data flow, the QoS execution rule of the first data flow being used to instruct the user plane functional network element to add the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the packet to the packet of the first data flow. There are multiple possible implementation methods for the third information, which improves the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0067] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application proposes a delay control method, which is applied to an access network device, and the method includes: receiving a data packet of the first data stream, the data packet including first time information indicating that the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet; determining the sending delay budget of the data packet based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the first time information of the data packet, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement being the transmission delay requirement for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device.

[0068] In an embodiment of the present application, after the access network device receives the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, it can, based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement, send the data packet to the second terminal device according to the transmission delay budget of the data packet after the access network device receives the data packet of the first data stream in the downlink direction, thereby ensuring that the data packet of the first data stream is transmitted from the first terminal device to the second terminal device within the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, achieving end-to-end transmission delay guarantee and improving communication quality.

[0069] In combination with the fourth aspect, in a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the method further includes: receiving third information sent by a session management function network element, where the third information includes the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow.

[0070] In combination with the fourth aspect, in a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, a first time period of the data packet is determined based on the first time information of the data packet and the reception time of the data packet by the access network device, where the first time period indicates the transmission time of the data packet from the first terminal device to the access network device; a sending delay budget of the data packet is determined based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the first time period of the data packet; and the data packet is sent to the second terminal device within the sending delay budget of the data packet.

[0071] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, sending the data packet to the second terminal device within the transmission delay budget of the data packet includes: preferentially sending the data packet with a lower transmission delay budget to the second terminal device. For example: receiving a first data packet in the first data stream; determining the transmission delay budget of the first data packet; receiving a third data packet in the first data stream; determining the transmission delay budget of the third data packet; and preferentially sending the first data packet based on the transmission delay budget of the first data packet and the transmission delay budget of the third data packet, wherein the transmission delay budget of the first data packet is lower than the transmission delay budget of the third data packet.

[0072] In an embodiment of the present application, when multiple data packets of the first data stream arrive at the access network device in the downlink direction and the access network device has not yet sent these data packets to be sent to the second terminal device, the access network device can determine the priority of sending these data packets to be sent based on the transmission delay budget of the data packets to be sent. Take the first data packet of the first data stream and the third data packet of the first data stream as an example to illustrate: after receiving the first data packet, the access network device determines the transmission delay budget of the first data packet; after receiving the third data packet, the access network device determines the transmission delay budget of the third data packet. If the transmission delay budget of the first data packet is less than the transmission delay budget of the third data packet, the access network device will give priority to sending the first data packet to the second terminal device.

[0073] In combination with the fourth aspect, in a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device is obtained; based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, the air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device and the first time information of the data packet, the sending delay budget of the data packet is determined.

[0074] In an embodiment of the present application, when determining the transmission delay budget of a data packet, the access network device may also consider the air interface transmission delay from the second terminal device to the access network device, thereby further improving the delay control accuracy and improving the communication quality.

[0075] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in one possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the third information includes: an end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates an upper limit on the transmission time of data packets in the first data stream. Multiple possible implementations of the third information enhance the implementation flexibility of the solution.

[0076] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application proposes a method for delay control, which is applied to a user plane functional network element, and comprises: receiving third information, the third information including a packet detection rule PDR of a first data flow; receiving a first data packet, the first data packet being sent by the first terminal device, the third data packet being carried in the first QoS flow; detecting the first data packet according to the packet detection rule PDR of the first data flow included in the third information. Then, according to the QoS flow execution rule of the first data flow included in the first information, adding first time information to the first data packet, the first time information indicating the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet; and sending the first data packet including the first time information.

[0077] In an embodiment of the present application, the user plane functional network element adds first time information to the first data packet of the first data stream according to the instruction of the third information, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device sent or generated the first data packet. The user plane functional network element can obtain the first time information from the data packet and then add the first time information to the outer packet header of the data packet, such as the GTP-U packet header, to facilitate other network elements or devices to obtain the first time information.

[0078] In combination with the fifth aspect, in a possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the method also includes: receiving a first subscription request, the first subscription request is used to request the provision of a first notification service, the first notification service is to send a first notification message when the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold; obtaining first time information, the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, and the first data packet is carried by the first data stream; obtaining third time information, the third time information indicates the reception time when the user plane function network element receives or sends the first data packet; based on the first time information, the third time information and the first threshold, determining whether to send the first notification message to the policy management function network element.

[0079] In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element can subscribe to the first notification service from the user plane function network element, so that the policy management function network element can timely update the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of the first data flow according to the first notification message of the user plane function network element, improve the delay guarantee performance, ensure the normal operation of the service, and improve the communication quality.

[0080] In the sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application proposes a delay control method, which is applied to a terminal device, and the method includes: the terminal device receives third information, and the third information includes QoS rules of a first QoS flow; according to the QoS rules of the first QoS flow included in the third information, determines the data packet to be sent, wherein the data packet to be sent is carried in the first QoS flow; sends the data packet, and the data packet carries first time information, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device carries first time information in the first data packet of the first data stream according to the instruction of the third information. The first time information indicates the time when the terminal device sends or generates the first data packet, so that other network elements or devices can obtain the first time information.

[0082] In combination with the sixth aspect, in a possible implementation of the sixth aspect, adding the first time information to the data packet includes: adding the first time information to the General Packet Radio Service User Plane Tunneling Protocol GTP-U message header of the data packet; or, adding the first time information to the Real-time Transport Protocol RTP message header of the data packet.

[0083] In combination with the sixth aspect, in a possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the QoS rule of the first QoS flow includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add the first time information of the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet.

[0084] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to a policy control function network element, and includes: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0085] The transceiver module is further configured to receive first information sent by the application server, where the first information indicates an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is a transmission delay requirement for data transmitted between the first terminal device and the second terminal device;

[0086] The processing module is also used to generate a policy and charging control PCC rule based on the first information, where the PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the first quality of service QoS flow and / or the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow. The QoS requirements of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

[0087] In a possible example, the PCC rule includes: first indication information, the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add first time information of the data packet to the data packet of the first data stream, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet.

[0088] In a possible example, the PCC rule further includes: an end-to-end transmission delay budget of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay budget is a transmission delay budget for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device.

[0089] In a possible example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow includes: the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

[0090] In a possible example, the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement and the downlink transmission delay requirement is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

[0091] In one possible example,

[0092] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain a first transmission delay value from the application server to the first user plane function network element and / or a second transmission delay value from the application server to the second user plane function network element;

[0093] The processing module is further configured to determine the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow based on the first information and the first transmission delay value, and / or the second transmission delay value.

[0094] In a possible example, the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement, the first transmission delay value, the downlink transmission delay requirement, and the second transmission delay value satisfies or is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

[0095] In one possible example,

[0096] The processing module is further configured to generate a first PCC rule according to the first information, where the first PCC rule is used to indicate a QoS requirement of the first QoS flow;

[0097] The processing module is further configured to generate a second PCC rule according to the first information, where the second PCC rule is used to indicate a QoS requirement of the second QoS flow.

[0098] In one possible example,

[0099] The transceiver module is further configured to send a first subscription request, where the first subscription request is used to request provision of a first notification service, where the first notification service is to send a first notification message when a transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold;

[0100] The transceiver module is further configured to receive the first notification message, where the first notification message indicates that the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

[0101] In a possible example, the processing module is further used to update the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream according to the first notification message.

[0102] In one possible example,

[0103] The transceiver module is further used to send a second subscription request, where the second subscription request is used to request the application server to provide a second notification service. The second notification service is that the application server sends the second notification message after determining the target transmission delay requirement from the transmission delay requirement set.

[0104] In a possible example, the processing module is further configured to determine a target transmission delay requirement combination from a transmission delay requirement set, where the transmission delay requirement set includes one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations, each group of the transmission delay requirement combination including the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement;

[0105] The processing module is further configured to update the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream according to the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0106] In one possible example,

[0107] The transceiver module is further configured to send a transmission delay requirement set, where the transmission delay requirement set includes one or more transmission delay requirement combinations, and each transmission delay requirement combination includes the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement;

[0108] The transceiver module is further configured to receive a second notification message, where the second notification message indicates a target transmission delay requirement combination, where the target transmission delay requirement combination belongs to one or more transmission delay requirement combinations of the transmission delay requirement set;

[0109] The processing module is further configured to update an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream according to the second notification message.

[0110] In a possible example, the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow are updated based on the updated uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow.

[0111] In a possible example, the first subscription request further includes: description information of the first data stream, and / or the first threshold.

[0112] In one possible example,

[0113] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain a time when the first terminal device sends or generates a first data packet, where the first data packet belongs to the first data flow:

[0114] The processing module is further configured to update the second PCC rule according to a time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet.

[0115] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to an application server, and includes: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0116] The transceiver module is also used to send first information, where the first information indicates the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement is the transmission delay requirement for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement is used by the wireless communication network to determine the transmission delay requirement of the wireless communication network from the first terminal device to the second terminal device.

[0117] In a possible example, the first information also includes: description information of the first data flow, the description information of the first data flow includes any one or more of the following information: the source Internet Protocol IP address of the first data flow, the destination IP address of the first data flow, the source port of the first data flow, the destination port of the first data flow, the transport layer protocol information of the first data flow, the queue pair of the first data flow, the service type of the first data flow, or the port index of the first data flow.

[0118] In a possible example, the first information includes: an end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates an upper limit value of transmission time of data packets in the first data stream.

[0119] In one possible example,

[0120] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain first time information, where the first time information indicates a time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, where the first data packet is carried in the first data stream;

[0121] And / or, the transceiver module is further used to obtain second time information, where the second time information indicates the time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicates the time when the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device.

[0122] In a possible example, the processing module is further used to update the end-to-end transmission delay requirement according to the first time information and / or the second time information.

[0123] In one possible example,

[0124] The transceiver module is further configured to receive a transmission delay requirement set sent by a policy management function (PCF), where the transmission delay requirement set includes one or more transmission delay requirement combinations, each of which includes the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement.

[0125] The processing module is further configured to determine a target transmission delay requirement combination from the transmission delay requirement set based on the first time information and / or the second time information, where the target transmission delay requirement combination belongs to the transmission delay requirement set;

[0126] The processing module is further configured to update the end-to-end transmission delay requirement according to the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0127] In one possible example,

[0128] The transceiver module is further configured to send a second notification message to the policy management function, where the second notification message indicates the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0129] In one possible example,

[0130] The transceiver module is further configured to receive a first subscription request sent by a policy management function network element, where the first subscription request is used to request provision of a first notification service, where the first notification service is to send a first notification message when a transmission delay of the first data flow is greater than or equal to a first threshold;

[0131] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain first time information, where the first time information indicates a time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, where the first data packet is carried in the first data stream;

[0132] And / or, the transceiver module is further configured to obtain second time information, where the second time information indicates a time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicates that the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device;

[0133] The processing module is further used to determine whether to send the first notification message to the policy management function network element based on the first time information and / or the second time information, and the first threshold.

[0134] In a possible example, the first subscription request includes: the first threshold.

[0135] In one possible example,

[0136] The transceiver module is further configured to receive a first data packet, the first data packet being carried in the first data stream;

[0137] The processing module is further configured to obtain the first time information from the first data packet.

[0138] In a possible example, the first information includes: the QoS requirements of a first quality of service QoS flow, and / or the QoS requirements of a second QoS flow, wherein the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

[0139] In a possible example, the first information includes: QoS parameters of a first quality of service QoS flow, and / or QoS parameters of a second QoS flow, wherein the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

[0140] In a possible example, the first information is further used to indicate a data packet detection rule of the first data flow.

[0141] In a possible example, the first information also includes: a first transmission delay value between the application server and a first user plane functional network element, and a second transmission delay value between the application server and a second user plane functional network element, the first user plane functional network element provides services for the first terminal device, and the second user plane functional network element provides services for the second terminal device.

[0142] In a possible example, the first user plane function network element and the second user plane function network element are the same user plane function network element.

[0143] In one possible example,

[0144] The transceiver module is further configured to receive the first data packet sent by the first terminal device, where the first data packet is carried in the first data stream;

[0145] The transceiver module is further used to send the first data packet with first time information added to the second terminal device, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet.

[0146] In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to a session management function network element, and the communication device includes: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0147] The transceiver module is further configured to receive policy and charging control (PCC) rules;

[0148] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain third information according to the PCC rule, where the third information includes a QoS requirement of a first quality of service QoS flow and / or a QoS requirement of a second QoS flow, the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow including an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow including a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device;

[0149] The transceiver module is further configured to send the third information.

[0150] In one possible example,

[0151] The transceiver module is also used to send the third information to the first terminal device, and the third information includes the QoS rules of the first QoS flow, and the QoS rules of the first QoS flow instruct the first terminal device to add the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet in the data packet transmitted in the first data stream.

[0152] In a possible example, sending the third information includes: sending the third information to the first terminal device, where the third information includes first indication information;

[0153] The first indication information instructs the first terminal device to add time information of sending or generating the data packet by the first terminal device to the data packet transmitted in the first data stream.

[0154] In one possible example, the QoS rule of the first QoS flow includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add first time information of the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet, so that the first terminal device adds the time information of the first terminal device sending or generating the data packet in the data packet transmitted in the first QoS flow according to the first indication information.

[0155] In one possible example,

[0156] The transceiver module is also used to send the third information to the access network device, and the third information includes: the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time of the data packet in the first data stream, and the access network device provides communication services for the second terminal device.

[0157] In one possible example,

[0158] The transceiver module is also used to send the third information to the access network device, and the third information includes: the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow, and / or the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow, wherein the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device.

[0159] In one possible example,

[0160] The transceiver module is also used to send the third information to the user plane functional network element, and the third information includes: the data packet detection rules of the first data flow and / or the QoS execution rules of the first data flow, and the QoS execution rules of the first data flow are used to instruct the user plane functional network element to add the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow.

[0161] In a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to an access network device, and includes: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0162] The transceiver module is further configured to receive a data packet of the first data stream, wherein the data packet includes first time information indicating that the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet;

[0163] The processing module is also used to send the data packet to the second terminal device based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the first time information of the data packet. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is the transmission delay requirement for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device.

[0164] In one possible example,

[0165] The processing module is further configured to determine a first time period of the data packet based on the first time information of the data packet and the reception time of the data packet by the access network device, where the first time period indicates a transmission time of the data packet from the first terminal device to the access network device;

[0166] The processing module is further configured to determine a sending delay budget for the data packet according to an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the first time period of the data packet.

[0167] In one possible example,

[0168] The transceiver module is further configured to receive third information sent by a session management function network element, where the third information includes the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow.

[0169] In one possible example,

[0170] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain an air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device;

[0171] The processing module is also used to determine the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, the air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device, and the first time information of the data packet.

[0172] In a possible example, the transceiver module is further used to preferentially send the data packet with a low transmission delay budget to the second terminal device.

[0173] In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to a user plane function network element, and the communication device includes: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0174] The transceiver module is further configured to receive third information, where the third information includes a QoS requirement of a first quality of service QoS flow and / or a QoS requirement of a second QoS flow, where the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow includes an uplink transmission delay requirement of a first data flow from a first terminal device to a first user plane function network element, and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow includes a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from a second user plane function network element to a second terminal device;

[0175] The transceiver module is further configured to receive a first data packet, where the first data packet is sent by the first terminal device, and the third data packet is carried in the first QoS flow;

[0176] The processing module is further configured to add first time information to the received first data packet according to the data packet detection rule PDR included in the third information, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet;

[0177] The transceiver module is further configured to send the first data packet including the first time information.

[0178] In one possible example,

[0179] The processing module is further used to add first time information to the General Packet Radio Service User Plane Tunneling Protocol GTP-U message header of the first data packet, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet.

[0180] In one possible example,

[0181] The transceiver module is further configured to receive a first subscription request, where the first subscription request is used to request provision of a first notification service, where the first notification service is to send a first notification message when a transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold;

[0182] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain first time information, where the first time information indicates a time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, where the first data packet is carried in the first data stream;

[0183] The transceiver module is further configured to obtain third time information, where the third time information indicates a reception time at which the user plane function network element receives the first data packet;

[0184] The processing module is further configured to determine whether to send the first notification message to the policy management function network element based on the first time information, the third time information and the first threshold.

[0185] In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to a terminal device, and includes: a transceiver module and a processing module;

[0186] The transceiver module is further configured to receive third information, the third information including a QoS rule of a first QoS flow; determine a data packet to be sent according to the QoS rule of the first QoS flow included in the third information, wherein the data packet to be sent is carried in the first QoS flow;

[0187] The transceiver module is further used to send the data packet, which carries first time information. The first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet.

[0188] In one possible example,

[0189] The processing module is further configured to add the first time information to a General Packet Radio Service User Plane Tunneling Protocol GTP-U message header of the data packet; or to add the first time information to a Real-time Transport Protocol RTP message header of the data packet.

[0190] In a possible example, the QoS rule of the first QoS flow includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add first time information of the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet.

[0191] In a possible example, the QoS rule of the first QoS flow includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add first time information of the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet.

[0192] A thirteenth aspect of the present application provides a communication device, which can implement the method in the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation method of the first aspect. The device includes corresponding units or modules for executing the above-mentioned method. The units or modules included in the device can be implemented by software and / or hardware. For example, the device can be a policy control function network element, or the device can be a component in the policy control function network element (such as a processor, chip or chip system, etc.), or the device can also be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the policy control function network element. Among them, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module. For example, the communication device is a server with a policy control function network element.

[0193] In a fourteenth aspect of the present application, a communication device is provided, which can implement the method in the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. The device includes corresponding units or modules for executing the above-mentioned method. The units or modules included in the device can be implemented by software and / or hardware. For example, the device can be an application server, or the device can be a component in the application server (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system, etc.), or the device can also be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the application server. Among them, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module.

[0194] In a fifteenth aspect of the present application, a communication device is provided, which can implement the method in the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect. The device includes corresponding units or modules for executing the above method. The units or modules included in the device can be implemented in software and / or hardware. For example, the device can be a session management function network element, or the device can be a component in the session management function network element (such as a processor, chip or chip system, etc.), or the device can also be a logical module or software that can implement all or part of the session management function network element. The communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module.

[0195] In the sixteenth aspect of the present application, a communication device is provided, which can implement the method in the fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect. The device includes corresponding units or modules for executing the above method. The units or modules included in the device can be implemented by software and / or hardware. For example, the device can be an access network device, or the device can be a component in the access network device (such as a processor, chip or chip system, etc.), or the device can also be a logical module or software that can implement all or part of the access network device. Among them, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module.

[0196] In the seventeenth aspect of the present application, a communication device is provided, which can implement the method in the fifth aspect or any possible implementation of the fifth aspect. The device includes corresponding units or modules for executing the above method. The units or modules included in the device can be implemented by software and / or hardware. For example, the device can be a user plane function network element, or the device can be a component in the user plane function network element (such as a processor, chip or chip system, etc.), or the device can also be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the user plane function network element. Among them, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module.

[0197] In aspect 18 of the present application, a communication device is provided, which can implement the method in the sixth aspect or any possible implementation of the sixth aspect. The device includes corresponding units or modules for executing the above method. The units or modules included in the device can be implemented by software and / or hardware. For example, the device can be a terminal device, or the device can be a component in the terminal device (such as a processor, a chip or a chip system, etc.), or the device can also be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the terminal device. Among them, the communication device includes a transceiver module and a processing module.

[0198] A nineteenth embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory; the memory is used to store programs or instructions; the at least one processor is used to execute the program or instructions so that the device implements the method described in any possible implementation method of the first to sixth aspects above.

[0199] The twentieth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, comprising a communication interface for inputting and / or outputting signaling or data; and a processor for executing a computer-executable program so that the device implements the method described in any possible implementation method of the first to sixth aspects above.

[0200] In aspect 21 of an embodiment of the present application, a communication device is provided, comprising at least one logic circuit and an input / output interface; the input / output interface is used to input or output information; and the logic circuit is used to execute the method described in any possible implementation method of aspect 1 to aspect 6 above.

[0201] The twenty-second aspect of the embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product (or computer program). When the computer program product is executed by the processor, the processor executes the above-mentioned first to sixth aspects, and any possible implementation method.

[0202] The twenty-third aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a chip system, which includes at least one processor for supporting a communication device to implement the above-mentioned first to sixth aspects, and any possible implementation method.

[0203] In one possible design, the chip system may further include a memory for storing program instructions and data necessary for the communication device. The chip system may be composed of a chip or may include a chip and other discrete components. Optionally, the chip system may further include an interface circuit for providing program instructions and / or data to the at least one processor.

[0204] The twenty-fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, which includes the communication device of the seventh aspect, the communication device of the eighth aspect, the communication device of the ninth aspect, the communication device of the tenth aspect, the communication device of the eleventh aspect and / or the communication device of the twelfth aspect.

[0205] Among them, the technical effects brought about by any design method in the seventh aspect to the twenty-fourth aspect can refer to the technical effects brought about by the different implementation methods in the above-mentioned first aspect to the sixth aspect, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0206] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0207] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0208] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0209] FIG4 is a flow chart of a method for delay control according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0210] FIG5 is another flowchart of an embodiment of a delay control method in an embodiment of the present application;

[0211] FIG6 is another flowchart of an embodiment of a delay control method in an embodiment of the present application;

[0212] FIG7 is another flowchart of an embodiment of a delay control method in an embodiment of the present application;

[0213] FIG8 is another flowchart of an embodiment of a delay control method in an embodiment of the present application;

[0214] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided by the present application;

[0215] FIG10 is another schematic diagram of a communication device provided by the present application;

[0216] FIG11 is another schematic diagram of a communication device provided by the present application;

[0217] FIG12 is another schematic diagram of the communication device provided in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0218] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. The terms "first", "second" and corresponding terminology labels in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the terms used in this way are interchangeable where appropriate, and this is merely a way of distinguishing objects of the same properties when describing the embodiments of the present application. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, so that a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of units is not necessarily limited to those units, but may include other units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0219] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, " / " means or, for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" in this application is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, in the description of this application, "at least one" refers to one or more items, and "multiple items" refers to two or more items. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0220] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: long term evolution (LTE) system, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) system, LTE time division duplex (TDD), universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), world-wide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication system, fifth generation (5G) system, new generation (NR) communication system or future sixth generation communication system, etc.

[0221] The part of various communication systems operated by operators can be called an operator network. The operator network can also be called a public land mobile network (PLMN) network, which is a network established and operated by the government or an operator approved by the government for the purpose of providing land mobile communication services to the public. It is mainly a public network in which mobile network operators (MNOs) provide mobile broadband access services to users. The operator network or PLMN network described in the embodiments of the present application can be a network that meets the requirements of the third generation partnership project (3GPP) standards, referred to as a 3GPP network. Usually, 3GPP networks are operated by operators, including but not limited to fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication networks, fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication networks or third-generation (3G) mobile communication technology networks. It also includes the future sixth-generation (6G) mobile communication network.

[0222] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system includes an access and mobility management function (AMF), a session management function (SMF), a unified data management (UDM), a radio access network (RAN), a policy control function (PCF), terminal equipment, a user plane function (UPF), a network exposure function (NEF), an application function (AF), and a data network (DN), etc.

[0223] The following is a brief introduction to each network function (or network element) shown in FIG1 .

[0224] Terminal equipment: can be called user equipment (UE), access terminal, subscriber unit, subscriber station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent or user device.

[0225] The terminal device can be a device that provides voice / data to users, for example, a handheld device or vehicle-mounted device with a wireless connection function. At present, some examples of terminals include: mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, PDAs, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to wireless modems, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks or terminal devices in future evolved public land mobile communication networks, etc. The embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0226] As an example and not a limitation, in the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device may also be a wearable device. Wearable devices may also be called wearable smart devices, which are a general term for wearable devices that are intelligently designed and developed using wearable technology for daily wear, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. A wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothes or accessories. Wearable devices are not only hardware devices, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include those that are fully functional, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on smartphones, such as smart watches or smart glasses, as well as those that only focus on a certain type of application function and need to be used in conjunction with other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0227] In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device can also be a terminal device in the Internet of Things (IoT) system. IoT is an important part of the future development of information technology. Its main technical feature is to connect objects to the network through communication technology, thereby realizing an intelligent network of human-machine interconnection and object-to-object interconnection.

[0228] It should be noted that the terminal device and the access network device can communicate with each other using a certain air interface technology (such as NR or LTE technology). The terminal devices can also communicate with each other using a certain air interface technology (such as NR or LTE technology).

[0229] In the embodiments of the present application, the terminal device may be replaced by a device for implementing the functions of the terminal device, or a device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the functions, such as a chip system or chip, which may be installed in the terminal device. In addition, the chip system may be composed of a chip or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

[0230] An access network device (also known as a wireless access network) may be a device with wireless transceiver functions. The access network device may be a device that provides wireless communication function services, usually located on the network side, including but not limited to: a next-generation base station (gNodeB, gNB) in a fifth-generation communication system, a next-generation base station in a sixth-generation (mobile communication system), a base station in a future mobile communication system or an access node in a WiFi system, etc., an evolved node B (eNB) in an LTE system, a radio network controller (RNC), a node B (NB), a base station controller (BSC), a home base station (e.g., home evolved NodeB, or home Node B, HNB), a wireless access point, a base band unit (BBU), a transmission reception point (TRP), a transmitting point (TP), a base transceiver station (BTS), etc. In a network structure, the access network device may include a centralized unit (CU) node, or a distributed unit (CU) node. The access network device provides services for the cell, and the user equipment communicates with the base station through the transmission resources used by the cell (for example, frequency domain resources, or spectrum resources). The cell can be a cell corresponding to a base station (for example, a base station). The cell can belong to a macro base station or a base station corresponding to a small cell. The small cell here can include: a metro cell, a micro cell, a pico cell, a femto cell, etc. These small cells have the characteristics of small coverage and low transmission power, and are suitable for providing high-speed data transmission services. The access network device can be a macro base station, a micro base station or an indoor station (, and can also be a relay node or a donor node. The device that provides wireless communication services to user equipment in the V2X communication system, the cloud radio access network (cloud radio access The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form used by the access network equipment.

[0231] The unified data management network element (also known as the unified data management network element, unified data management network element entity, data management device, or unified data management network element device) is a core network device that primarily processes terminal device identification, access authentication, registration, and mobility management. The unified data management is a control plane device.

[0232] Policy control function (also known as policy control network element, policy control function network element, policy control equipment, policy control function network element entity, etc.): mainly responsible for billing at the session and service flow level, service quality bandwidth guarantee and mobility management, terminal device policy decision-making and other policy control function network elements.

[0233] Session management function (also called session management function network element): mainly performs session management, execution of control policies issued by PCF, selection of UPF, allocation of Internet Protocol addresses for terminal devices, etc.

[0234] The access and mobility management function (also known as access and mobility management function entity, access and mobility management device, access and mobility management function network element, access management device, mobility management device) is a type of core network equipment, mainly used for mobility management and access management, etc. It can be used to implement other functions of the mobility management entity (MME) in addition to session management, such as lawful interception, or access authorization (or authentication), user equipment registration, mobility management, tracking area update process, reachability detection, selection of session management function network element, mobile state transition management, etc.

[0235] User plane functions (also known as user plane equipment, user plane functional network element, user plane functional network element, user plane functional entity): mainly include the following functions: data packet routing and transmission, packet detection, service usage reporting, QoS processing, uplink packet detection, downlink data packet storage and other user plane related functions.

[0236] The application function (AF) is similar to an application server, interacting with other 5G core network control planes (NFs) to provide business services. AFs can exist for different application services and can be owned by operators or trusted third parties. For example, this network element's primary function is to communicate the PCF with the latest third-party enterprise business requirements for a particular application. Based on these requirements, the PCF generates corresponding quality of service (QoS) rules to ensure that the services provided by the network meet the third-party's requirements.

[0237] It should be noted that the application server in the embodiment of the present application includes an application function (AF) and / or an application server (AS) or other equipment (or functions or network elements, etc.) that can support or provide application services (or business services), and the embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0238] Network Exposure Function (NEF) can also be referred to as network exposure equipment, network exposure functional entity, network exposure function network element, network capability exposure functional entity, network capability exposure functional equipment, network capability exposure function network element, or network capability exposure equipment. NEF is primarily used to support the exposure of capabilities and events, such as securely exposing services and capabilities provided by 3GPP network functions to the outside world.

[0239] It should be understood that the RAN, SMF, PCF or AF in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as a communication device or communication equipment, which may be a general device or a dedicated device, and the present application does not make any specific limitations on this.

[0240] It should also be understood that the above naming is only used to distinguish different functions, and does not mean that these devices are independent physical devices. This application does not limit the specific form of the above devices. For example, they can be integrated into the same physical device, or they can be different physical devices. In actual deployment, network functions (or simply referred to as functions), network elements or devices can be combined. For example, the access and mobility management function network element can be combined with the session management function network element; the session management function network element can be combined with the user plane function network element. When two functions are combined, the interaction between the two functions provided in the embodiment of the present application becomes the internal operation of the combined function or can be omitted.

[0241] It is understandable that the above functions can be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or a combination of hardware and software, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform).

[0242] It should be noted that the naming of each device in Figure 1 (such as AF, SMF, PCF, AMF, etc.) is only a name, and the name does not limit the function of the device itself. In 5G networks and other future networks, the above-mentioned devices may also have other names, and this application does not specifically limit this. For example, in a 6G network, some or all of the above-mentioned network elements may use the terminology in 5G, or may be other names, etc., which are uniformly explained here and will not be repeated below.

[0243] It should be noted that the exemplary examples mentioned in this application do not represent the optimal ones; the first, second, etc. mentioned in this application are only used to distinguish different information, messages or other objects, and do not represent a sequential relationship; in addition, the various embodiments in this application can refer to and learn from each other, and the same or similar steps or nouns will not be repeated one by one.

[0244] In the embodiment of the present application, the direction from the terminal device to the application server (or the user plane functional network element) is called the uplink direction, and correspondingly, the direction from the application server (or the user plane functional network element) to the terminal device is called the downlink direction.

[0245] Currently, when the user plane function network element receives downlink data packets, it encapsulates the packets into the same quality of service (QoS) flow based on the packet detection rule (PDR) filter pre-configured by the session management function network element. The session management function network element's PDR filter is derived from the policy and charging control rules (PCC Rules) of the policy management function network element. Each QoS flow's QoS flow identifier (QFI) is associated with a QoS profile. The network side applies the same QoS guarantees to packets belonging to the same QoS flow based on the QoS parameters in the QoS profile. QoS guarantees include, but are not limited to, latency, forwarding priority, and packet loss rate.

[0246] The policy management function (PFM) generates PCC rules, and the session management function (SMF) derives the QoS requirements for the corresponding QoS flows based on these PCC rules. QoS requirements can typically be expressed using QoS parameters. Within PCC rules, the packet delay budget (PDB) can be used to define transmission delay requirements. In current QoS models, delay control only applies to transmission between the UPF and the end device. Controlling end-to-end transmission delay between end devices has become a pressing technical challenge.

[0247] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application proposes a delay control method, in which a policy control function receives first information sent by an application server, wherein the first information indicates the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is the transmission delay requirement for data transmitted between the first terminal device and the second terminal device; based on the first information, a policy and charging control PCC rule is generated, and the PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirement of the first quality of service QoS flow, and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow, the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow includes the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow includes the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device. The policy control functional network element decomposes the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. By controlling the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, the transmission delay between the first terminal device and the second terminal device is controlled, thereby improving the communication quality in the end-to-end business scenario.

[0248] Next, the communication system related to the present application is introduced. In an example, please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system in an embodiment of the present application. The embodiment of the present application provides a communication system including: a first user plane function network element, a first access network device and a first terminal device, a second user plane function network element, a second access network device and a second terminal device and an application server. Among them, the data transmission direction from the first terminal device to the application server is called the uplink direction, and the transmission delay requirement from the first terminal device to the application server is called the uplink transmission delay requirement. The data transmission direction from the application server to the second terminal device is called the downlink direction, and the transmission delay requirement from the application server to the second terminal device is called the downlink transmission delay requirement. The first terminal device sends a data packet to the second terminal device through the first data stream, and the data packet passes through the first access network device, the first user plane function network element, the application server, the second user plane function network element, and the second access network device to reach the second terminal device. For the convenience of description, the communication system illustrated in Figure 2 is called a data network (DN) involvement system.

[0249] In another example, please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of a communication system in an embodiment of the present application. The embodiment of the present application provides a communication system including: a first user plane function network element, a first access network device and a first terminal device, a second user plane function network element, a second access network device and a second terminal device. Among them, the data transmission direction from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element is called the uplink direction, and the transmission delay requirement from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element is called the uplink transmission delay requirement. The data transmission direction from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device is called the downlink direction, and the transmission delay requirement from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device is called the downlink transmission delay requirement. The first terminal device sends a data packet to the second terminal device through the first data stream, and the data packet passes through the first access network device, the first user plane function network element, the application server, the second user plane function network element, and the second access network device to reach the second terminal device. For the convenience of description, the communication system illustrated in Figure 2 is referred to as a system without DN involvement.

[0250] It should be noted that the first access network device and the second access network device can be the same access network device or two independent access network devices, and this embodiment of the present application does not limit this. The first user plane function network element and the second user plane function network element can be the same user plane function network element or two independent user plane function network elements, and this embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0251] In conjunction with the aforementioned communication system, the following describes an embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Please refer to Figure 4, which is a flow chart of an embodiment of a delay control method in the present application. A delay control method proposed in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0252] S1. An application server sends first information to a policy control function network element, where the first information indicates an end-to-end delay requirement of a first data flow.

[0253] In step S1, the application server sends first information to the policy control function network element, where the first information indicates the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is the transmission delay requirement for data transmission between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is used by the wireless communication network to determine the transmission delay requirement of the wireless communication network from the first terminal device to the second terminal device. For example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is used to determine the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device. The sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement and the downlink transmission delay requirement satisfies or is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

[0254] It should be noted that the first information indicating the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is merely an example. The first information may also indicate the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of other data streams between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. The first information may indicate the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of a single data stream, or the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of multiple data streams, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0255] It should be noted that the first information may also indicate the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of one or more data streams in the uplink direction (referred to as uplink data streams for ease of description) and one or more data streams in the downlink direction that are associated with the one or more uplink data streams (for ease of description, the data traffic in the downlink direction is referred to as downlink data streams). The uplink data stream is used to carry uplink data from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element or application server, and the downlink data stream is used to carry downlink data from the application server or the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device. This embodiment of the present application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0256] In one possible implementation, the first information further includes: description information of the first data flow, the description information of the first data flow including any one or more of the following information: a source Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first data flow, a destination IP address of the first data flow, a source port of the first data flow, a destination port of the first data flow, transport layer protocol information of the first data flow, a queue pair of the first data flow, a service type of the first data flow, or a port index of the first data flow. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement is associated with the first data flow through the description information of the first data flow included in the first information.

[0257] In one possible implementation, the description information of the first data stream included in the first information may include description information of an uplink data stream and / or description information of a downlink data stream. The description information of the uplink or downlink data stream includes the same content as the description information of the first data stream and only needs to be modified to be the uplink or downlink data stream accordingly.

[0258] In one possible implementation, the first information specifically includes: the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, and the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time of the data packet in the first data stream. For example, the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time of the first data packet in the first data stream from the first terminal device to the second terminal device. The transmission time of the first data packet from the first terminal device to the second terminal device can be the time from the first terminal device sending the first data packet to the time from the second terminal device receiving the first data packet, or it can be the time from the first terminal device generating the first data packet to the time from the second terminal device generating the first data packet to the time from the first terminal device receiving the first data packet. The embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0259] In one possible implementation, optionally, when the first data stream passes through the application server, taking the first data packet as an example, the application server can also determine the second data packet based on the first data packet, and the second data packet has an associated relationship with the first data packet. For example, the second data packet is a data packet generated by the application server based on the first data packet. For another example, the second data packet includes the business data carried by the first data packet. The end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream can also indicate the upper limit of the transmission time from the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet to the time when the second terminal device receives the second data packet. The relevant processing of the first data packet in the embodiment of the present application can also be applied to the second data packet, which will not be elaborated here. The second data packet can be carried on the first data stream, and the second data packet can also be carried on other data streams between the business server and the second terminal device, which is not limited here.

[0260] Optionally, the first information may include: an uplink transmission delay requirement for the first data stream, and a downlink transmission delay requirement for the first data stream. For example, the uplink transmission delay requirement for the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time for the first data packet in the first data stream to be transmitted from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and the downlink transmission delay requirement for the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time for the first data packet in the first data stream to be transmitted from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device. The transmission time for the first data packet to be transmitted from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element may be from the time the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet to the time the first user plane function network element receives the first data packet, or from the time the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet to the time the first user plane function network element sends the first data packet to the second user plane function network element, or from the time the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet to the time the second user plane function network element receives the first data packet. The transmission time for the first data packet to be transmitted from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device may be from the time the second user plane function network element sends the first data packet to the time the second terminal device receives the first data packet.

[0261] For another example, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time for the first data packet in the first data stream to be transmitted from the first terminal device to the application server, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time for the first data packet in the first data stream to be transmitted from the application server to the second terminal device. The transmission time for the first data packet to be transmitted from the first terminal device to the application server can be the time from the time the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet to the time the application server receives the first data packet, or it can be the time from the time the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet to the time the application server sends the first data packet to the second user plane functional network element. The transmission time for the first data packet to be transmitted from the application server to the second terminal device can be the time from the time the application server sends the first data packet to the time the second terminal device receives the first data packet.

[0262] In one possible implementation, the first information includes: the QoS requirement of the first quality of service QoS flow, and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow, wherein the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow includes the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow includes the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device. The uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow refers to the transmission delay requirement of the data packet in the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, or the transmission delay requirement of the data packet of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the application server. The downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow refers to the transmission delay requirement of the data packet in the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device, or the transmission delay requirement of the data packet of the first data flow from the application server to the second terminal device.

[0263] In one possible implementation, the first information includes: QoS parameters of a first quality of service QoS flow, and / or QoS parameters of a second QoS flow, wherein the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

[0264] In a possible implementation manner, the first information is further used to indicate a packet detection rule (PDR) of the first data flow.

[0265] In one possible implementation, the first information further includes: a first transmission delay value between the application server and a first user plane function network element, and a second transmission delay value between the application server and a second user plane function network element, the first user plane function network element providing services for the first terminal device, and the second user plane function network element providing services for the second terminal device. In this case, the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement, the first transmission delay value, the downlink transmission delay requirement, and the second transmission delay value satisfies or is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

[0266] Furthermore, the application server may also update the first information based on the actual transmission time of the data packet in the first data stream. For example, the application server obtains first time information, which indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet; and / or the application server obtains second time information, which indicates the time when the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device. The application server then determines an updated end-to-end transmission delay requirement for the first data stream based on the first time information, the second time information, and / or the first threshold. The first information is then updated based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream. The first threshold may be configured by the policy management function network element to the application server, generated by the application server based on service requirements, or configured by the user to the application server, and this embodiment of the application is not limited thereto. For example, when the application server determines, based on the first time information, the second time information, and the first threshold, that the remaining delay budget of the first data packet (i.e., the end-to-end delay budget of the first data stream minus the second time information plus the first time information) is small, the application server updates the first information, and the updated first information increases the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream.

[0267] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the update of the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream can update the upper limit of the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, and can also update the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream. For example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream before the update is 20 milliseconds, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream after the update is 30 milliseconds. For another example, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream before the update is 15 milliseconds, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 15 milliseconds; after the update, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 10 milliseconds, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 20 milliseconds. Regarding the application server obtaining the first time information, the application server can obtain the first time information from the general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) message header of the first data packet, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet. First time information First time information

[0268] For another example, the application server may also obtain the time when the second terminal device receives the first data packet. The application server determines whether to update the first information based on the first time information, the second time information, and the time when the second terminal device receives the first data packet.

[0269] Optionally, regarding the application server determining the updated end-to-end transmission delay requirement for the first data stream based on the first time information and / or the second time information and / or the first threshold, the application server may determine a target transmission delay requirement from a transmission delay requirement set configured by the policy control function network element based on the first time information, the second time information, and the first threshold. The transmission delay requirement set includes one or more transmission delay requirement combinations, each transmission delay requirement combination including an uplink transmission delay requirement and / or a downlink transmission delay requirement. The application server then determines the updated end-to-end transmission delay requirement for the first data stream based on the target transmission delay requirement.

[0270] For example, the updated end-to-end transmission delay requirement for the first data stream may remain unchanged, but the uplink and downlink transmission delay requirements may change. For example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement before the update is 10 milliseconds, while the uplink and downlink transmission delay requirements before the update are 5 milliseconds; the end-to-end transmission delay requirement after the update is 10 milliseconds, while the uplink and downlink transmission delay requirements after the update are 3 milliseconds and 7 milliseconds. Alternatively, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement may change, for example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement before the update is 10 milliseconds and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement after the update is 12 milliseconds.

[0271] In a possible example, the application server directly sends the first information to the policy control function network element.

[0272] In another possible example, the application server sends the first information to the policy control function network element through another network element. For example, the application server sends the first information to the policy control function network element through the network exposure function (NEF) network element. The application server sends a "Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS Create request" message to the network exposure function network element. The "Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS Create request" message includes the first information. After the network exposure function network element performs an authentication operation based on the "Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS Create request" message, if the authentication is successful, the network exposure function network element forwards the first information to the policy control function network element through an "Npcf_PolicyAuthorization Create request" message.

[0273] S2. Generate a policy and charging control (PCC) rule based on the first information. The PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow. The QoS requirements of the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow, and the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements of the first data flow.

[0274] In step S2, after receiving the first information sent by the application server, the policy management function network element generates a policy and charging control (PCC) rule based on the first information. The PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of a first quality of service (QoS) flow and / or the QoS requirements of a second QoS flow, where the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow include an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow include a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device.

[0275] In one possible implementation, the PCC rule includes: first indication information, where the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add first time information of the data packet to the data packet of the first data flow, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet. The first indication information can also be used to instruct other network elements or devices to process the data packet of the first data flow, as illustrated below by an example:

[0276] Example 1: When the first terminal device receives the first indication information, the first terminal device can determine the first QoS flow according to the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow, and then determine the data packet transmitted in the first QoS flow. The first terminal device adds first time information to the data packet transmitted in the first QoS flow according to the first indication information. The first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet. The first terminal device transmits the data packet with the first time information added to it to the network side through the first QoS flow (for example, through the data radio bearer (DRB) corresponding to the first QoS flow).

[0277] Example 2: When the user plane functional network element (for example, the first user plane functional network element) receives the first indication information, the user plane functional network element can determine the first data flow according to the data packet detection rule of the first data flow. Then the user plane functional network element extracts the first time information from the data packet of the first data flow according to the first indication information. Then the user plane functional network element adds the first time information to the data packet again, for example, adds the first time information to the general packet radio service tunneling protocol-user plane (GTP-U) message header of the data packet. The user plane functional network element forwards the data packet of the first data flow with the first time information added to the GTP-U message header to the second terminal device through the first data flow.

[0278] Example 3: When the access network device receives the first indication information, it may configure or modify the first QoS flow used to carry the first data flow based on the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow. Furthermore, based on the first indication information, the access network device may transmit the data packet to the second terminal device within the transmission delay budget of the data packet of the first data flow. The transmission delay budget of the data packet is determined based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and the first time information of the data packet.

[0279] In one possible implementation, the PCC rule further includes: an end-to-end transmission delay budget for the first data flow, where the end-to-end transmission delay budget is a transmission delay budget for data transmitted between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. The first information may also include: an uplink transmission delay requirement for the first data flow, and / or a downlink transmission delay requirement for the first data flow.

[0280] In a possible implementation, if the first information also includes a first transmission delay value between the application server and the first user plane function network element, and a second transmission delay value between the application server and the second user plane function network element. Then, based on the first information, the first transmission delay value and / or the second transmission delay value also need to be considered when generating the PCC rule. For example, the policy management function network element obtains the first transmission delay value from the application server to the first user plane function network element from the first information. The policy management function network element determines the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow based on the first information and the first transmission delay value. And / or, the policy management function network element obtains the second transmission delay value from the application server to the second user plane function network element. The policy management function network element determines the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow based on the first information and the second transmission delay value. The uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow meet the following requirements: the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement, the first transmission delay value, the downlink transmission delay requirement and the second transmission delay value is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

[0281] Optionally, the PCC rules generated by the policy control function network element based on the first information may also include a first PCC rule and a second PCC rule, wherein the first PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the first QoS flow, and the second PCC rule is used to indicate the QoS requirements of the second QoS flow.

[0282] Optionally, when the network includes a first session management function network element and a second session management function network element, the policy control function network element may send a first PCC rule to the first session management function network element, and the policy control function network element may send a second PCC rule to the second session management function network element. The first session management function network element corresponds to the first terminal device, and the second session management function network element corresponds to the second terminal device.

[0283] Optionally, when the network includes a first policy control function network element and a second policy control function network element, the policy control function network element generating the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule according to the first information may include: the first policy control function network element and the second policy control function network element negotiate to generate the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule according to the first information. The first policy control function network element and the second policy control function network element negotiate to generate the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule according to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the first information. The first PCC rule and the second PCC rule satisfy: the sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the first PCC rule and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the second PCC rule is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. In one example, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the first PCC rule is equal to the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the second PCC rule.

[0284] Optionally, after the policy control function network element generates the PCC rules, it can also determine a transmission delay requirement set based on the PCC rules, where the transmission delay requirement set includes one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations, and each group of transmission delay requirement combinations includes the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream. Then, the policy control function network element reports the transmission delay requirement set to the application server so that the application server determines the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the transmission delay requirement set. The policy control function network element can also determine the transmission delay requirement set based on the first information after receiving the first information, and this embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0285] Further optionally, the policy control function network element may also send a first subscription request to other network elements (or devices), where the first subscription request is used to request the provision of a first notification service, where the first notification service is to send a first notification message when the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold. The policy control function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the received first notification message. The policy control function network element determines the updated uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, and the policy control function network element updates the PCC rules based on the updated uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream. For example, the updated PCC rules include the QoS requirements of the first QoS stream and / or the QoS requirements of the second QoS stream.

[0286] Optionally, the first subscription request includes a first threshold.

[0287] Optionally, the first subscription request includes description information of the first data stream.

[0288] In one example, a policy control function network element sends a first subscription request to an application server. When the application server detects that the transmission delay of a first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the application server sends a first notification message to the policy control function network element. For example, the application server obtains first time information and second time information of a first data packet in the first data stream. The application server then determines whether to update the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the first time information, the second time information, and the first threshold. If it is determined to be necessary, the application server sends a first notification message to the policy control function network element.

[0289] In another example, after the application server determines a target transmission delay requirement combination from the transmission delay requirement set, it determines the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the target transmission delay requirement combination. The application server may also send a second notification message to the policy control function network element. The second notification message indicates the target transmission delay requirement combination, for example, the second notification message includes an index of the target transmission delay requirement combination. The policy control function network element determines the target transmission delay requirement combination based on the second notification message, and then updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0290] In another example, the policy control function network element sends a first subscription request to the user plane function network element. When the user plane function network element detects that the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the user plane function network element sends a first notification message to the policy control function network element. For example, the user plane function network element obtains first time information of a first data packet in the first data stream and third time information of the first data packet, where the third time information indicates the time when the user plane function receives the first data packet. The user plane function network element then determines whether or not it is necessary to update the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the first time information, the third time information, and the first threshold. If it is determined to be necessary, the user plane function network element sends a first notification message to the policy control function network element.

[0291] Further optionally, the policy control function network element may also obtain the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet, and then, based on the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the first data packet, the policy control function network element updates the PCC rule. For example, the policy control function network element updates the second PCC rule. Further optionally, the policy control function network element may also obtain the time when the first user plane function network element receives the first data packet, or the time when the application server receives the first data packet, to update the PCC rule.

[0292] S3. The policy control function network element sends the PCC rules to the session management function network element.

[0293] In step S3, after the policy control function network element generates the PCC rule, the policy control function network element sends the PCC rule to the session management function network element.

[0294] In one example, the policy control function network element sends the first PCC rule and the second PCC rule to the session management function network element.

[0295] In another example, the policy control function network element sends the first PCC rule to the first session management function network element, and sends the second PCC rule to the second session management function network element.

[0296] In another example, the first policy control function network element sends the first PCC rule to the first session management function network element, and the second policy control function network element sends the second PCC rule to the second session management function network element.

[0297] S4. The session management function network element obtains third information according to the PCC rule, where the third information includes the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow. The QoS requirement of the first QoS flow includes the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow includes the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow.

[0298] In step S4, after the session management function network element receives the PCC rule, it obtains third information according to the PCC rule, where the third information includes the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow. The QoS requirement of the first QoS flow includes the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow includes the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow.

[0299] The session management function network element may obtain different third information according to the PCC rule, and then send different third information to different network elements or devices. The following are respectively described:

[0300] In one possible implementation, the third information includes a QoS rule for the first QoS flow, and the session management function network element generates the QoS rule for the first QoS flow based on the PCC rule. The session management function network element then sends the QoS rule for the first QoS flow to the first terminal device. The QoS rule for the first QoS flow instructs the first terminal device to include the time when the first terminal device sent or generated the data packet in a data packet transmitted in the first data flow.

[0301] Optionally, the QoS rule of the first QoS flow includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate provision of an end-to-end delay guarantee service for the first data flow, so that the first terminal device adds time information of when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet to the data packet transmitted in the first QoS flow according to the first indication information. Alternatively, the third information includes the first indication information.

[0302] Optionally, the session management function network element generates a QoS rule for the first QoS flow according to the PCC rule, including: the first session management function network element generates the QoS rule for the first QoS flow according to the first PCC rule. Then, the first session management function network element sends the QoS rule for the first QoS flow to the first terminal device.

[0303] In one possible implementation, the third information sent by the session management function network element to the access network device includes: the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time of the data packet in the first data stream, and the access network device provides communication services for the second terminal device.

[0304] In another possible implementation, the session management function network element sends the third information to the access network device, where the third information includes: the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. Exemplarily, the session management function network element sends the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow to the first access network device, and the session management function network element sends the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow to the second access network device. In another example, the first session management function network element sends the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow to the first access network device, and the first session management function network element sends the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow to the second access network device.

[0305] In one possible implementation, the session management function network element sends the third information to the access network device. The third information includes: QoS parameters for the first QoS flow and / or QoS parameters for the second QoS flow. The QoS parameters for the first QoS flow include the uplink transmission delay requirements for the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, and the QoS parameters for the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirements for the first data flow from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device. Exemplarily, the session management function network element sends the QoS parameters for the first QoS flow to the first access network device, and the session management function network element sends the QoS requirements for the second QoS flow to the second access network device. In another example, the first session management function network element sends the QoS parameters for the first QoS flow to the first access network device, and the first session management function network element sends the QoS requirements for the second QoS flow to the second access network device. Exemplarily, when the session management function network element generates or modifies the first QoS flow and the second QoS flow for the first data flow, it generates (or modifies) the QoS parameters for the first QoS flow and / or the QoS parameters for the second QoS flow.

[0306] In one possible implementation, the session management function network element sends the third information to the user plane function network element, and the third information includes: the packet detection rules of the first data flow and / or the QoS execution rules of the first data flow, and the QoS execution rules of the first data flow are used to instruct the user plane function network element to add the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow.

[0307] After step S4, step S5, step S9 and / or step S11 are executed.

[0308] S5. The session management function network element sends third information to the first terminal device.

[0309] In step S5, the session management function network element sends third information to the first terminal device, where the third information includes: a QoS rule for the first QoS flow. The QoS rule for the first QoS flow instructs the first terminal device to add a time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet to a data packet transmitted in the first data flow.

[0310] Exemplarily, the session management function element sends the QoS rules of the first QoS flow to the first terminal device through the access and mobility management function element and the access network device. The QoS rules of the first QoS flow are carried in the "N2 message" message and the "NAS message" message.

[0311] Step S6 is executed after step S5.

[0312] S6. The first terminal device adds the first time information to the data packet to be sent in the first data stream according to the third information.

[0313] In step S6, the first terminal device determines the data packet to be sent of the first data stream according to the QoS rules of the first QoS flow. Then the first terminal device adds the first time information to the data packet to be sent of the first data stream. For example, according to the QoS rules of the first QoS flow, the first terminal device adds the first time information of the first data packet in the first data packet (the first data packet is the data packet to be sent of the first data stream, and the first data packet is carried in the first QoS flow), and the first time information of the first data packet indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet.

[0314] Optionally, the first time information of the first data packet may also be carried in other data packets of the first data stream.

[0315] S7. The first terminal device sends a first data packet, which is carried in a first data stream.

[0316] In step S6, the first terminal device sends a first data packet, the first data packet includes first time information of the first data packet, and the first data packet is carried in the first data stream.

[0317] It should be noted that steps S8-2 through S8-3 are optional. Steps S8-2 through S8-4 are executed when the first data flow passes through an application server. That is, steps S8-2 through S8-4 are executed when a data network is involved. When the first data flow does not pass through an application server, for example, after the first data packet of the first data flow is sent from the first terminal device, it passes through the first user plane function network element and the second user plane function network element to reach the second terminal device, steps S8-2 through S8-4 are not executed.

[0318] S8-1. The user plane functional network element forwards a first data packet to an application server. The first data packet is carried in a first data flow.

[0319] In step S8-1, after the user plane function network element receives the first data packet sent by the first terminal device, the user plane function network element sends the first data packet to the application server. For example, after the first user plane function network element receives the first data packet sent by the first terminal device, the first user plane function network element sends the first data packet to the application server.

[0320] S8-2. The application server sends a first data packet to the user plane functional network element.

[0321] In step S8-2, after the application server receives the first data packet forwarded by the user plane functional network element, it can perform relevant processing based on the first data packet and send the first data packet to the second terminal device, or it can directly forward the first data packet to the second terminal device.

[0322] In one example, the first data packet sent by the application server to the user plane functional network element may be a first data packet generated after modifying the address information on the basis of the first data packet sent by the first terminal device.

[0323] In another example, the application server may also generate (or determine) a second data packet based on the first data packet from the first terminal device, where the second data packet is associated with the first data packet. For example, the second data packet is generated by the application server based on the first data packet. In another example, the second data packet includes the service data carried by the first data packet. The application server then sends the second data packet to the second terminal device.

[0324] S9. The session management function network element sends third information to the user plane function network element device.

[0325] In step S9, the session management function network element sends the third information to the user plane function network element, including: the session management function network element sends the third information to the user plane function network element, the third information includes: the data packet detection rule of the first data flow and / or the QoS execution rule of the first data flow, the QoS execution rule of the first data flow is used to instruct the user plane function network element to add the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow.

[0326] S10. The user plane functional network element adds the first time information to the first data packet according to the third information.

[0327] In step S10, the session management function network element sends the third information to the user plane function network element, including: the session management function network element sends the third information to the user plane function network element, and the third information includes: the data packet detection rule of the first data flow and / or the QoS enforcement rule (QER) of the first data flow.

[0328] Specifically, the user plane functional network element determines the data packet belonging to the first data stream from multiple data packets based on the data packet detection rules of the first data stream. Then, the user plane functional network element reads the time when the first terminal device sent or generated the data packet from the data packet of the first data stream based on the QER of the first data stream. The user plane functional network element generates first time information based on the time when the first terminal device sent or generated the data packet and then adds it to the data packet again. For example, the first time information is added to the GTP-U message header of the data packet.

[0329] Step S13 is executed after step S10.

[0330] S11. The session management function network element sends third information to the access network device.

[0331] In step S11, the third information sent by the session management function network element to the access network device can be referred to in the aforementioned step S4 and will not be described in detail here.

[0332] S12. The access network device determines an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the third information.

[0333] In step S12, the access network device determines the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the third information, and then determines the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream (the P2P delay budget of the first data stream) based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream.

[0334] Optionally, the access network device may also obtain the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream from the application server.

[0335] S13. The user plane functional network element sends a first data packet to the access network device.

[0336] Step S14 is executed after step S13.

[0337] S14. The access network device determines a transmission delay budget for the first data packet according to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the first time information of the first data packet.

[0338] In step S14, after the access network device determines the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, the access network device determines a first time period for the data packet based on the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, first time information of the data packet in the first data stream, and the time when the data packet was received by the access network device. The first time period indicates the transmission time of the data packet from the first terminal device to the access network device. The access network device then determines a transmission delay budget for the data packet based on the first time period of the data packet and the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream.

[0339] The following explanation uses the first data packet as an example: the first time information of the first data packet indicates 10 milliseconds, the reception time of the first data packet on the access network device (sent from the second user plane functional network element to the access network device) is 20 milliseconds, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 25 milliseconds. Based on the above information, it can be determined that the first time period of the data packet is: 20-10=10 milliseconds. The transmission delay budget of the first data packet is: 25-10=15 milliseconds. According to the transmission delay budget of the first data packet, the access network device needs to send the first data packet to the second terminal device within 15 milliseconds.

[0340] Optionally, when determining the transmission delay budget for the first data stream, the access network device may also consider the air interface delay between the access network device and the second terminal device. The access network device determines the transmission delay budget for the data packet based on the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, the air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device, and the first time period of the data packet.

[0341] The following explanation is made using the first data packet as an example: the first time information of the first data packet indicates 10 milliseconds, the reception time of the first data packet on the access network device (sent from the second user plane functional network element to the access network device) is 20 milliseconds, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is 25 milliseconds, and the air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device is 5 milliseconds. Based on the above information, it can be determined that the first time period of the data packet is: 20-10=10 milliseconds. The sending delay budget of the first data packet is: 25-10-5=10 milliseconds. According to the sending delay budget of the first data packet, the access network device needs to send the first data packet to the second terminal device within 10 milliseconds.

[0342] Optionally, when the transmission delay budget of the data packet is less than or equal to the second threshold, the access network device may discard the data packet.

[0343] S15. The access network device sends the first data packet to the second terminal device within the transmission delay budget of the first data packet.

[0344] In step S15, when the access network device has multiple data packets to be sent in the first data stream cached locally, in other words, multiple data packets of the first data stream arrive at the access network device in the downlink direction, and the access network device has not yet sent these data packets to be sent to the second terminal device, the access network device can determine the priority of sending these data packets to be sent based on the transmission delay budget of the data packets to be sent. Take the first data packet of the first data stream and the third data packet of the first data stream as an example to illustrate: after receiving the first data packet, the access network device determines the transmission delay budget of the first data packet; after receiving the third data packet, the access network device determines the transmission delay budget of the third data packet. If the transmission delay budget of the first data packet is less than the transmission delay budget of the third data packet, the access network device will give priority to sending the first data packet to the second terminal device.

[0345] In an embodiment of the present application, the application server may send the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream to each network element or device in the network. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is the transmission delay requirement for data transmission between the first terminal device and the second terminal device. The first terminal device may add first time information indicating the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet to the data packet of the first data stream. The user plane functional network element or application server may re-add the first time information of the inner layer of the data packet to an outer header for easy identification, for example, adding the first time information to the GTP-U header of the data packet. The access network device sends the data packet to the second terminal device within the transmission delay budget of the data packet based on the reception time of the data packet, the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet indicated by the first time information, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream. Through the coordinated cooperation between various network elements or devices, end-to-end delay guarantee between terminal devices is achieved, various business requirements are met, and communication quality is improved.

[0346] In conjunction with the above embodiments, in the embodiments of the present application, the policy management function network element updates the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow according to the notification message of the application server and / or the user plane function network element.

[0347] Method 1: The policy management function network element requests the application server to provide the first notification service.

[0348] Please refer to Figure 5, which is another flow chart of an embodiment of a delay control method in the present application. A delay control method proposed in the present application embodiment also includes:

[0349] D1. The policy management function network element sends a first subscription request to the application server. The first subscription request is used to request provision of a first notification service. The first notification service is to send a first notification message when the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold.

[0350] In step D1, the policy control function network element may also send a first subscription request to the application server. The first subscription request is used to request the application server to provide a first notification service. The first notification service is that the application server sends a first notification message to the policy management function network element when it detects that the transmission delay of the first data flow is greater than or equal to a first threshold. The policy control function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow based on the received first notification message.

[0351] Optionally, the first subscription request includes a first threshold.

[0352] Optionally, the first subscription request includes description information of the first data stream.

[0353] It is understandable that the policy control function network element may send different first subscription requests to different application servers for different data flows, or send first subscription requests carrying different thresholds to the same application server.

[0354] For example, for the first data stream, the first threshold carried by the first subscription request corresponding to the first data stream is 10 milliseconds, which means: if the remaining available transmission time of the data packet in the first data stream in the application server (determined by the reception time of the data packet by the application server minus the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet) is less than or equal to 10 milliseconds, the application server sends the first notification message corresponding to the first data stream to the policy control function network element.

[0355] For the second data stream, the first threshold carried by the first subscription request corresponding to the second data stream is 5 milliseconds, which means: if the remaining available transmission time of the data packet in the second data stream in the application server (determined by the reception time of the data packet by the application server minus the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet) is less than or equal to 5 milliseconds, the application server sends the first notification message corresponding to the second data stream to the policy control function network element.

[0356] D2. The application server obtains first time information, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, and the first data packet is carried in the first data stream.

[0357] In step D2, after receiving the first data packet, the application server obtains the first time information.

[0358] D3. The application server obtains second time information, where the second time information indicates the time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicates the time when the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device.

[0359] In step D3, after receiving the first data packet, the application server obtains the second time information.

[0360] The execution order of step D2 and step D3 is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0361] D4. The application server determines whether to send a first notification message to the policy management function network element based on the first time information, the second time information, and the first threshold.

[0362] In step D4, the application server determines the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet based on the first time information and the second time information. Then, based on the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet and the first threshold, the application server determines whether to update the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, and further determines whether to send a first notification message to the policy management function network element.

[0363] In one possible example, when the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet is less than or equal to the first threshold, a first notification message is sent to the policy management function network element; when the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet is greater than the first threshold, the first notification message is not sent.

[0364] D5. The application server sends a first notification message to the policy management function network element.

[0365] D6. The policy management function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow according to the first notification message.

[0366] In step D6, the policy management function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the first notification message. For example, the policy management function network element increases the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and reduces the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream on the premise that the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream remains unchanged. For another example, the policy management function network element reduces the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and increases the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream on the premise that the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream remains unchanged. For another example, the policy management function network element increases the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and correspondingly increases the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream.

[0367] In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element can subscribe to the first notification service from the application server so as to timely update the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of the first data flow according to the first notification message of the application server, improve the delay guarantee performance, ensure the normal operation of the service, and improve the communication quality.

[0368] Method 2: The policy management function network element sends a transmission delay requirement set to the application server, requesting the application server to indicate the target transmission delay requirement combination to the policy management function.

[0369] Please refer to Figure 6, which is another flow chart of an embodiment of a delay control method in the present application. A delay control method proposed in the present application embodiment also includes:

[0370] F1. The policy management function network element sends a transmission delay requirement set to the application server. The transmission delay requirement set includes one or more transmission delay requirement combinations. Each transmission delay requirement combination includes an uplink transmission delay requirement and / or a downlink transmission delay requirement.

[0371] In step F1, after receiving the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the application server, the policy management function network element can generate a transmission delay requirement set corresponding to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. Taking the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow as an example, the transmission delay requirement set is shown in Table 1.

[0372] Table 1

[0373] Exemplarily, the policy management function network element sends the index of the transmission delay requirement combination in the transmission delay requirement set and / or the transmission delay requirement combination corresponding to the index to the application server, or the policy management function network element sends the complete transmission delay requirement combination to the application server.

[0374] F2. The application server obtains first time information, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, and the first data packet is carried in the first data stream.

[0375] F3. The application server obtains second time information, where the second time information indicates the time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicates the time when the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device.

[0376] Steps F2 to F3 are consistent with the aforementioned steps D2 to D3 and are not described in detail here.

[0377] F4. The application server determines a target transmission delay requirement combination from the transmission delay requirement set according to the first time information and the second time information.

[0378] In step F4, one example is: the application server determines the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet based on the first time information and the second time information. Then, based on the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet, the application server determines a target transmission delay requirement combination from the transmission delay requirement set. Referring to Table 1, if the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet is 12 milliseconds, the transmission delay requirement combination with index 2 is selected as the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0379] Optionally, the application server may update the first information according to the target transmission delay requirement combination, for example, update the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the first information.

[0380] F5. The application server sends a second notification message to the policy management function network element, where the second notification message indicates a target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0381] In step F5, the second notification message may include the target transmission delay requirement combination, or the index (or identification information) of the target transmission delay requirement combination, etc.

[0382] F6. The policy management function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow according to the second notification message.

[0383] In step D6, the policy management function network element determines the target transmission delay requirement combination according to the second notification message, and then updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow according to the target transmission delay requirement combination.

[0384] In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element can send a set of transmission delay requirements related to the first data flow to the application server, so that the application server updates the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow according to the transmission delay requirement set, improves the delay guarantee performance, ensures the normal operation of the service, and improves the communication quality.

[0385] Method three: the policy management function network element requests the user plane function network element to provide the first notification service.

[0386] Please refer to Figure 7, which is another flow chart of an embodiment of a delay control method in the present application. A delay control method proposed in the present application embodiment further includes:

[0387] G1. The policy management function network element sends a first subscription request to the user plane function network element. The first subscription request is used to request a first notification service. The first notification service is to send a first notification message when the transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold.

[0388] In step G1, the policy control function network element may also send a first subscription request to the user plane function network element. The first subscription request is used to request the user plane function network element to provide a first notification service. The first notification service is that the user plane function network element sends a first notification message to the policy management function network element when detecting that the transmission delay of the first data flow is greater than or equal to a first threshold. The policy control function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow based on the received first notification message.

[0389] Optionally, the first subscription request includes a first threshold.

[0390] Optionally, the first subscription request includes description information of the first data stream.

[0391] G2. The user plane functional network element obtains first time information, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, and the first data packet is carried in the first data stream.

[0392] In step G2, after receiving the first data packet, the user plane management function network element obtains the first time information.

[0393] G3. The user plane function network element obtains third time information, where the third time information indicates the time when the user plane function receives the first data packet.

[0394] In step G3, after receiving the first data packet, the user plane management function network element obtains the third time information.

[0395] The execution order of step G2 and step G3 is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0396] G4. The user plane function network element determines whether to send a first notification message to the policy management function network element based on the first time information, the third time information and the first threshold.

[0397] In step G4, the user plane management function network element determines the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet based on the first time information and the third time information, and then determines whether to send a first notification message to the policy management function network element based on the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet and the first threshold.

[0398] In one possible example, when the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet is less than or equal to the first threshold, a first notification message is sent to the policy management function network element; when the remaining available transmission time of the first data packet is greater than the first threshold, the first notification message is not sent.

[0399] G5. The user plane functional network element sends a first notification message to the policy management functional network element.

[0400] G6. The policy management function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow according to the first notification message.

[0401] In step G6, the policy management function network element updates the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream based on the first notification message. For example, the policy management function network element increases the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and reduces the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream on the premise that the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream remains unchanged. For another example, the policy management function network element reduces the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and increases the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream on the premise that the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream remains unchanged. For another example, the policy management function network element increases the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and correspondingly increases the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream.

[0402] In an embodiment of the present application, the policy management function network element can subscribe to the first notification service from the user plane management function network element, so as to timely update the end-to-end transmission delay requirements of the first data flow according to the first notification message of the user plane management function network element, improve the delay guarantee performance, ensure the normal operation of the service, and improve the communication quality.

[0403] In combination with the foregoing embodiment, the policy management function network element in the embodiment of the present application may further include a first policy management function network element and a second policy management function network element. The first policy management function network element and the second policy management function network element may also negotiate to generate a first PCC rule related to the uplink direction, and a second PCC rule related to the downlink direction. Please refer to Figure 8, which is another flow chart of an embodiment of a delay control method in the embodiment of the present application. A delay control method proposed in the embodiment of the present application also includes:

[0404] H1. The first policy management function network element and the second policy management function network element receive first information.

[0405] H2. The first policy management function network element negotiates with the second policy management function network element based on the first information to generate a first PCC rule and a second PCC rule.

[0406] In step H2, the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow indicated by the first PCC rule and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow indicated by the second PCC rule meet the following requirements: the sum of the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow including the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element and the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow including the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow. For example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow is 20 milliseconds, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the first PCC rule is 10 milliseconds, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the second PCC rule is 10 milliseconds.

[0407] For another example, the first policy management function network element and the second policy management function network element adjust the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the first PCC rule and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the second PCC rule based on the actual transmission status of the data packets in the first data flow. For example, the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow is 20 milliseconds, the uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the first PCC rule is 15 milliseconds, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow indicated by the second PCC rule is 5 milliseconds.

[0408] H3. The first policy management function network element sends a first PCC rule to the first session management function network element, where the first PCC rule indicates a QoS requirement of the first QoS flow.

[0409] H4. The second policy management function network element sends a second PCC rule to the second session management function network element, where the second PCC rule indicates a QoS requirement for the second QoS flow.

[0410] H5. The first session management function network element obtains third information corresponding to the first PCC rule according to the first PCC rule.

[0411] In step H5, the first session management function network element obtains the third information corresponding to the first PCC rule according to the first PCC rule, which is similar to the above-mentioned step S4 and is not described here in detail.

[0412] H6. The first session management function network element sends third information corresponding to the first PCC rule to the first access network device.

[0413] H7. The second session management function network element obtains third information corresponding to the second PCC rule according to the second PCC rule.

[0414] In step H7, the second session management function network element obtains the third information corresponding to the second PCC rule according to the second PCC rule, which is similar to the above-mentioned step S4 and is not repeated here.

[0415] H8. The second session management function network element sends third information corresponding to the second PCC rule to the second access network device.

[0416] In an embodiment of the present application, when the network includes multiple policy management function network elements, multiple PCC rules related to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow can also be negotiated and generated, thereby improving the implementation flexibility of the solution to meet the needs of different services.

[0417] The present application is described above from the perspective of method, and other embodiments provided in the present application will be further described below.

[0418] Please refer to Figure 9, which is a schematic diagram of an implementation of the communication device provided in the present application. The communication device 900 includes a processing module 901 and a transceiver module 902. The communication device 900 can implement the functions of the communication device (including the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network device, etc.) in the above method embodiment, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiment. In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device 900 can be an application server, a user plane function network element, a session management function network element, a policy management function network element and / or access network device, or an integrated circuit or component inside the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network device, such as a chip, or an integrated circuit or component integrated with the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network device.

[0419] Please refer to Fig. 10, which is another schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1000 provided in this application. The communication device 1000 at least includes an input and output interface 1002. The communication device 1000 may be a chip or an integrated circuit.

[0420] Optionally, the communication device further includes a logic circuit 1001 .

[0421] The transceiver module 902 shown in FIG9 may be a communication interface, which may be the input / output interface 1002 in FIG10 , which may include an input interface and an output interface. Alternatively, the communication interface may be a transceiver circuit, which may include an input interface circuit and an output interface circuit.

[0422] Optionally, when the communication device 1000 is the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network equipment in the aforementioned embodiments, the input and output interface 1002 is used to input and output information; the logic circuit 1001 is used to execute the method performed by the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network equipment in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0423] The logic circuit 1001 and the input / output interface 1002 may also execute other steps executed by the communication device in any embodiment and achieve corresponding beneficial effects, which will not be described in detail here.

[0424] In a possible implementation, the processing module 901 shown in FIG. 9 may be the logic circuit 1001 in FIG. 10 .

[0425] Optionally, the logic circuit 1001 may be a processing device, and the functions of the processing device may be partially or entirely implemented by software. The functions of the processing device may be partially or entirely implemented by software.

[0426] Optionally, the processing device may include a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor reads and executes the computer program stored in the memory to perform corresponding processing and / or steps in any one of the method embodiments.

[0427] Alternatively, the processing device may include only a processor. A memory for storing the computer program is located outside the processing device, and the processor is connected to the memory via circuits / wires to read and execute the computer program stored in the memory. The memory and processor may be integrated or physically separate.

[0428] Optionally, the processing device may be one or more chips, or one or more integrated circuits. For example, the processing device may be one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), system-on-chips (SoCs), central processor units (CPUs), network processors (NPs), digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontroller units (MCUs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or other integrated chips, or any combination of the above chips or processors.

[0429] Please refer to Figure 11, which shows the communication device 1100 involved in the above-mentioned embodiments provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 1100 can specifically be a communication device serving as an application server, a user plane functional network element, a session management functional network element, a policy management functional network element and / or an access network device in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0430] Herein, a possible logical structure diagram of the communication device 1100 is shown. The communication device 1100 may include but is not limited to at least one processor 1101 and a communication port 1102 .

[0431] Further optionally, the device may also include at least one of a memory 1103 and a bus 1104. In an embodiment of the present application, the at least one processor 1101 is used to control and process the actions of the communication device 1100.

[0432] In addition, the processor 1101 can be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor can also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, and so on. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0433] It should be noted that the communication device 1100 shown in Figure 11 can be specifically used to implement the steps implemented by the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network equipment in the aforementioned method embodiments, and to achieve the technical effects corresponding to the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network equipment. The specific implementation methods of the communication device shown in Figure 11 can refer to the description in the aforementioned method embodiments, and will not be repeated here one by one.

[0434] Please refer to Figure 12, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 1200 involved in the above-mentioned embodiments provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 1200 may specifically be a communication device serving as an application server, a user plane function network element, a session management function network element, a policy management function network element, and / or an access network device in the above-mentioned embodiments. The structure of the communication device may refer to the structure shown in Figure 12.

[0435] The communication device 1200 includes at least one processor 1201 and at least one network interface 1204. Further optionally, the communication device also includes at least one memory 1202, at least one transceiver 1203 and one or more antennas 1205. The processor 1201, the memory 1202, the transceiver 1203 and the network interface 1204 are connected, for example, via a bus. In an embodiment of the present application, the connection may include various interfaces, transmission lines or buses, etc., which are not limited in this embodiment. The antenna 1205 is connected to the transceiver 1203. The network interface 1204 is used to enable the communication device to communicate with other communication devices through a communication link. For example, the network interface 1204 may include a network interface between the communication device and a core network device, such as an S1 interface, and the network interface may include a network interface between the communication device and other communication devices (such as other radio access networks or core network devices), such as an X2 or Xn interface.

[0436] Processor 1201 is primarily used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process software program data, for example, to support the communication device in performing the actions described in the embodiments. The communication device may include a baseband processor and a central processing unit. The baseband processor is primarily used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the central processing unit is primarily used to control the entire terminal device, execute software programs, and process software program data. Processor 1201 in Figure 12 may integrate the functions of both a baseband processor and a central processing unit. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the baseband processor and the central processing unit may also be independent processors interconnected via a bus or other technology. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a terminal device may include multiple baseband processors to accommodate different network standards, multiple central processing units to enhance its processing capabilities, and various components of the terminal device may be connected via various buses. The baseband processor may also be referred to as a baseband processing circuit or a baseband processing chip. The central processing unit may also be referred to as a central processing circuit or a central processing chip. The functionality for processing communication protocols and communication data may be built into the processor or stored in memory as a software program, which is executed by the processor to implement the baseband processing functionality.

[0437] The memory is primarily used to store software programs and data. Memory 1202 can exist independently and be connected to processor 1201. Alternatively, memory 1202 can be integrated with processor 1201, for example, within a single chip. Memory 1202 can store program code for executing the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and execution is controlled by processor 1201. The various computer program codes executed can also be considered drivers for processor 1201.

[0438] Figure 12 shows only one memory and one processor. In an actual terminal device, there may be multiple processors and multiple memories. The memory may also be referred to as a storage medium or a storage device. The memory may be a storage element on the same chip as the processor, i.e., an on-chip storage element, or an independent storage element, which is not limited in the present embodiment.

[0439] The transceiver 1203 can be used to support the reception or transmission of radio frequency signals between the communication device and the terminal. The transceiver 1203 can be connected to the antenna 1205. The transceiver 1203 includes a transmitter Tx and a receiver Rx. Specifically, one or more antennas 1205 can receive radio frequency signals. The receiver Rx of the transceiver 1203 is used to receive the radio frequency signal from the antenna, convert the radio frequency signal into a digital baseband signal or a digital intermediate frequency signal, and provide the digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal to the processor 1201 so that the processor 1201 can further process the digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal, such as demodulation and decoding. In addition, the transmitter Tx in the transceiver 1203 is also used to receive a modulated digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal from the processor 1201, convert the modulated digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal into a radio frequency signal, and transmit the radio frequency signal through one or more antennas 1205. Specifically, the receiver Rx can selectively perform one or more stages of down-mixing and analog-to-digital conversion on the RF signal to obtain a digital baseband signal or a digital intermediate frequency signal. The order of the down-mixing and analog-to-digital conversion processes is adjustable. The transmitter Tx can selectively perform one or more stages of up-mixing and digital-to-analog conversion on the modulated digital baseband signal or digital intermediate frequency signal to obtain a RF signal. The order of the up-mixing and digital-to-analog conversion processes is adjustable. The digital baseband signal and the digital intermediate frequency signal may be collectively referred to as digital signals.

[0440] The transceiver 1203 may also be referred to as a transceiver module, a transceiver, a transceiver device, etc. Optionally, a device in the transceiver module that implements a receiving function may be referred to as a receiving unit, and a device in the transceiver module that implements a transmitting function may be referred to as a transmitting unit. That is, the transceiver module includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit may also be referred to as a receiver, an input port, a receiving circuit, etc., and the transmitting unit may be referred to as a transmitter, a transmitter, or a transmitting circuit, etc.

[0441] It should be noted that the communication device 1200 shown in Figure 12 can be specifically used to implement the steps implemented by the application server, user plane functional network element, session management functional network element, policy management functional network element and / or access network equipment in the aforementioned method embodiments, and to achieve the technical effects corresponding to the application server, user plane functional network element, session management functional network element, policy management functional network element and / or access network equipment. The specific implementation methods of the communication device 1200 shown in Figure 12 can refer to the description in the aforementioned method embodiments, and will not be repeated here one by one.

[0442] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more computer-executable instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor, the processor executes the method described in the possible implementation methods of the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network device in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0443] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product (or computer program) storing one or more computers. When the computer program product is executed by the processor, the processor executes a method of possible implementation of the above-mentioned application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network device.

[0444] An embodiment of the present application also provides a chip system, which includes at least one processor for supporting a communication device to implement the functions involved in the possible implementation methods of the above-mentioned communication device. Optionally, the chip system also includes an interface circuit, which provides program instructions and / or data to the at least one processor. In one possible design, the chip system may also include a memory, which is used to store the necessary program instructions and data for the communication device. The chip system can be composed of a chip, or it can include a chip and other discrete devices, wherein the communication device can specifically be an application server, a user plane function network element, a session management function network element, a policy management function network element and / or an access network device in the aforementioned method embodiment.

[0445] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system, which includes the application server, user plane function network element, session management function network element, policy management function network element and / or access network equipment in any of the above embodiments.

[0446] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the unit is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interface, device or unit, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0447] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0448] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present application can be integrated into a processing module, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional unit. If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application is essentially or the contributing part or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a wireless access network, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method of each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

Claims

1. A delay control method, characterized in that: The method is applied to a policy control function network element, and the method comprises: Receive first information sent by the application server, where the first information indicates an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is a transmission delay requirement for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device; Generate a policy and charging control PCC rule according to the first information, wherein the PCC rule is used to indicate a QoS requirement of a first quality of service QoS flow and / or a QoS requirement of a second QoS flow, The QoS requirement of the first QoS flow includes an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, The QoS requirement of the second QoS flow includes the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The PCC rules include: The first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add the first time information of the data packet to the data packet of the first data stream, and the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The PCC rule further includes: an end-to-end transmission delay budget of the first data flow, where the end-to-end transmission delay budget is a transmission delay budget for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream includes: The uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane functional network element, and the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement and the downlink transmission delay requirement is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that Generating the policy and charging control PCC rule according to the first information includes: Obtaining a first transmission delay value from an application server to the first user plane function network element and / or a second transmission delay value from the application server to the second user plane function network element; The QoS requirement of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow is determined according to the first information and the first transmission delay value, and / or the second transmission delay value.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The sum of the uplink transmission delay requirement, the first transmission delay value, the downlink transmission delay requirement and the second transmission delay value is less than or equal to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The method further comprises: Sending a first subscription request, where the first subscription request is used to request provision of a first notification service, where the first notification service is sending a first notification message when a transmission delay of the first data stream is greater than or equal to a first threshold; The first notification message is received, where the first notification message indicates that a transmission delay of the first data flow is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The method further comprises: The uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream are updated according to the first notification message.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that include: Determine a target transmission delay requirement combination from a transmission delay requirement set, where the transmission delay requirement set includes one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations, and each group of the transmission delay requirement combinations includes the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement; The uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream are updated according to the target transmission delay requirement combination.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that The method further comprises: Sending a transmission delay requirement set, where the transmission delay requirement set includes one or more groups of transmission delay requirement combinations, and each group of the transmission delay requirement combinations includes the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement; receiving a second notification message, where the second notification message indicates a target transmission delay requirement combination, where the target transmission delay requirement combination belongs to the transmission delay requirement set including one or more transmission delay requirement combinations; According to the second notification message, an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and / or a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is updated.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The method further comprises: Send a second subscription request, where the second subscription request is used to request the application server to provide a second notification service, where the second notification service is that the application server sends the second notification message after determining the target transmission delay requirement from the transmission delay requirement set.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that: The method further comprises: According to the updated uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow, the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow and / or the QoS requirement of the second QoS flow are updated.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that: The first subscription request also includes: description information of the first data stream, and / or the first threshold.

15. A delay control method, characterized in that: The method is applied to an application server or an application function network element, and the method includes: Send first information, wherein the first information indicates an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of a first data stream, wherein the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is a transmission delay requirement for transmitting data between a first terminal device and a second terminal device, and the end-to-end transmission delay requirement is used by a wireless communication network to determine a transmission delay requirement of a wireless communication network from the first terminal device to the second terminal device.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The first information also includes: description information of the first data flow, the description information of the first data flow includes any one or more of the following information: the source Internet Protocol IP address of the first data flow, the destination IP address of the first data flow, the source port of the first data flow, the destination port of the first data flow, the transport layer protocol information of the first data flow, the queue pair of the first data flow, the service type of the first data flow, or the port index of the first data flow.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The first information includes: an end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, where the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates an upper limit value of transmission time of a data packet in the first data stream.

18. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Acquire first time information, where the first time information indicates a time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, where the first data packet is carried in the first data stream; And / or, obtaining second time information, where the second time information indicates the time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicates the time when the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that The method further comprises: Receiving a transmission delay requirement set sent by a policy management function PCF, where the transmission delay requirement set includes one or more transmission delay requirement combinations, and each transmission delay requirement combination includes the uplink transmission delay requirement and / or the downlink transmission delay requirement; determining, according to the first time information and / or the second time information, a target transmission delay requirement combination from the transmission delay requirement set, wherein the target transmission delay requirement combination belongs to the transmission delay requirement set; The end-to-end transmission delay requirement is updated according to the target transmission delay requirement combination.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that Updating the end-to-end transmission delay requirement according to the target transmission delay requirement combination includes: A second notification message is sent to the policy management function, where the second notification message indicates the target transmission delay requirement combination.

21. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 20, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving a first subscription request sent by a policy management function network element, where the first subscription request is used to request provision of a first notification service, where the first notification service is to send a first notification message when a transmission delay of the first data flow is greater than or equal to a first threshold; Acquire first time information, where the first time information indicates a time when the first terminal device generates or sends a first data packet, where the first data packet is carried in the first data stream; and / or, acquire second time information, where the second time information indicates a time when the application server receives the first data packet, or the second time information indicates that the application server sends the first data packet to the second terminal device; Determine whether to send the first notification message to the policy management function network element based on the first time information and / or the second time information and the first threshold.

22. The method according to any one of claims 18 to 21, characterized in that Acquiring the first time information includes: receiving a first data packet, where the first data packet is carried in the first data flow; The first time information is acquired from the first data packet.

23. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 22, characterized in that The method further comprises: receiving the first data packet sent by the first terminal device, where the first data packet is carried in the first data stream; The first data packet with first time information added thereto is sent to the second terminal device, where the first time information indicates the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the first data packet.

24. A delay control method, characterized in that: The method is applied to a session management function network element, and the method comprises: Receive policy and charging control PCC rules; According to the PCC rule, third information is obtained, where the third information includes a QoS requirement of a first quality of service QoS flow and / or a QoS requirement of a second QoS flow, where the QoS requirement of the first QoS flow includes an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, The QoS requirement of the second QoS flow includes a downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane function network element to the second terminal device; The third information is sent.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that The sending of the third information includes: sending the third information to the first terminal device, where the third information includes the first indication information, The first indication information instructs the first terminal device to add time information of sending or generating the data packet by the first terminal device to the data packet transmitted in the first data stream.

26. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that The QoS rule of the first QoS flow includes the first indication information, and the first indication information is used to instruct the first terminal device to add the time when the first terminal device sends or generates the data packet in the data packet transmitted in the first QoS flow.

27. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 26, characterized in that The sending of the third information includes: The third information is sent to the access network device, and the third information includes: the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream indicates the upper limit of the transmission time of the data packets in the first data stream, and the access network device provides communication services for the second terminal device.

28. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 27, characterized in that The sending of the third information includes: sending the third information to the access network device, the third information including: the QoS parameters of the first QoS flow, and / or the QoS parameters of the second QoS flow, The QoS parameters of the first QoS flow include an uplink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the first terminal device to the first user plane function network element, The QoS parameters of the second QoS flow include the downlink transmission delay requirement of the first data flow from the second user plane functional network element to the second terminal device.

29. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 27, characterized in that The sending of the third information includes: The third information is sent to the user plane functional network element, and the third information includes: the data packet detection rule of the first data flow and / or the QoS execution rule of the first data flow, and the QoS execution rule of the first data flow is used to instruct the user plane functional network element to add the time when the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet in the data packet of the first data flow.

30. A delay control method, characterized in that: The method is applied to an access network device, and the method comprises: receiving a data packet of the first data stream, wherein the data packet includes time information indicating that the first terminal device generates or sends the data packet; The data packet is sent to the second terminal device according to the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the time information of the data packet. The end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream is the transmission delay requirement for transmitting data between the first terminal device and the second terminal device.

31. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that The method further comprises: Receive third information sent by a session management function network element, where the third information includes the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data flow.

32. The method according to claim 30 or 31, characterized in that The method further comprises: Determine a first time period of the data packet according to the first time information of the data packet and the reception time of the data packet received by the access network device, wherein the first time period indicates the transmission time of the data packet transmitted from the first terminal device to the access network device; Determining a transmission delay budget for the data packet according to an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the first time period of the data packet; The data packet is sent to the second terminal device within the sending delay budget of the data packet.

33. The method according to claim 32, characterized in that The method further comprises: Determine a first time period of the data packet according to the first time information of the data packet and the reception time of the data packet received by the access network device, wherein the first time period indicates the transmission time of the data packet transmitted from the first terminal device to the access network device; A sending delay budget of the data packet is determined according to an end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream and the first time period of the data packet.

34. The method according to claim 32, characterized in that Determining a transmission delay budget of the data packet according to the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream and the first time period of the data packet includes: Obtaining an air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device; Determine the sending delay budget of the data packet based on the end-to-end transmission delay requirement of the first data stream, the end-to-end transmission delay of the first data stream, the air interface transmission delay from the access network device to the second terminal device, and the first time information of the data packet.

35. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 34, characterized in that Sending the data packet to the second terminal device within a transmission delay budget of the data packet includes: The data packet with the low transmission delay budget is preferentially sent to the second terminal device.

36. A communication device, characterized in that: Including transceiver module and processing module: The transceiver module is used to input and / or output signaling or data; The processing module is used to execute, through the communication unit: the method described in any one of claims 1-14, or the method described in any one of claims 15-23, the method described in any one of claims 24-29, or the method described in any one of claims 30-35.

37. A communication device, characterized in that: Including communication interface and processor: The communication interface is used to input and / or output signaling or data; The processor is used to execute a computer executable program so that the method described in any one of claims 1 to 14 is executed, or the method described in any one of claims 15 to 23 is executed, or the method described in any one of claims 24 to 29 is executed, or the method described in any one of claims 30 to 35 is executed.

38. A communication device, characterized in that: including a processor and memory, The memory is used to store computer programs or instructions; The processor is used to execute the computer program or instructions in the memory, so that the method described in any one of claims 1 to 14 is executed, or the method described in any one of claims 15 to 23 is executed, or the method described in any one of claims 24 to 29 is executed, or the method described in any one of claims 30 to 35 is executed.

39. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, characterized in that: When the instructions are executed by a processor, the method of any one of claims 1-14, or claims 15-23, or claims 24-29, or any one of claims 30-35 is implemented.

40. A computer program product comprising a program, characterized in that When the program is executed by a processor, the method of any one of claims 1-14, or claims 15-23, or claims 24-29, or any one of claims 30-35 is implemented.

41. A chip system, characterized in that: The chip system includes at least one processor, and when the program instructions are executed in the at least one processor, the method described in any one of claims 1-14, or claims 15-23, or claims 24-29, or claims 30-35 is implemented.

42. A communication system, characterized in that: Comprising a communication device for executing the method described in any one of claims 1 to 14, a communication device for executing the method described in any one of claims 15 to 23, a communication device for executing the method described in any one of claims 24 to 29, and a communication device for executing the method described in any one of claims 30 to 35.

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