Data packet transmission method and related device

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure are a data packet transmission method and a related device. The method executed by a storage function network element in a user plane of a mobile core network comprises: receiving, from a user plane function network element, a data packet and storage time information of the data packet; storing the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet; on the basis of the storage time information, determining a sending time for the data packet; and sending to the outside the data packet at the sending time.

Description

Data packet transmission method and related equipment

[0001] Priority information

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 7, 2023, with application number 2023116839951 and application name “Data Packet Transmission Method and Related Equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a data packet transmission method, a communication device, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0004] In some scenarios in mobile network systems, there are problems such as long transmission delays and limited transmission resources, which may result in some services of the terminal not being able to respond in a timely or even normal manner.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure provides a data packet transmission method, which is performed by a storage function network element in the user plane of a mobile core network. The method includes: receiving a data packet and storage time information of the data packet from the user plane function network element; storing the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet; determining a sending time of the data packet based on the storage time information; and sending the data packet externally at the sending time.

[0007] The present disclosure provides a data packet transmission method, which is performed by a user plane function network element. The method includes: receiving a data packet; determining retention time information of the data packet; and sending the data packet and the retention time information of the data packet to a storage function network element to instruct the storage function network element to store the data packet and the retention time information of the data packet; determining a sending time of the data packet based on the retention time information; and sending the data packet externally at the sending time.

[0008] The present disclosure provides a data packet transmission method, which is executed by a user plane function network element. The method includes: receiving a data packet; determining storage time information of the data packet; storing the data packet; and determining a sending time for sending the data packet externally based on the storage time information.

[0009] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a data packet transmission method, performed by a terminal. The method includes: in establishing a control plane forwarding path for uplink data transmission, sending an uplink data packet to a session management function network element, so that the session management function network element sends the uplink data packet to a user plane function network element. The user plane function network element is configured to receive the uplink data packet, determine retention time information for the uplink data packet, and send the uplink data packet and the retention time information for the uplink data packet to a storage function network element.

[0010] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a data packet transmission method, performed by a terminal. The method includes: initiating a process for establishing or updating a protocol data unit session; and transmitting an uplink data packet to a user plane functional network element via a base station. The user plane functional network element is configured to receive the uplink data packet, determine retention time information for the uplink data packet, and transmit the uplink data packet and the retention time information to a storage functional network element.

[0011] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a communication device, comprising: one or more processors; and a memory configured to store one or more programs, wherein when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the communication device implements the data packet transmission method described in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon. When the computer program is run on a computer, the computer implements the data packet transmission method described in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer program product, including a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a computer, the data packet transmission method described in the embodiments of the present disclosure is implemented.

[0014] The data packet transmission method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, on the one hand, adds a storage function network element to the user plane of the mobile core network. This storage function network element can be used to store data packets in the user plane function network element, thereby alleviating the data transmission pressure of the user plane function network element, enabling it to prioritize the transmission of more urgent data packets when network resources are limited, thereby ensuring and meeting service response requirements. On the other hand, for the data packets stored in the storage function network element, the transmission time can be obtained by storing the time information, so that the data packets can be forwarded at the appropriate time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system architecture provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG2 is a system architecture diagram of a 5G network provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG3 schematically shows a flow chart of a data packet transmission method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG4 schematically shows an interaction diagram of an uplink data packet when a data packet transmission method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied.

[0019] FIG5 schematically shows an interaction diagram of a data packet transmission method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure applied to downlink data packets.

[0020] FIG6 schematically shows an interaction diagram of an uplink data packet transmission method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure being applied to the data packet.

[0021] FIG7 schematically shows an interaction diagram of a data packet transmission method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure applied to downlink data packets.

[0022] FIG8 schematically shows a flow chart of a data packet transmission method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG9 schematically shows a flow chart of a data packet transmission method according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG10 schematically shows a flow chart of a data packet transmission method according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG11 schematically shows a block diagram of a storage function network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG12 schematically shows a block diagram of a user plane function network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG13 schematically shows a block diagram of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG14 schematically shows a block diagram of a terminal according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG15 schematically shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG16 schematically shows a schematic diagram of a 5G network and satellite system integrated system architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG17 schematically shows a schematic diagram of a 5G network and satellite system integrated system architecture according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG18 schematically shows a schematic diagram of a 5G network and satellite system integrated system architecture according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present disclosure more apparent, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals represent like elements throughout. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0034] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "module" or "unit" refers to a computer program or a part of a computer program that has a predetermined function and works together with other related parts to achieve a predetermined goal, and can be implemented in whole or in part by using software, hardware (such as processing circuits or memories) or a combination thereof. Similarly, a processor (or multiple processors or memories) can be used to implement one or more modules or units. In addition, each module or unit can be part of an overall module or unit that includes the function of the module or unit.

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System of Mobile communication (GSM) system, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication system, 5G system or future evolved mobile communication system, etc.

[0036] For example, a communication system 100 used in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG1 . The communication system 100 may include a network device 110, which may be a device that communicates with a terminal 120 (or a communication terminal or terminal). The network device 110 may provide communication coverage for a specific geographic area and may communicate with terminals within the coverage area. Optionally, the network device 110 can be a base station (Base Transceiver Station, BTS) in a GSM system or a CDMA system, a base station (NodeB, NB) in a WCDMA system, an evolved base station (Evolutional Node B, eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, a base station in a 5G communication system, or a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (Cloud Radio Access Network, CRAN), or the network device can be a mobile switching center, a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a hub, a switch, a bridge, a router, a network side device in a 5G network, a network side device in a 5G network and a satellite system fusion system, a network side device in a 5G system with new air interface satellite access technology, a network side device in a 5G network using satellite transmission as base station backhaul, or a network device in a future evolved public land mobile network (Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN), etc.

[0037] The communication system 100 also includes at least one terminal 120 located within the coverage area of ​​the network device 110. As used herein, "terminal" includes, but is not limited to, a connection via a wired line, such as a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), a digital cable, a direct cable connection; and / or another data connection / network; and / or a wireless interface, such as a cellular network, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a digital television network such as a DVB-H network, a satellite network, an AM-FM broadcast transmitter; and / or another terminal configured to receive / send communication signals; and / or an Internet of Things (IoT) device. A terminal configured to communicate via a wireless interface may be referred to as a "wireless communication terminal," "wireless terminal," or "mobile terminal." Examples of mobile terminals include, but are not limited to, satellite or cellular telephones; Personal Communications System (PCS) terminals that may combine cellular radiotelephones with data processing, fax, and data communications capabilities; Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) that may include a radiotelephone, pager, Internet / Intranet access, a web browser, a notepad, a calendar, and / or a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver; and conventional laptop and / or handheld receivers or other electronic devices that include a radiotelephone transceiver. A terminal may be referred to as an access terminal, user equipment (UE), a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a mobile station, a remote station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent, or a user device. The access terminal can be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a PDA, a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a terminal in a 5G network, or a terminal in a future evolved PLMN, etc.

[0038] FIG1 exemplarily shows a network device and two terminals. Optionally, the communication system 100 may include multiple network devices and each network device may include another number of terminals within its coverage area, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0039] Optionally, the communication system 100 may further include other network elements such as a network exposure function (NEF) network element, an application function (AF) network element, and a network function (NF) network element, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present disclosure, devices having communication functions in a network / system may be referred to as communication devices. Taking the communication system 100 shown in FIG1 as an example, the communication devices may include a network device 110 and a terminal 120 having communication functions. Network device 110 and terminal 120 may be the specific devices described above and will not be further described here.

[0041] It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably herein. The term "and / or" is simply a description of an association between related objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone.

[0042] Figure 2 is a system architecture diagram of a 5G network in an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the devices involved in the 5G network system include: User Equipment (UE), Radio Access Network (RAN), User Plane Function (UPF) network element, Data Network (DN), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) network element, Session Management Function (SMF) network element, Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, Application Function (AF) network element, Authentication Server Function (AUSF) network element, and Unified Data Management (UDM) network element.

[0043] Figure 3 schematically shows a flow chart of a data packet transmission method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method provided in the embodiment of Figure 3 may be executed by a storage function network element in a user plane of a mobile core network, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0044] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the SMF network element can determine whether the protocol data unit PDU session needs to perform a store-and-forward operation or activate the store-and-forward mode based on the parameter information established by the PDU session, and generate corresponding indication information. The indication information is used to indicate whether the UPF network element performs a store-and-forward operation or activates the store-and-forward mode for the data packet of the PDU session.

[0045] In some embodiments, the function of the storage function network element is integrated into the user plane function network element. When the function of the storage function network element is implemented by the UPF network element, the UPF network element can also receive indication information from the SMF network element. After the UPF network element receives the data packet, it can determine whether to store the data packet based on the indication of the SMF and / or its own transmission capability, network conditions, etc. If it is determined to store the data packet, the storage time information of the data packet is determined (here refers to the information related to the storage time of the data packet stored in the UPF network element); then the data packet is stored in the UPF network element. For example, a storage function module can be divided in the UPF network element, and the data packet is stored in the storage function module. The UPF network element determines the sending time of the data packet based on the storage time information of the data packet. When the sending time is reached, the UPF network element sends the data packet to the outside. In other embodiments, the storage function network element can be another network element independent of the user plane function network element. That is, in order to realize the storage and forwarding function, a storage function network element can be added in the mobile core network, or a data storage function can be added in the user plane function (UPF) network element, that is, the function of the storage function network element is integrated into the UPF network element.

[0046] The storage function network element in the embodiment of the present disclosure has data storage and forwarding functions, that is, it can be used to store received data packets and send the data packets to the outside when the sending time arrives. It can also be called a data storage function network element or use other names.

[0047] The storage function network element / module in the embodiments of the present disclosure refers to a network element / module in the network used to store transmission data sent by and / or sent to a terminal. The size of the storage space of the storage function network element / module can be set according to actual needs, and the present disclosure does not limit the size of its storage space. The storage duration of a data packet in the storage function network element / module can be determined based on the forwarding requirements of the data packet, network conditions, and the transmission capabilities of the network element used to transmit the data packet in the network (such as the UPF network element, but the present disclosure is not limited to this).

[0048] As shown in FIG3 , the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include:

[0049] In S310, a data packet and storage time information of the data packet are received from a user plane functional network element.

[0050] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the data packet received by the storage function network element from the UPF network element may be an uplink data packet that the UE intends to send to the service server, and / or a downlink data packet that the service server intends to send to the UE. The data packet may be a service data packet of a target service. The target service may, for example, be an IoT service with low latency requirements, or a multimedia service such as AR (Augmented Reality) or VR (Virtual Reality). This disclosure is not limited to this.

[0051] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the data packet received by the storage function network element from the UPF network element can be a service data packet that is not sensitive to delay. That is, when the UPF network element receives a data packet, it can determine whether it is necessary to send the received data packet to the storage function network element for transfer based on the indication information received from the session management function network element (SMF). If the SMF network element does not indicate to the UPF network element through the indication information that the PDU session where the data packet is located or the QoS flow of the PDU session needs to perform a store-and-forward operation, or the store-and-forward mode is not activated, then the UPF network element directly sends the data packet to the outside (for example, for uplink data packets, the UPF network element can send it to the service server; for downlink data packets, the UPF network element can send it to other UPFs or base stations) after receiving the indication information without storing it in the storage function network element. If the SMF network element instructs the UPF network element through the indication information that the PDU session where the data packet is located or the QoS flow of the PDU session needs to perform a store-and-forward operation, or activate the store-and-forward mode, the UPF network element determines the storage time information of the data packet, first sends the data packet and its storage time information to the storage function network element for storage, and then waits until the appropriate time to forward the data packet from the storage function network element.

[0052] In some embodiments, when the UPF network element receives indication information from the SMF network element, it can forward the corresponding received data packet to the storage function network element for storage according to the indication information. In other embodiments, when the UPF network element receives indication information from the SMF network element, it can further determine whether to forward and store the data packet to the storage function network element according to the indication information based on its own situation (such as transmission capacity, network status, etc.).

[0053] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the indication information sent by the SMF network element to the UPF network element can be expressed in any suitable manner, as long as it can achieve the purpose of instructing the UPF network element whether to transfer the received data packets to the storage function network element. For example, the indication information can be expressed as "yes" or "no". If the indication information is "yes", it instructs the UPF network element to perform store-and-forward on the received data packets of the corresponding PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session; if the indication information is "no", it instructs the UPF network element not to perform store-and-forward on the received data packets of the corresponding PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session. For another example, the indication information can be used to indicate whether to perform the store-and-forward operation. If the UPF network element receives the indication information from the SMF network element, it can indicate that the UPF network element is instructed to perform the store-and-forward operation. If the UPF network element does not receive the indication information from the SMF network element, it can indicate that the UPF network element is instructed not to perform the store-and-forward operation. For another example, the indication information can indicate whether the UPF network element activates the store-and-forward mode. If the UPF network element receives the indication information from the SMF network element, it may indicate that the UPF network element is instructed to activate the store-and-forward mode. If the UPF network element does not receive the indication information from the SMF network element, it may indicate that the UPF network element is instructed not to activate the store-and-forward mode. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the SMF network element sends indication information to the UPF network element as an example, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the SMF network element may not send indication information to the UPF network element, and the UPF network element determines whether to forward the received data packet to the storage function network element for storage based on its own conditions (for example, one or more of the transmission capacity, forwarding requirements of the received data packet, network conditions, etc.).

[0055] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the SMF network element determines whether to instruct the UPF that the PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session needs to perform a store-and-forward operation, or activate the store-and-forward mode for the PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session. This is based on the configuration information of the SMF, according to the DNN (Data Network Name) of the PDU session, S-NSSAI (Slice identifier, establishing a network slice for the PDU Session), SSC Mode (Session and Service Continuity, session and service continuity) and other parameters, or the application function (AF) network element indicates that the service is a delay-insensitive service or indicates that the data of the service can be stored and forwarded, or the policy information of the policy control function (PCF) network element, etc. The UPF network element determines whether the data packet needs to perform a store-and-forward operation based on the instruction of the SMF.

[0056] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, after receiving the instruction from the SMF, the UPF may further determine whether to perform the store-and-forward operation based on one or more of the following conditions: the data transmission capability of the UPF network element, the congestion status of the network, the transmission delay requirement of the data packet, the priority of the data packet, etc. For example, if the current transmission capability of the UPF network element is capable of transmitting all the data packets it receives, the UPF network element may directly send all the data packets it receives to the outside. For another example, if the current transmission capability of the UPF network element is not capable of transmitting all the data packets it receives, the service data packets that need to be sent first may be determined based on the transmission delay requirement of the data packets, the priority of the data packets, etc., and the remaining data packets may be stored in the storage function network element. In this way, the system can prioritize the scheduling of some services with higher latency requirements, and delay the forwarding of data packets of some services that are not sensitive to latency, thereby ensuring and meeting the transmission needs of more services under limited network resources.

[0057] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the retention time information of a data packet refers to information indicating the duration for which the data packet is stored in the storage function network element, or information indicating when the data packet is sent externally by the storage function network element after receiving the data packet. For example, the retention time information of the data packet may include at least one of the latest forwarding time, recommended forwarding time, recommended retention time, and maximum retention time of the data packet.

[0058] The latest forwarding time is used to instruct the storage functional unit to send the data packet before the latest forwarding time. The recommended forwarding time is used to instruct the storage functional unit to send the data packet at the recommended forwarding time. The recommended retention time is used to instruct the storage functional unit to start timing upon receiving the data packet and to send the data packet when the recommended retention time is reached. The maximum retention time is used to instruct the storage functional unit to start timing upon receiving the data packet and to send the data packet before the maximum retention time is reached.

[0059] In S320, the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet are stored.

[0060] After the storage function unit receives the data packet and its storage time information from the UPF network element, it can associate and save the data packet and its storage time information according to the instructions of the UPF.

[0061] In S330 , the sending time of the data packet is determined according to the storage time information.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, the sending time of the data packet is determined based on the storage time information of the data packet, specifically: if the storage time information includes the latest forwarding time of the data packet, the sending time of the data packet is determined based on the capacity of the storage function network element and / or the forwarding requirements of the data packets stored in the storage function network element, and the sending time is earlier than the latest forwarding time; if the storage time information includes the recommended forwarding time of the data packet, the sending time is determined based on the recommended forwarding time; if the storage time information includes the recommended storage time of the data packet, the receiving time of the data packet from the user plane function network element is recorded, and the sending time is determined based on the recommended storage time and the receiving time; if the storage time information includes the maximum storage time of the data packet, the receiving time of the data packet is recorded, and the sending time is determined based on the maximum storage time and the receiving time.

[0063] If, in the above S320, the storage function network element receives the latest forwarding time of the data packet from the UPF network element, the data packet is forwarded externally before the latest forwarding time. At this time, the specific sending time of the data packet can be determined according to the capacity of the storage function network element itself and / or the forwarding requirements of each data packet already stored in the storage function network element. For example, when the amount of data packets already stored on the storage function network element reaches a predetermined percentage of the capacity of the storage function network element itself (for example, 80%, which is only used for example and not limited to this), the data packet can be sent externally in advance before the latest forwarding time, so that the storage function network element can normally receive the data packets subsequently sent by the UPF network element.

[0064] In embodiments of the present disclosure, forwarding requirements for storage data packets may include the latest forwarding time and / or priority of each data packet. For example, assuming a storage function network element stores multiple data packets with the same latest forwarding time, a randomly generated time offset can be assigned to each data packet, with different time offsets for different data packets. The time offset is counted from the time the storage function network element receives the data packet, and the corresponding data packet is sent when the time offset is reached. This avoids sending multiple data packets simultaneously, such as forwarding them to the UPF network element simultaneously, which would place a high transmission pressure on the UPF network element. Instead, each data packet is sent at a random time point. For another example, a fixed offset can be assigned to each data packet, with different offsets assigned to different data packets, such as 1 second, 2 seconds, etc. For another example, a percentage time point can be set, and the corresponding data packet is forwarded when a predetermined percentage of the time between the reception time (the time the storage function network element receives the data packet from the UPF network element) and the latest forwarding time is met. For another example, various sorting algorithms can be configured to send the data packets according to the order. When the forwarding requirement includes the priority of the data packet, for multiple data packets with the same latest forwarding time, the data packet with the higher priority can be sent first. At this time, the UPF network element can also send the priority of the QoS (Quality of Service) flow to which the data packet belongs to the data storage network element.

[0065] If, in S320 above, the storage function network element receives a recommended forwarding time for the data packet from the UPF network element, the data packet may be forwarded at the recommended forwarding time. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The storage function network element may also determine the specific sending time for the data packet based on one or more of the following: the storage function network element's own capacity, the current transmission capacity of the UPF network element, the network congestion status, the forwarding requirements of each data packet stored in the storage function network element, and the recommended forwarding time of each stored data packet.

[0066] If, in S320 above, the storage function network element receives the recommended retention time for the data packet from the UPF network element, the storage function network element may simultaneously record the time the data packet was received by the storage function network element and transmit the data packet externally, for example, to the UPF network element, based on the recommended retention time. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The storage function network element may also determine the specific transmission time of the data packet based on one or more of the following: the storage function network element's own capacity, the current transmission capacity of the UPF network element, the congestion status of the network, the forwarding requirements of each data packet stored in the storage function network element, and the recommended retention time of each stored data packet.

[0067] If, in S320 above, the storage function network element receives the maximum storage time of the data packet from the UPF network element, the storage function network element may simultaneously record the time the data packet was received by the storage function network element and transmit the data packet to an external source, such as the UPF network element, before the maximum storage time expires. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The storage function network element may also determine the specific transmission time of the data packet based on one or more of the following: the storage function network element's own capacity, the current transmission capacity of the UPF network element, the network congestion status, the forwarding requirements of each data packet stored in the storage function network element, and the maximum storage time of each stored data packet.

[0068] In S340 , the data packet is sent outward at the sending time.

[0069] In some embodiments, the storage function network element can send the data packet to the UPF network element at the time of transmission. If it is an uplink data packet, the data packet is sent to the service server via the UPF network element. If it is a downlink data packet, the data packet is sent to another UPF or base station via the UPF network element, and the downlink data packet is further sent to the UE. In other embodiments, for uplink data packets, the storage function network element can send the data packet to the service server at the time of transmission, that is, it does not need to be sent back to the UPF network element before being forwarded externally by the UPF network. In the following embodiments, the storage function network element is used as an example to illustrate that the data packet is first sent by the storage function network element to the UPF network element, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment, if the storage function network element is shared by multiple user plane function network elements, the method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include: recording identification information of the user plane function network element that sends the data packet. Accordingly, sending the data packet externally at the sending time may specifically include: sending the data packet to the user plane function network element corresponding to the identification information at the sending time.

[0071] If the storage function network element is shared by multiple UPF network elements, the storage function network element may record the identification information of the UPF network element from which the data packet is received when receiving the data packet from the UPF network element in S310, and send the received data packet to the UPF network element corresponding to the identification information at the sending time in S340. If the storage function network element is unique to the UPF network element, the data packet may be sent directly to the UPF network element.

[0072] The data packet transmission method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, on the one hand, adds a storage function network element to the user plane of the mobile core network. This storage function network element can be used to store data packets in the user plane function network element, thereby alleviating the data transmission pressure of the user plane function network element, enabling it to prioritize the transmission of more urgent data packets when network resources are limited, thereby ensuring and meeting service response requirements. On the other hand, for the data packets stored in the storage function network element, the transmission time can be obtained by storing the time information, so that the data packets can be forwarded at the appropriate time.

[0073] For the newly added storage function network element, the following examples are respectively described with reference to FIG4 and FIG5 and FIG6 and FIG7.

[0074] The base stations mentioned in the following embodiments may be base stations with New Radio Satellite Access (NR Satellite access) technology in a satellite and mobile network converged system, or base stations deployed on satellites, or base stations using satellite links as backhaul. The present disclosure is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the base stations in the following embodiments may also be base stations in a mobile network system.

[0075] In converged satellite and mobile network systems, both those using satellite access and those using satellite as backhaul suffer from long transmission latency and limited transmission resources. Therefore, to effectively schedule transmission resources for services with less stringent latency requirements, the system is considering storing some packets of latency-insensitive services in storage network elements and forwarding them at appropriate times. This allows the system to prioritize packets for services with higher latency requirements while delaying the forwarding of packets for less-latency services. This ensures that the transmission needs of more services can be met within limited network resources.

[0076] Figure 4 schematically illustrates an interaction diagram of a data packet transmission method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure applied to an uplink data packet. As shown in Figure 4 , the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps.

[0077] In S41, the UE establishes a control plane transmission path for data transmission. The following takes the UE establishing a control plane transmission path for uplink data transmission as an example, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0078] The UE establishes a control plane forwarding path for uplink data transmission, for example, refer to steps 1 to 4 in section 4.21.4 of TS 23.502 v18.3.0. The UE includes a PDU (Protocol Data Unit) session ID (identity) and an uplink data packet in this process.

[0079] Optionally, in the above process, when the UE sends an uplink data packet in S41, it may include a time parameter of the data packet (optionally, it may also include a data flow direction of the data packet, and the data flow direction indicates that the value of the time parameter is applicable to the uplink data packet and / or the downlink data packet). The time parameter is used to indicate information related to the transmission time of the data packet between the UE and the service server. For example, the time parameter may include the latest time (referred to as the latest arrival time) of the uplink data packet transmitted from the UE to the service server and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the uplink data packet from the UE to the service server and / or the latest arrival time and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the downlink data packet from the service server to the UE.

[0080] In this process, the SMF network element receives an uplink data packet. Optionally, the SMF network element also receives the time parameter of the data packet. Optionally, the data flow direction can be used to indicate whether the corresponding time parameter value applies to uplink data packets, downlink data packets, or both uplink and downlink data packets. When the time parameter is included but the data flow direction is not included, it can indicate that the time parameter applies to both uplink and downlink data packets.

[0081] Optionally, when the SMF network element receives a time parameter and the data flow direction indicates that the time parameter is applicable to an uplink data packet, the storage time information of the uplink data packet can also be determined based on the time parameter.

[0082] In some embodiments, when the UE sends an uplink data packet in the process, it may also carry the latest arrival time of the uplink data packet. Optionally, the SMF network element may determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the latest arrival time. For example, the SMF network element may record the time when the uplink data packet arrives at the SMF network element, and the SMF network element estimates the time required for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the SMF network element to the service server, and then determines the storage time information based on the time when the uplink data packet arrives at the SMF network element, the estimated required time, and the latest arrival time, that is, it can ensure that the uplink data packet can arrive at the service server before the latest arrival time.

[0083] In some embodiments, when the UE sends an uplink data packet in this process, it may also carry a timestamp and a maximum transmission delay. The timestamp indicates the time when the uplink data packet was sent from the UE. When the SMF network element receives the uplink data packet, it can calculate the time it took for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the UE to the SMF network element based on the timestamp and the time when the SMF network element received the uplink data packet. The SMF network element has the ability to estimate the time required for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the SMF network element to the service server. The SMF network element can obtain the storage time information of the uplink data packet in the storage function network element based on the maximum transmission delay, the time it took for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the UE to the SMF network element, and the estimated time required for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the SMF network element to the service server. For example, the SMF network element can subtract the time it took for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the UE to the SMF network element from the maximum transmission delay, and then subtract the time required for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the SMF network element to the service server to obtain the storage time information of the uplink data packet in the storage function network element. By allowing the uplink data packet sent by the UE to carry a timestamp to determine the method for storing the time information, the accuracy of the stored time information can be improved and the calculation process can be simplified.

[0084] In other embodiments, when the UE sends an uplink data packet in this process, it may also carry the maximum value of the transmission delay but not the timestamp. When the SMF network element receives the uplink data packet, it can estimate the time it has taken for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the UE to the SMF network element based on the spatial position of the SMF network element itself, taking into account the distance between the UE and the transmission speed of the uplink data packet. The SMF network element also has the ability to estimate the time required for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the SMF network element to the service server. The SMF network element can obtain the storage time information of the uplink data packet in the storage function network element based on the maximum value of the transmission delay, the estimated time it has taken for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the UE to the SMF network element, and the estimated time required for the uplink data packet to be transmitted from the SMF network element to the service server. By determining the method of storing the time information by allowing the uplink data packet sent by the UE to not carry a timestamp, the modification of the UE end can be reduced without increasing the transmission cost, making the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure more universal.

[0085] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the core network elements can be set on the same satellite, on the ground, or on different satellites. When the core network elements are set on the same satellite, the transmission delay of the uplink data packet between different core network elements is almost negligible. In this case, the transmission delay is mainly between the UE and the satellite. At this time, the distance between the UE and the satellite can be estimated based on the position of the UE and the position of the satellite. At high altitudes, the uplink data packet is transmitted at almost the speed of light, so the time it takes for the uplink data packet to be transmitted between the UE and the satellite can be estimated. When the core network element is on the ground, the distance between the UE and the core network element can be calculated, and the time it takes can also be estimated. When the core network elements are set on different satellites, the time it takes can be estimated based on the spatial position of the UE and the satellite serving as the base station, as well as the topological relationship between different satellites. In a similar manner, the time required for the uplink data packet to be transmitted between the core network element and the service server can be estimated.

[0086] In other embodiments, in order to more accurately calculate the retention time information of the uplink data packet, in S41, the SMF may obtain the currently used NR (New Radio) satellite access type. The SMF may determine the retention time information of the uplink data packet based on the currently used NR satellite access type and the received retention time parameter. The SMF may also send the currently used NR satellite access type to the UPF, and the UPF determines the retention time information of the uplink data packet based on the received current NR satellite access type and the received retention time parameter.

[0087] In the disclosed embodiment, the SMF may locally configure the currently used NR satellite access type. In other embodiments, the SMF may receive the currently used NR satellite access type from the AMF, and the AMF may determine the currently used NR satellite access type and send the currently used NR satellite access type to the SMF. Thus, when the currently accessed satellite changes or the satellite orbit changes, the SMF can still obtain the real-time current position of the satellite.

[0088] The currently used NR satellite access types may include low orbit, medium orbit and high orbit, etc. According to the currently used NR satellite access type, the current spatial position of the satellite can be determined more accurately, thereby more accurately estimating the above-mentioned time spent and required time.

[0089] In S42, the SMF sends the received uplink data packet to the UPF.

[0090] In some embodiments, when the SMF sends the received uplink data packet to the UPF, it may send the time parameters of the uplink data packet to the UPF, such as the latest arrival time that the uplink data packet needs to be transmitted to the service server, or the maximum value of the transmission delay. After the UPF receives the uplink data packet and its time parameters, it can determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet in the storage function network element based on the received time parameters, such as the latest forwarding time, the recommended forwarding time, etc. The way in which the UPF determines the storage time information based on the time parameters can refer to the above-mentioned way in which the SMF determines the storage time information based on the time parameters.

[0091] In other embodiments, the SMF may determine the storage time information based on the time parameter of the uplink data packet, and then send the storage time information to the UPF when sending the uplink data packet to the UPF.

[0092] When SMF sends an uplink data packet to UPF, it also sends the time parameters and / or storage time information of the uplink data packet to UPF. This allows different time parameters and / or storage time information to be set for each different uplink data packet, thereby making the storage time information configuration of the uplink data packet in the storage function network element more flexible.

[0093] In some other embodiments, the AF may also send time parameters of the service data packet (including uplink data packets and / or downlink data packets), such as the maximum transmission delay or the latest arrival time, to the NEF network element, and the NEF network element directly or indirectly sends the time parameters to the UPF. The UPF determines the storage time of the uplink data packet in the storage function network element (i.e., storage time information) based on the received time parameters, for example, obtaining the latest forwarding time or recommended forwarding time of the uplink data packet.

[0094] In other embodiments, the AF may also send time parameters of the service data packet, such as the maximum transmission delay or the latest arrival time, to the SMF. The SMF sends the time parameters to the UPF. The UPF determines the storage time of the service data packet in the storage function network element based on the received time parameters, that is, the storage time information.

[0095] In some further embodiments, the AF may also directly send the time parameters of the service data packet, such as the maximum transmission delay or the latest arrival time, to the UPF. The UPF determines the time to store the service data packet in the storage function network element, i.e., the storage time information, based on the received time parameters.

[0096] When the AF sends the time parameters directly or indirectly to the UPF, the AF may further include the data packet identification information of the service data packet, and / or the identification information of the AF, and / or the DNN, and / or the S-NSSAI and other information. The data packet identification information refers to information used to identify the service data packet that can be applied to the time parameters. The data packet identification information may include, for example, IP (Internet Protocol) five-tuple information or three-tuple information. The IP five-tuple information may include the source IP address, source port number, destination IP address, destination port number, and IP protocol. The IP three-tuple information may include the destination IP address, destination port number, and IP protocol. Among them:

[0097] - The AF identification information is used for the network to authenticate and authorize the AF.

[0098] The IP quintuple or triplet of the service data packet is used by the UPF to match the data packet information associated with the AF request. Specifically, the UPF directly or indirectly receives the IP quintuple or triplet and a time parameter from the AF and determines the retention time information based on the time parameter. When the UPF receives a service data packet, if the service data packet matches the IP quintuple or triplet transmitted by the AF, the UPF uses the corresponding retention time information for the received service data packet and stores it in the storage function network element.

[0099] In some embodiments, when the time parameters sent by the AF include the latest arrival time and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the uplink data packet transmitted from the UE to the service server, the AF may also directly or indirectly send a UE identifier and / or a UE group identifier to the SMF and / or UPF to indicate that the latest arrival time applies to the uplink data packet sent by the UE that matches the UE identifier, and / or, to indicate that the latest arrival time applies to the uplink data packet sent by the UE group (which may include at least one UE) that matches the UE group identifier.

[0100] By configuring the time parameters of service data packets through AF, batch setting of service data packets sent by UE and / or UE group can be achieved. The UE side does not need to send time parameters separately for each service data packet, thereby reducing the modification on the UE side and having higher compatibility.

[0101] In S43, the UPF sends the received uplink data packet to the storage function network element.

[0102] The UPF sends the received uplink data packet to the storage function network element. In addition, the UPF also sends the storage function network element the retention time information of the uplink data packet, which may include the latest forwarding time of the uplink data packet, or the recommended forwarding time, or the recommended retention time, or the maximum retention time.

[0103] In S44, the storage function network element stores the received uplink data packet according to the instruction of the UPF.

[0104] The storage function network element stores the received uplink data packet and determines the sending time based on the storage time information. If the latest forwarding time of the uplink data packet is also received in S43, the uplink data packet will be forwarded (sent to the UPF and / or service server) before the latest forwarding time. The specific sending time of the uplink data packet can be determined based on the capacity of the storage function network element itself and the forwarding requirements of each data packet (which may include uplink data packets and / or downlink data packets); if the recommended forwarding time of the uplink data packet is received in S43, the uplink data packet can be forwarded at the recommended forwarding time; if the recommended storage time of the uplink data packet is received in S43, the receiving time of the uplink data packet can be recorded at the same time, and the uplink data packet can be sent to the UPF and / or service server at the end of the recommended storage time; if the maximum storage time of the uplink data packet is received in S43, the receiving time of the uplink data packet can be recorded at the same time, and the uplink data packet can be sent to the UPF and / or service server before the maximum storage time ends.

[0105] In S45, the storage function network element sends the uplink data packet to the UPF.

[0106] If the storage function network element is shared by multiple UPFs, the storage function network element may record the identification information of the UPF from which the uplink data packet was received in S43, and when the sending time arrives, the uplink data packet received in S43 is sent to the UPF corresponding to the identification information of the UPF. If the storage function network element is unique to the UPF, the uplink data packet may be directly sent to the UPF and / or the service server when the sending time arrives. If the storage function network element can send the uplink data packet to the service server without passing through the UPF, then regardless of whether the storage function network element is shared by multiple UPFs or unique to the UPF, the storage function network element will send the uplink data packet to the service server when the sending time arrives.

[0107] Figure 5 schematically illustrates an interaction diagram of a data packet transmission method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure applied to a downlink data packet. As shown in Figure 5 , the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps.

[0108] It should be noted that the control plane transmission path established in S41 in the embodiment of Figure 4 is not limited to being used for transmitting uplink data, but can also be used for transmitting downlink data. The control plane transmission path established in S41 can be used in S57 of Figure 5.

[0109] Optionally, in the process of establishing a control plane transmission path by the UE, the UE may send the time parameters of the data packet to the SMF. The UE may also send the data flow direction of the time parameter to the SMF. The SMF may send the time parameters of the data packet (optionally, also including the data flow direction) to the UPF. After the UPF receives the time parameter (optionally, also including the data flow direction), if it is determined that the time parameter is applicable to the downlink data packet, the storage time information of the downlink data packet may be determined based on the time parameter. The time parameter of the downlink data packet may include the latest arrival time and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the downlink data packet from the service server / AF network element to the UE. The UPF may determine the storage time information of the downlink data packet based on the time parameter.

[0110] Optionally, the SMF may determine the storage time information of the downlink data packet according to the time parameter of the received downlink data packet, and then send the storage time information to the UPF.

[0111] In S52, the UPF receives a downlink data packet.

[0112] For example, the UPF may receive a downlink data packet from a service server. Optionally, when the service server sends the downlink data packet to the UPF, it may include a time parameter of the data packet (optionally, also including a data flow direction). The UPF may determine the storage time information of the downlink data packet based on the time parameter of the received data packet (optionally, also including a data flow direction).

[0113] In some further embodiments, the AF may also send the time parameters of the data packet (optionally, including the data flow direction) to the NEF, and the NEF sends the time parameters (optionally, including the data flow direction) directly or indirectly to the UPF. The UPF determines the storage time information of the downlink data packet in the storage function network element based on the received time parameters applicable to the downlink data packet. In some further embodiments, the AF may also directly send the time parameters of the data packet to the UPF. The UPF determines the storage time information of the uplink data packet in the storage function network element based on the received time parameters applicable to the uplink data packet.

[0114] In S53, the UPF sends the received downlink data packet to the storage function network element.

[0115] In addition, the UPF may also send the storage time information of the downlink data packet to the storage function network element. If multiple UPFs share the storage function network element, the UPF may also send the identification information of the UPF to the storage function network element.

[0116] In S54, the storage function network element stores the received downlink data packet according to the instruction of the UPF.

[0117] In addition, the storage function network element also stores the storage time information of the received downlink data packet, and determines the sending time of the downlink data packet according to the storage time information of the received downlink data packet.

[0118] In S55, the storage function network element sends the downlink data packet to the UPF.

[0119] The storage function network element sends the downlink data packet to the outside according to the determined sending time when the sending time arrives. Here, sending to the UPF is used as an example, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The storage function network element can also send the downlink data packet to the UE without going through the UPF.

[0120] In S56, the UPF sends the downlink data packet to the SMF.

[0121] After receiving the downlink data packet from the storage function network element, the UPF sends the downlink data packet to the SMF.

[0122] In S57, the SMF sends the downlink data packet to the UE through the control plane transmission path.

[0123] The data packet transmission method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure combines the control plane and the user plane. On the one hand, air interface resources can be saved by establishing a control plane transmission path to realize the transmission of service data packets. On the other hand, by adding a storage function network element on the user plane to store service data packets that are not sensitive to delay, the UPF can give priority to transmitting service data packets with urgent delays to meet the normal response requirements of different services.

[0124] Figure 6 schematically illustrates an interaction diagram of a data packet transmission method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure applied to an uplink data packet. As shown in Figure 6, the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps.

[0125] In S61 , the UE establishes a PDU session.

[0126] The UE establishes a PDU session, for example, referring to steps 1 to 14 of Figure 4.3.2.2.1-1 in section 4.3.2.2.1 of TS23.502v18.3.0.

[0127] In the above process, the SMF network element determines whether to instruct the UPF network element that the PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session needs to perform a store-and-forward operation, or activate the store-and-forward mode for the PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session. SMF is based on the configuration information of the SMF, or based on the DNN, S-NSSAI, SSC Mode and other parameters of the PDU session, or the application function AF indicates that the service is a delay-insensitive service, or the policy information of the policy control function network element PCF, etc. If the SMF network element confirms that it needs to instruct the UPF network element that the PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session needs to perform a store-and-forward operation, or activate the store-and-forward mode for the PDU session or the QoS flow of the PDU session, it will send relevant indication information to the UPF network element. The UPF network element determines whether the data packet needs to perform a store-and-forward operation based on the indication information of the SMF.

[0128] Optionally, in the above process, the UE may include the time parameters of the data packet (optionally, also including the data flow direction) when initiating the establishment of the PDU session, such as the maximum transmission delay and / or the latest arrival time to the service server. After the SMF receives the time parameter (optionally, also including the data flow direction), it may send the time parameter of the data packet (optionally, also including the data flow direction) to the UPF in the process. After the UPF receives the time parameter (optionally, also including the data flow direction), it may determine the time parameter applicable to the uplink data packet based on whether it carries the data flow direction or based on the data flow direction, and determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameter applicable to the uplink data packet. For example, when the UPF receives the uplink data packet sent by the UE, it will calculate the latest forwarding time of the uplink data packet based on the maximum storage time sent by the SMF, or the recommended forwarding time, or the recommended storage time, or the maximum storage time. And send the storage time information and the uplink data packet to the storage function network element. In other embodiments, to support the UPF in more accurately calculating the retention time information of the uplink data packet, the SMF may also send the currently used NR satellite access type to the UPF during this process. The UPF may determine the retention time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameter and the currently used NR satellite access type.

[0129] Optionally, when the time parameters of the UE's data packet are to be updated, the UE may initiate a PDU session update process, in which the updated time parameters of the UE's data packet are included. The SMF or UPF may determine the updated storage time information based on the updated time parameters.

[0130] In other embodiments, when the UE initiates the establishment of a PDU session in S61, the UE may include the time parameters of the data packet of the UE. The SMF calculates the storage time information of the uplink data packet, such as the maximum storage duration, based on the time parameters and the current NR satellite access type, and sends the storage time information, such as the maximum storage duration, to the UPF.

[0131] In addition, the application function AF may also send the time parameters of the service data packet, such as the maximum value of the transmission delay (optionally, also including the data flow direction) to the NEF, and the NEF sends the time parameters, such as the maximum value of the transmission delay (optionally, also including the data flow direction) directly or indirectly to the UPF. The UPF further determines the time for the uplink data packet to be stored in the storage function network element based on the time parameter (optionally, also including the data flow direction), or further obtains the latest forwarding time of each uplink data packet, or the recommended forwarding time. The application function AF may also directly send the time parameters of the service data packet (optionally, also including the data flow direction), such as the maximum value of the transmission delay, to the UPF. The AF may also further include the IP five-tuple information of the service data packet, and / or the identification information of the AF. The identification information of the AF is used for the network to authenticate and authenticate the AF; the IP five-tuple information of the service data packet is used by the UPF to match the data packet information related to the AF request.

[0132] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, by establishing or updating the PDU session process and sending the time parameters to the SMF or UPF, batch setting of the storage time information of the uplink data packets can be achieved, reducing the modification on the UE side and improving compatibility.

[0133] In S62, the UE sends an uplink data packet to the UPF through the base station.

[0134] After the PDU session is established, the UE sends an uplink data packet to the base station. After receiving the uplink data packet sent by the UE, the base station sends the uplink data packet to the UPF. The UPF receives the uplink data packet from the base station.

[0135] Optionally, when the UE sends an uplink data packet to the UPF through the base station, it can also carry the time parameters of the data packet (optionally, also including the data flow direction). The UPF can determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameters of the data packet (optionally, also including the data flow direction). When the UE carries the time parameters of the data packet when sending an uplink data packet to the UPF through the base station, it can be implemented to set a separate time parameter for each data packet, making the time parameters of the data packet more flexible.

[0136] In S63, the UPF sends the received uplink data packet to the storage function network element.

[0137] In S63, the UPF sends the uplink data packet received in S62 to the storage function network element, and at the same time determines the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameters of the data packet indicated by the SMF, such as the maximum transmission delay (optionally, also including the data flow direction), such as the latest forwarding time, or the recommended forwarding time, or the recommended storage time, or the maximum storage time. Alternatively, the UPF receives the uplink data packet and its storage time information from the SMF. Alternatively, the UPF determines the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameters (optionally, also including the data flow direction) received directly or indirectly from the AF.

[0138] The UPF sends the storage time information of the uplink data packet to the storage function network element. If multiple UPFs share the same storage function network element, the UPF also sends its identification information to the storage function network element.

[0139] In S64, the storage function network element stores the received uplink data packet according to the instruction of the UPF.

[0140] In S64, the storage function network element stores the received uplink data packet and the storage time information of the uplink data packet, and determines the sending time of the uplink data packet according to the storage time information.

[0141] In S65, the storage function network element sends the uplink data packet to the UPF.

[0142] If the latest forwarding time of the uplink data packet is received in S63, the uplink data packet can be forwarded before the latest forwarding time, and the specific sending time of the uplink data packet can be determined based on the capacity of the storage function network element itself and the forwarding requirements of each data packet; if the recommended forwarding time of the uplink data packet is received in S63, the uplink data packet can be forwarded at the recommended forwarding time; if the recommended storage time of the uplink data packet is received in S63, the receiving time of the uplink data packet can be recorded at the same time, and the uplink data packet can be sent to the UPF or the service server at the end of the recommended storage time; if the maximum storage time of the uplink data packet is received in S63, the receiving time of the uplink data packet can be recorded at the same time, and the uplink data packet can be sent to the UPF or the service server before the maximum storage time ends.

[0143] If the storage function network element sends the uplink data packet received in S63 to the UPF, the UPF sends the uplink data packet to the outside.

[0144] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the SMF network element may receive time parameters of data packets from the UE side or the NEF network element or the AF network element. The time parameters may include transmission time parameters of uplink data packets and / or downlink data packets. The transmission time parameter of an uplink data packet refers to the latest arrival time and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the uplink data packet transmitted from the UE to the service server. The transmission time parameter of a downlink data packet refers to the latest arrival time and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the downlink data packet transmitted from the service server / AF network element to the UE. If the transmission time parameter does not indicate whether it is applicable to uplink data packets or downlink data packets, it means that the transmission time parameter can be used for both uplink data packets and downlink data packets. The transmission time parameter can be implemented in the following two ways, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0145] In some embodiments, the SMF network element may receive the uplink time parameter of the uplink data packet and / or the downlink time parameter of the downlink data packet from the UE side or the NEF network element or the AF network element. The uplink time parameter refers to the latest arrival time and / or the maximum transmission delay of the uplink data packet transmitted from the UE to the service server. The downlink time parameter refers to the latest arrival time and / or the maximum transmission delay of the downlink data packet transmitted from the service server / AF network element to the UE.

[0146] In other embodiments, the SMF network element may receive a time parameter (optionally including the data flow direction of the time parameter) from the UE side or the NEF network element or the AF network element. The data flow direction of the time parameter is used to indicate that the time parameter is applicable to uplink data packets or downlink data packets, or to both uplink data packets and downlink data packets. If the SMF network element only receives the time parameter but does not receive the data flow direction, it may indicate that the time parameter is applicable to both uplink data packets and downlink data packets. The time parameter applicable to the uplink data packet refers to the latest arrival time and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the uplink data packet transmitted from the UE to the service server. The time parameter applicable to the downlink data packet refers to the latest arrival time and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay of the downlink data packet transmitted from the service server / AF network element to the UE.

[0147] Figure 7 schematically shows an interaction diagram of a data packet transmission method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure applied to a downlink data packet. As shown in Figure 7, the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps.

[0148] In S71 , the UE establishes a PDU session.

[0149] In S72, the UPF receives a downlink data packet.

[0150] In S73, the UPF sends the received downlink data packet to the storage function network element. In addition, the UPF also sends the storage time information of the downlink data packet to the storage function network element. The determination of the storage time information of the downlink data packet can refer to the above embodiment.

[0151] In S74, the storage function network element stores the received downlink data packet according to the instruction of the UPF. The storage function network element also receives the storage time information of the downlink data packet and determines the sending time of the downlink data packet according to the storage time information.

[0152] In S75, the storage function network element sends the downlink data packet to the UPF. The storage function network element sends the downlink data packet to the UPF at the sending time. In other embodiments, the storage function network element may also send the downlink data packet to the base station.

[0153] In S76, the UPF sends the downlink data packet to the UE through the base station.

[0154] The UPF sends the downlink data packet received from the storage function network element to the base station, and the base station forwards the downlink data packet to the UE. Alternatively, the base station forwards the downlink data packet received from the storage function network element to the UE.

[0155] In the current communication network system, communication between the core network and mobile terminals can be achieved through satellite links. However, since satellite links usually bring high latency, if the latency requirements of certain services of the terminal are not met, the services will not respond normally. For example, in some special cases, when the terminal is located in remote areas such as isolated islands, isolated forests, and mountainous areas, a satellite link is required. If strict low-latency service quality standards are followed, the satellite link may not be able to respond to certain services and thus cannot meet actual needs. The data packet transmission method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to user-side data processing in a satellite and mobile network fusion system. For the fusion system of satellite and mobile communication networks, considering that satellite transmission resources are relatively scarce, by storing and forwarding data of delay-insensitive services, limited transmission resources can be used to achieve effective scheduling of service data.

[0156] FIG8 schematically illustrates a flow chart of a data packet transmission method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The method provided in the embodiment of FIG8 can be executed by a user plane function network element, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG8 , the method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can include the following steps.

[0157] In S810 , a data packet is received.

[0158] In an exemplary embodiment, the data packet includes an uplink data packet, wherein receiving the data packet includes: receiving the uplink data packet from a session management function network element.

[0159] In an exemplary embodiment, the data packet includes an uplink data packet, wherein receiving the data packet includes: receiving the uplink data packet from a base station.

[0160] In an exemplary embodiment, the base station is any one of a base station with New Radio Satellite Access (NR Satellite access) technology, a base station deployed on a satellite, and a base station using a satellite link as backhaul.

[0161] In S820, the storage time information of the data packet is determined, and the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet are sent to the storage function network element to instruct the storage function network element to store the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet, and determine the sending time of the data packet according to the storage time information, and send the data packet to the outside at the sending time.

[0162] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: receiving the storage time information of the uplink data packet from a session management function network element.

[0163] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the storage time information of a data packet includes: receiving time parameters of the data packet from a session management function network element, the time parameters including the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; and determining the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameters of the data packet.

[0164] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the storage time information of a data packet includes: receiving time parameters of a data packet from a session management function network element in a protocol data unit session establishment or update process, the time parameters including the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; and determining the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameters of the data packet.

[0165] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the time parameter of the data packet includes: receiving current satellite access type information from a session management function network element; and determining the storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the current satellite access type information and the time parameter.

[0166] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: receiving the storage time information of the uplink data packet from a session management function network element in a protocol data unit session establishment or update process.

[0167] In an exemplary embodiment, the uplink data packet carries a time parameter, wherein determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: determining the storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the time parameter carried by the uplink data packet.

[0168] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the storage time information of a data packet includes: directly or indirectly obtaining the time parameters of the data packet and the data packet identification information from the application function network element; if the data packet matches the data packet identification information, determining the time parameters of the data packet as the time parameters of the data packet, the time parameters including the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; and determining the storage time information of the data packet based on the time parameters of the data packet.

[0169] In an exemplary embodiment, determining the storage time information of a data packet, and sending the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet to a storage function network element includes: receiving indication information; judging whether to determine the storage time information of the data packet based on the indication information, and sending the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet to the storage function network element.

[0170] For other contents of the embodiment of FIG8 , reference may be made to the above embodiments.

[0171] FIG9 schematically illustrates a flow chart of a method for transmitting a data packet according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The method provided in the embodiment of FIG9 can be executed by a terminal, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG9 , the method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can include the following steps.

[0172] In S910 , in establishing a control plane forwarding path for uplink data transmission, an uplink data packet is sent to a session management function network element, so that the session management function network element sends the uplink data packet to a user plane function network element.

[0173] The user plane functional network element is used to receive an uplink data packet and determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet, and send the uplink data packet and the storage time information of the uplink data packet to the storage functional network element.

[0174] In an exemplary embodiment, the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure further includes: sending time parameters of the uplink data packet to the session management function network element, the time parameters including the latest arrival time and / or maximum transmission delay of the uplink data packet transmitted from the terminal to the service server.

[0175] In an exemplary embodiment, sending the time parameter of the uplink data packet to the session management function network element includes: carrying the time parameter of the uplink data packet in the uplink data packet and sending it to the session management function network element.

[0176] In an exemplary embodiment, sending the time parameter of the uplink data packet to the session management function network element includes: sending the time parameter of the uplink data packet to the session management function network element in a protocol data unit session establishment or update process.

[0177] For other contents of the embodiment of FIG. 9 , reference may be made to the above embodiments.

[0178] Figure 10 schematically shows a flow chart of a data packet transmission method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The method provided in Figure 10 can be executed by a terminal, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As shown in Figure 10, the method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can include the following steps.

[0179] In S1010 , a process of establishing or updating a protocol data unit session is initiated.

[0180] In S1020, the uplink data packet is sent to the user plane functional network element through the base station.

[0181] The user plane functional network element is used to receive an uplink data packet and determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet, and send the uplink data packet and the storage time information of the uplink data packet to the storage functional network element.

[0182] In an exemplary embodiment, the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure also includes: in the process of establishing or updating a protocol data unit session, sending the time parameters of the uplink data packet to the session management function network element, the time parameters including the latest arrival time of the uplink data packet transmitted from the terminal to the service server and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay.

[0183] In an exemplary embodiment, when an uplink data packet is sent to a user plane function network element through a base station, the uplink data packet carries a time parameter of the uplink data packet.

[0184] For other contents of the embodiment of FIG10 , reference may be made to the above embodiments.

[0185] FIG11 schematically shows a block diagram of a storage function network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The storage function network element 1100 in the user plane of the mobile core network shown in FIG10 may include a receiving unit 1110 , a storage unit 1120 , a processing unit 1130 , and a sending unit 1140 .

[0186] The receiving unit 1110 is configured to receive a data packet and its retention time information from a user plane functional network element. The storage unit 1120 is configured to store the data packet and its retention time information. The processing unit 1130 is configured to determine a transmission time for the data packet based on the retention time information. The transmitting unit 1140 is configured to transmit the data packet at the transmission time.

[0187] In an exemplary embodiment, the functionality of the storage function network element is integrated into the user plane function network element.

[0188] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 1130 is also used to: if the storage time information includes the latest forwarding time of the data packet, then determine the sending time of the data packet based on the capacity of the storage function network element and / or the forwarding requirements of the data packets stored in the storage function network element, and the sending time is earlier than the latest forwarding time; if the storage time information includes the recommended forwarding time of the data packet, then determine the sending time based on the recommended forwarding time; if the storage time information includes the recommended storage time of the data packet, then record the receiving time of the data packet from the user plane function network element, and determine the sending time based on the recommended storage time and the receiving time; if the storage time information includes the maximum storage time of the data packet, then record the receiving time of the data packet, and determine the sending time based on the maximum storage time and the receiving time.

[0189] In an exemplary embodiment, if the storage function network element is shared by multiple user plane function network elements, the storage function network element 1100 further includes: a recording unit configured to record identification information of the user plane function network element that sends the data packet. The sending unit 1140 is further configured to send the data packet to the user plane function network element corresponding to the identification information at the sending time.

[0190] For other contents of the storage function network element provided in the embodiment of FIG11 , reference can be made to the other embodiments described above.

[0191] FIG12 schematically shows a block diagram of a user plane function network element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG12 , the user plane function network element 1200 provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a receiving unit 1210 , a processing unit 1220 , and a sending unit 1230 .

[0192] Receiving unit 1210 receives a data packet. Processing unit 1220 determines the retention time information of the data packet. Transmitting unit 1230 transmits the data packet and the retention time information of the data packet to a storage function network element, instructing the storage function network element to store the data packet and the retention time information of the data packet, determine a transmission time of the data packet based on the retention time information, and transmit the data packet at the transmission time.

[0193] In an exemplary embodiment, the data packet includes an uplink data packet, wherein the receiving unit 1210 is further configured to receive the uplink data packet from a session management function network element.

[0194] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 1220 is further configured to receive storage time information of the uplink data packet from the session management function network element.

[0195] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 1220 is also used to receive time parameters of a data packet from a session management function network element, where the time parameters include the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; and determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameters of the data packet.

[0196] In an exemplary embodiment, the data packet includes an uplink data packet, wherein the receiving unit 1210 is further configured to receive an uplink data packet from a base station.

[0197] In an exemplary embodiment, the base station is any one of a base station with a new air interface satellite access technology, a base station deployed on a satellite, and a base station using a satellite link as a backhaul.

[0198] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 1220 is also used to receive time parameters of a data packet from a session management function network element during a protocol data unit session establishment or update process, where the time parameters include the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; and determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet based on the time parameters of the data packet.

[0199] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 1220 is further configured to receive current satellite access type information from a session management function network element; and determine storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the current satellite access type information and a time parameter.

[0200] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 1220 is further configured to receive storage time information of uplink data packets from a session management function network element during a protocol data unit session establishment or update process.

[0201] In an exemplary embodiment, the uplink data packet carries a time parameter, wherein the processing unit 1220 is further configured to determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the time parameter carried by the uplink data packet.

[0202] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit 1220 is also used to directly or indirectly obtain the time parameters of the data packet and the data packet identification information from the application function network element; if the data packet matches the data packet identification information, the time parameters of the data packet are determined as the time parameters of the data packet, and the time parameters include the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; based on the time parameters of the data packet, the storage time information of the data packet is determined.

[0203] For other contents of the user plane functional network element provided in the embodiment of FIG12 , reference may be made to the other embodiments described above.

[0204] Figure 13 schematically illustrates a block diagram of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Terminal 1300 provided in the embodiment of Figure 13 may include a sending unit 1310. Sending unit 1310 is configured to send an uplink data packet to a session management function network element during establishment of a control plane forwarding path for uplink data transmission, so that the session management function network element sends the uplink data packet to a user plane function network element. The user plane function network element is configured to receive the uplink data packet, determine the retention time information for the uplink data packet, and send the uplink data packet and the retention time information to a storage function network element.

[0205] In an exemplary embodiment, the sending unit 1310 is further configured to send time parameters of the data packet to the session management function network element, where the time parameters include the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay.

[0206] In an exemplary embodiment, the sending unit 1310 is further configured to carry the time parameter of the data packet in an uplink data packet and send the data packet to the session management function network element.

[0207] In an exemplary embodiment, the sending unit 1310 is further configured to send a time parameter of a data packet to a session management function network element in a protocol data unit session establishment or update process.

[0208] For other contents of the terminal provided in the embodiment of FIG13 , reference may be made to the other embodiments described above.

[0209] Figure 14 schematically illustrates a block diagram of a terminal according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The terminal 1400 provided in the embodiment of Figure 14 may include a processing unit 1410 and a sending unit 1420. Processing unit 1410 is configured to initiate a process for establishing or updating a protocol data unit session. Sending unit 1420 is configured to send an uplink data packet to a user plane functional network element via a base station. The user plane functional network element is configured to receive an uplink data packet, determine the retention time information for the uplink data packet, and send the uplink data packet and the retention time information for the uplink data packet to a storage functional network element.

[0210] In an exemplary embodiment, the sending unit 1420 is further configured to send time parameters of a data packet to a session management function network element during a process of establishing or updating a protocol data unit session, wherein the time parameters include the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay.

[0211] In an exemplary embodiment, when an uplink data packet is sent to a user plane function network element through a base station, the uplink data packet carries a time parameter.

[0212] For other contents of the terminal provided in the embodiment of FIG14 , reference may be made to the other embodiments described above.

[0213] Figure 15 schematically illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The communication device may be a terminal, such as a UE, or a network device, such as a base station, or a PCF network element, NEF network element, AF network element, SMF network element, UPF network element, and / or storage function network element. The communication device 1500 shown in Figure 15 includes a processor 1510, which may call and execute a computer program from a memory to implement the method in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0214] Optionally, as shown in FIG15 , the communication device 1500 may further include a memory 1520. The processor 1510 may call and execute a computer program from the memory 1520 to implement the method in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0215] The memory 1520 may be a separate device independent of the processor 1510 , or may be integrated into the processor 1510 .

[0216] Optionally, as shown in FIG15 , the communication device 1500 may further include a transceiver 1530 , and the processor 1510 may control the transceiver 1530 to communicate with other devices, specifically, to send information or data to other devices, or to receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0217] The transceiver 1530 may include a transmitter (which may be used as the transmitting unit in the above embodiment) and a receiver (which may be used as the receiving unit in the above embodiment). The transceiver 1530 may further include an antenna, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

[0218] Optionally, the communication device 1500 may specifically be various network elements of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the communication device 1500 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by each network element in each method of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0219] Optionally, the communication device 1500 may specifically be a mobile terminal / terminal of an embodiment of the present disclosure, and the communication device 1500 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal in each method of the embodiment of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0220] Optionally, the processor 1510 , the memory 1520 , and the transceiver 1530 may implement bidirectional communication with each other via the communication bus 1540 .

[0221] The method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to the 5G network and satellite system fusion system shown in any of the embodiments in Figures 16 to 18 below.

[0222] As shown in FIG16 , a 5G network and satellite system convergence system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a UE 1610, a base station (e.g., a gNB) 1620, a satellite 1630, a signal observation station 1640, and a 5G Core (5G Core) 1650. UE 1610 communicates with base station 1620, which is located on the ground. Satellite 1630 is used to backhaul downlink data packets to base station 1620 and / or uplink data packets to 5GC 1650. Optionally, communication between satellite 1630 and 5GC 1650 may also be conducted through signal observation station 1640.

[0223] As shown in Figure 17 , an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a 5G network and satellite system convergence system that may include UE A 1710, UE B 1720, a satellite 1730, a ground gateway (Ground GW (gateway)) 1740, and a 5G GC 1750. In the embodiment of Figure 17 , the functions of a base station (e.g., a gNB) and a UPF can be deployed on satellite 1730 to implement NR satellite access and UPF onboarding. UE A 1710 and UE B 1720 communicate with satellite 1730, which in turn communicates with ground gateway 1740, which in turn communicates with 5G GC 1750.

[0224] As shown in Figure 18 , an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a 5G network and satellite system convergence system that may include UE A 1810, UE B 1820, a satellite 1830, and a terrestrial gateway 1840. In the embodiment of Figure 18 , base station (e.g., gNB) and core network functions may be located on satellite 1830 to implement NR satellite access, with the core network located on the satellite. UE A 1810 and UE B 1820 communicate with satellite 1830, which in turn communicates with terrestrial gateway 1840.

[0225] It should be understood that the processor of the embodiment of the present disclosure may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During implementation, each step of the above method embodiment may be completed by hardware integrated logic circuits in the processor or software instructions.

[0226] The above-mentioned processor can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component. The various methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented or executed. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can also be any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure can be directly embodied as being executed by a hardware decoding processor, or can be executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can be located in a mature storage medium in the art, such as a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory, or an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register, etc. The storage medium is located in the memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and completes the steps of the above-mentioned method in combination with its hardware.

[0227] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory of the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory. It should be understood that the above-mentioned memory is provided by way of example and not limitation.

[0228] The embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program.

[0229] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to each network element in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the computer program enables the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by each network element in each method of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0230] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the computer program enables the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal in the various methods of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they are not repeated here.

[0231] An embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a computer program product, including computer program instructions.

[0232] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to each network element in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the computer program instructions enable the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by each network element in each method of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0233] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the computer program instructions enable the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal in the various methods of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they are not repeated here.

[0234] The embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a computer program.

[0235] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to each network element in the embodiments of the present disclosure. When the computer program runs on a computer, the computer executes the corresponding processes implemented by each network element in the various methods of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0236] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal in the embodiments of the present disclosure. When the computer program runs on the computer, the computer executes the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal in the various methods of the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, they are not repeated here.

[0237] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0238] 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.

[0239] In the several embodiments provided in this disclosure, 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 illustrative. For example, the division of the units described is merely a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used, such as combining or integrating multiple units or components into another system, or omitting or not implementing certain features.

[0240] 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 these units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0241] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0242] If the functions are implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present disclosure, or the part that contributes to the prior art or the part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present disclosure. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, 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.

[0243] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, but the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should be included in the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A data packet transmission method, characterized in that: The method is performed by a storage function network element in a user plane of a mobile core network, and the method includes: receiving a data packet and storage time information of the data packet from a user plane functional network element; storing the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet; Determining a sending time of the data packet according to the storage time information; The data packet is sent externally at the sending time.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The function of the storage function network element is integrated in the user plane function network element.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Determining the sending time of the data packet according to the storage time information includes: If the storage time information includes the latest forwarding time of the data packet, the sending time of the data packet is determined according to the capacity of the storage function network element and / or the forwarding requirement of the data packet stored in the storage function network element, and the sending time is earlier than the latest forwarding time; If the storage time information includes a recommended forwarding time of the data packet, determining the sending time according to the recommended forwarding time; If the storage time information includes a recommended storage time of the data packet, recording a reception time of the data packet from the user plane functional network element, and determining the sending time according to the recommended storage time and the reception time; If the storage time information includes the maximum storage time of the data packet, the receiving time of the data packet is recorded, and the sending time is determined according to the maximum storage time and the receiving time.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: If the storage function network element is shared by multiple user plane function network elements, the method further includes: Recording the identification information of the user plane function network element that sends the data packet; Wherein, sending the data packet to the outside at the sending time includes: The data packet is sent to the user plane function network element corresponding to the identification information at the sending time.

5. A data packet transmission method, characterized in that: The method is performed by a user plane function network element, and the method includes: Receive data packets; Determine the storage time information of the data packet, and send the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet to the storage function network element to instruct the storage function network element to store the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet, and determine the sending time of the data packet according to the saving time information, and send the data packet to the outside at the sending time.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The data packets include uplink data packets; The receiving of the data packet comprises: The uplink data packet is received from a session management function network element.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that Determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: The storage time information of the uplink data packet is received from the session management function network element.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that Determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: receiving a time parameter of a data packet from the session management function network element, the time parameter including a latest arrival time of the data packet and / or a maximum value of a transmission delay; Determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the time parameter of the data packet.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The data packets include uplink data packets; The receiving of the data packet comprises: The uplink data packet is received from a base station.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The base station is any one of a base station with new air interface satellite access technology, a base station deployed on a satellite, and a base station using a satellite link as backhaul.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: Determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: In a protocol data unit session establishment or update process, receiving time parameters of a data packet from a session management function network element, the time parameters including the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; Determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the time parameter of the data packet.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that Determining the storage time information of the uplink data packet according to the time parameter of the data packet includes: receiving current satellite access type information from the session management function network element; The storage time information of the uplink data packet is determined according to the current satellite access type information and the time parameter.

13. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: Determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: In a protocol data unit session establishment or update process, the storage time information of the uplink data packet is received from a session management function network element.

14. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that The uplink data packet carries a time parameter; Wherein, determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: The storage time information of the uplink data packet is determined according to the time parameter carried by the uplink data packet.

15. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Determining the storage time information of the data packet includes: directly or indirectly obtain the time parameters and identification information of the data packet from the application function network element; If the data packet matches the data packet identification information, determining the time parameter of the data packet as the time parameter of the data packet, the time parameter including the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay; Determine the storage time information of the data packet according to the time parameter of the data packet.

16. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that Determining the storage time information of the data packet, and sending the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet to a storage function network element, including: receiving instruction information; Determine whether to determine the storage time information of the data packet according to the indication information, and send the data packet and the storage time information of the data packet to the storage function network element.

17. A data packet transmission method, characterized in that: The method is executed by a terminal, and includes: In establishing a control plane forwarding path for uplink data transmission, sending an uplink data packet to a session management function network element, so that the session management function network element sends the uplink data packet to a user plane function network element; The user plane functional network element is used to receive the uplink data packet and determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet, and send the uplink data packet and the storage time information of the uplink data packet to the storage functional network element.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that Also includes: The time parameters of the data packet are sent to the session management function network element, where the time parameters include the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that Sending the time parameter of the data packet to the session management function network element includes: The time parameter of the data packet is carried in the uplink data packet and sent to the session management function network element.

20. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that Sending the time parameter of the data packet to the session management function network element includes: The time parameter of sending the data packet to the session management function network element in the protocol data unit session establishment or update process.

21. A data packet transmission method, characterized in that: The method is executed by a terminal, and includes: Initiate the process of establishing or updating a protocol data unit session; Sending uplink data packets to user plane functional network elements through base stations; The user plane functional network element is used to receive the uplink data packet and determine the storage time information of the uplink data packet, and send the uplink data packet and the storage time information of the uplink data packet to the storage functional network element.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that Also includes: In the process of establishing or updating the protocol data unit session, the time parameters of the data packet are sent to the session management function network element, and the time parameters include the latest arrival time of the data packet and / or the maximum value of the transmission delay.

23. The method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that When the uplink data packet is sent to the user plane functional network element through the base station, the uplink data packet carries the time parameter.

24. A communication device, characterized in that: include: one or more processors; A memory configured to store one or more programs, which, when executed by the one or more processors, enables the communication device to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4; or The method according to any one of claims 5 to 16; or The method according to any one of claims 17 to 20; or A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23.

25. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that: When the computer program is run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4; or The method according to any one of claims 5 to 16; or The method according to any one of claims 17 to 20; or A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23.

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