Communication method and apparatus, computer-readable medium, and electronic device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus, a computer-readable medium, and an electronic device. The communication method is executed by a first network element, and the communication method comprises: generating a first message, the first message comprising quality of service (QoS) monitoring related information of the first network element; and sending the first message to a second network element so as to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element with the second network element. The technical solution of the embodiments of the present application can avoid the problem of being unable to predict whether QoS monitoring can be performed when a QoS-sensitive service is processed, thereby improving the reliability and the processing performance of key services such as the QoS-sensitive service.

Description

Communication method, device, computer-readable medium, and electronic device

[0001] Priority information

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 12, 2023, with application number 202311710490X and application name “Communication Method, Device, Computer-readable Medium and Electronic Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of computers and communication technologies, and in particular to a communication method, device, computer-readable medium, and electronic device. Background Art

[0004] With the increasing diversity of services in mobile communication networks, QoS (Quality of Service) monitoring capabilities are crucial for meeting diverse service requirements and improving network performance. This is particularly true with the introduction of high-bandwidth, QoS-sensitive services such as XR (Extended Reality) and XRM (XR and Media Services), as well as support for scenarios such as industrial control and remote driving.

[0005] In actual network deployments, since the QoS monitoring-related information between RAN (Radio Access Network) side devices and core network devices may be different, it will lead to unsupported issues after initiating end-to-end QoS monitoring requirements, which in turn affects the reliability and processing performance of such critical multimedia services.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, device, computer-readable medium and electronic device, which can avoid the problem of being unable to predict whether QoS monitoring can be performed when processing QoS-sensitive services, and are conducive to improving the reliability and processing performance of critical services such as QoS-sensitive services.

[0008] Other features and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part by practice of the present application.

[0009] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which is executed by a first network element, and the communication method includes: generating a first message, the first message including service quality QoS monitoring related information of the first network element; sending the first message to a second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element with the second network element.

[0010] In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which is applied to a first network element, and the communication device includes: a generating unit, configured to generate a first message, the first message including service quality QoS monitoring related information of the first network element; a sending unit, configured to send the first message to a second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element with the second network element.

[0011] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the communication method as described in the above embodiment is implemented.

[0012] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; a storage device for storing one or more computer programs, wherein when the one or more computer programs are executed by the one or more processors, the electronic device implements the communication method described in the above embodiment.

[0013] In a fifth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product, comprising a computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of an electronic device reads and executes the computer program from the computer-readable storage medium, causing the electronic device to perform the communication methods provided in the various optional embodiments described above.

[0014] In the technical solutions provided in some embodiments of the present application, the first network element generates a first message containing its own QoS monitoring-related information, and then sends the first message to the second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring-related information of the first network element with the second network element, so that the QoS monitoring-related information can be synchronized between network elements, thereby avoiding the problem of being unable to predict whether QoS monitoring can be performed when processing QoS-sensitive services, which is conducive to improving the reliability and processing performance of critical services such as QoS-sensitive services, thereby better meeting the needs of real-time control and data transmission.

[0015] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary system architecture to which the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied;

[0017] FIG2 shows a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] FIG3 shows a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] FIG4 shows a schematic diagram of a 5G network key network element architecture;

[0020] FIG5 shows a flowchart of synchronizing QoS monitoring capability information between a gNB and a 5GC network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG6 shows a flow chart of establishing a PDU session;

[0022] FIG7 shows a block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG8 shows a schematic structural diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Example embodiments will now be described in a more complete manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the example embodiments can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to these examples; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete and to fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0025] In addition, the features, structures or characteristics described in the present application may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. In the following description, there are many specific details so that the embodiments of the present application can be fully understood. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that when implementing the technical solution of the present application, it is not necessary to use all the detailed features in the embodiments, one or more specific details may be omitted, or other methods, elements, devices, steps, etc. may be adopted.

[0026] In the embodiments of the present application, 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.

[0027] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically separate entities. That is, these functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0028] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily include all contents and operations / steps, nor must they be executed in the order described. For example, some operations / steps may be decomposed, while others may be combined or partially combined. Therefore, the actual execution order may vary depending on the actual situation.

[0029] It should be noted that the term "plurality" used in this document refers to two or more. "And / or" describes a relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A alone, A and B together, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between the associated objects.

[0030] The development of 5G (fifth-generation mobile communication technology) and its subsequent evolutionary systems (such as 5G-A and 6G) ​​has enabled the application of many multimedia services that require high data volumes and short latency. Examples include cloud gaming, VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), MR (mixed reality), XR, and CR (cinematic reality), among other interactive services.

[0031] For example, in the cloud gaming scenario shown in FIG1 , the cloud server 101 is used to run the cloud game. The cloud server 101 can render the game screen, encode the audio signal and the rendered image, and finally transmit the encoded data obtained by the encoding process to each game client via the network. The game client can be a user device (User Equipment) with basic streaming media playback capabilities, human-computer interaction capabilities, and communication capabilities, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, laptop computer, desktop computer, smart TV, smart home, car terminal, aircraft, etc.; or the game client can be an application running on a terminal device. Specifically, the game client can decode the encoded data transmitted by the cloud server 101 to obtain an analog audio and video signal and play it.

[0032] It should be understood that FIG1 is only an exemplary representation of the system architecture of the cloud gaming system and does not limit the specific architecture of the cloud gaming system; for example, in other embodiments, the cloud gaming system may also include a background server for scheduling, etc. The cloud server 101 can be an independent physical server, or a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or a cloud server that provides basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communications, middleware services, domain name services, security services, CDN (Content Delivery Network), and big data and artificial intelligence platforms. The game client and the cloud server 101 can be directly or indirectly connected via wired or wireless communication, which is not limited in this application.

[0033] These multimedia services require the network to provide higher data rates, lower latency, and better connection reliability, making QoS monitoring capabilities even more prominent. In 5G networks, QoS monitoring involves monitoring multiple network elements and parameters, such as uplink (UL) delay, downlink (DL) delay, round-trip time (RTT) delay, network congestion information, network transmission rate, and network delay jitter. Monitoring these parameters is crucial for evaluating network performance and ensuring service quality.

[0034] However, in actual network deployments, different RAN and core network devices may have different QoS monitoring information. For example, the supported QoS monitoring capabilities may differ. For example, some devices may not support certain QoS monitoring parameters, or the supported measurement granularity may be inconsistent. Furthermore, the measurement of some QoS monitoring parameters requires the cooperation of multiple devices. For example, RTT delay measurement requires support from both the RAN and the UPF (User Plane Function).

[0035] In this case, if end-to-end QoS monitoring is initiated, some devices may not provide the required QoS monitoring capabilities, resulting in an inability to accurately assess network performance and quality. This can cause the network to be unable to meet the needs of real-time control and data transmission, negatively impacting critical applications such as industrial control and remote driving.

[0036] To address the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a new communication solution that allows synchronization of QoS monitoring capabilities between network elements. For example, QoS monitoring-related information can be synchronized during interface establishment, network element discovery, and PDU (Protocol Data Unit) session establishment / modification. This ensures that each network element in the network can work together and provide consistent QoS monitoring capabilities. This will help to ensure the service quality and reliability of critical applications such as industrial control and remote driving, thereby better meeting the needs of real-time control and data transmission.

[0037] The following is a detailed description of the implementation details of the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application:

[0038] FIG2 shows a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication method can be performed by a first network element, which can be an access network element, such as a base station; the first network element can also be a core network element, such as an AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function), an SMF (Session Management Function), an UPF (User Plane Function), a PCF (Policy Control Function), or other network elements. Referring to FIG2 , the communication method includes at least S210 to S220, which are described in detail as follows:

[0039] In S210 , a first message is generated, where the first message includes information related to quality of service (QoS) monitoring of a first network element.

[0040] In some optional embodiments, the QoS monitoring related information may include at least one of the following information: QoS monitoring configuration information, QoS monitoring parameter information, and QoS monitoring capability information. The QoS monitoring capability information is used to indicate whether the network element supports monitoring of network parameters and which network parameters are supported for monitoring. Optionally, the QoS monitoring capability information may indicate monitoring of some or all of the following network parameters: uplink delay UL delay, downlink delay DL delay, round-trip time RTT delay, network congestion information (which may be uplink network congestion information, downlink network congestion information, or uplink and downlink network congestion information), network transmission rate (which may be uplink network transmission rate, downlink network transmission rate, or uplink and downlink network transmission rate), and network delay jitter information (which may be uplink network delay jitter information, downlink network delay jitter information, or uplink and downlink network delay jitter information), etc.

[0041] Optionally, the configuration information of QoS monitoring may include one or more of: QoS parameters, monitoring targets, monitoring cycles, alarm thresholds, data storage and analysis, access control, and the like.

[0042] Among them, QoS parameters define the required service quality level, such as bandwidth, latency, jitter and packet loss rate. These parameters can be adjusted and optimized according to different business needs. Monitoring targets include network devices, links or applications that need to be monitored. Depending on the monitoring target, the configuration of QoS monitoring will also vary. The monitoring cycle refers to the time interval for QoS monitoring, such as real-time monitoring or periodic monitoring. Real-time monitoring can provide more timely data, while periodic monitoring can evaluate network performance over a longer time frame. Alarm thresholds are used to trigger alarms when QoS parameters exceed or fall below predetermined thresholds. The setting of alarm thresholds needs to be adjusted according to business needs and network performance requirements. Data storage and analysis are used to process the data generated by QoS monitoring in order to evaluate and optimize network performance. Access control is used to specify which users or devices can access QoS monitoring data.

[0043] Optionally, the parameter information of QoS monitoring may include one or more of network traffic parameters, delay parameters, packet loss rate parameters, jitter parameters, error rate parameters, connectivity parameters, reliability parameters, load parameters, and the like.

[0044] Network traffic parameters include input / output bytes, input / output packets, and bandwidth utilization, reflecting the overall network traffic situation. Latency parameters include end-to-end delay, transmission delay, and processing delay, measuring network service latency at various layers (including the physical layer, data link layer, and transport layer). Packet loss parameters include input / output packet loss rate and retransmission rate, measuring packet loss during network transmission. Jitter parameters include input / output jitter and maximum / minimum jitter, measuring jitter at various layers. Error rate parameters include input / output error rate, measuring errors during network transmission. Connectivity parameters include connection establishment success rate and connection loss rate, measuring network connectivity. Reliability parameters include error retransmission rate and error recovery time, measuring network service reliability. Load parameters include network load and server load, measuring network load.

[0045] In some optional embodiments, the first message is used by the first network element to synchronize its own QoS monitoring related information to other network elements. The first message may be an existing message in the multiplexed communication standard or a newly added message.

[0046] In S220 , the first message is sent to the second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element with the second network element.

[0047] In some optional embodiments, the second network element is a network element that can communicate with the first network element. For example, when the first network element is an access network element, the second network element can be a core network element; when the first network element is a core network element, the second network element can be an access network element or other core network elements.

[0048] Optionally, if the first network element is an access network element, the first message may be an NG interface establishment request message (i.e., NG setup request). In this case, the access network element may send an NG interface establishment request message containing the access network element's own QoS monitoring related information to the AMF, so that the AMF may obtain the access network element's QoS monitoring related information, and the AMF may synchronize the access network element's QoS monitoring related information to other core network elements in subsequent interactions with other core network elements, such as SMF, PCF, UPF, etc. Among them, the NG interface refers to the interface between the wireless access network and the 5G core network. In other embodiments of the present application, the access network element may also send its own QoS monitoring related information to the AMF through other types of messages.

[0049] Optionally, if the first network element is an access network element, the access network element can also send the first message to the UPF through the user plane. In this case, the UPF can obtain the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element, and the UPF can pass the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element to the PMF (Performance Measurement Function).

[0050] Optionally, if the first network element is an AMF, the first message may be one of a create session management context request message (i.e., CreateSMContext Request), an N1N2 information transfer message (i.e., N1N2MessageTransfer), and an update session management context request message (i.e., UpdateSMContext Request). In this case, the second network element may be an SMF. In this embodiment, the QoS monitoring related information of the AMF may be transmitted to the SMF using signaling messages during the PDU session establishment or modification process. Of course, in other embodiments, the AMF may also send its own QoS monitoring related information to the SMF through other types of messages.

[0051] Optionally, if the first network element is an AMF, the first message may be a PDU session request message (i.e., PDU Session Request), and the second network element may be an access network element. Of course, in other embodiments, the AMF may also send its own QoS monitoring related information to the access network element through other types of messages.

[0052] Optionally, if the first network element is an SMF, the first message may be one of a create session management context response message (i.e., CreateSMContext Response), an N1N2 information transfer message (i.e., N1N2MessageTransfer), an update session management context response message (i.e., UpdateSM Context Response), and a session management context status notification message (i.e., SMContextStatus Notify). In this case, the second network element may be an AMF. In this embodiment, the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF may be transmitted to the AMF using signaling messages in the PDU session establishment process or modification process. Of course, in other embodiments, the SMF may also send its own QoS monitoring related information to the AMF through other types of messages.

[0053] Optionally, if the first network element is an SMF, the first message may be a message in a session management policy association establishment process (i.e., SM Policy Association Establishment) or a session management policy association modification process (SM Policy Association Modification, which may be a modification process initiated by the SMF). In this case, the second network element may be a PCF. Of course, in other embodiments, the SMF may also send its own QoS monitoring related information to the PCF through other types of messages.

[0054] Optionally, if the first network element is an SMF, the first message may be a session establishment request message (i.e., N4 Session Establishment Request) or a session modification request message (i.e., N4 Session Modification Request). In this case, the second network element may be a UPF. Of course, in other embodiments, the SMF may also send its own QoS monitoring-related information to the UPF via other types of messages.

[0055] Optionally, if the first network element is a PCF, the first message may be a message in a session management policy association establishment process (i.e., SM Policy Association Establishment) or a session management policy association modification process (SM Policy Association Modification, which may be a modification process initiated by the SMF). In this case, the second network element may be the SMF. Of course, in other embodiments, the PCF may also send its own QoS monitoring related information to the SMF through other types of messages.

[0056] Optionally, if the first network element is a UPF, the first message may be a session establishment response message (i.e., N4 Session Establishment Response) or a session modification response message (i.e., N4 Session Modification Response). In this case, the second network element may be an SMF. Of course, in other embodiments, the UPF may also send its own QoS monitoring-related information to the SMF through other types of messages.

[0057] In some optional embodiments, the first message sent by the first network element to the second network element may further include QoS monitoring related information of other network elements interacting with the first network element. For example, if the first network element is an AMF, then when the AMF sends its own QoS monitoring related information to the SMF via the first message, it may also add QoS monitoring related information of the access network element. In this way, the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element can be transmitted in the core network element.

[0058] In some optional embodiments, in addition to sending a first message to a second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element, the second network element may also send a second message to the first network element. The second message may include the QoS monitoring related information of the second network element, or include the QoS monitoring related information of other network elements that interact with the second network element, or include the QoS monitoring related information of the second network element and other network elements that interact with the second network element. For example, if the first network element is an access network element and the second network element is an AMF, then the second message sent by the AMF to the access network element may include the QoS monitoring related information of the AMF, or include the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF, or include the QoS monitoring related information of the AMF, the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF, and the QoS monitoring related information of the UPF.

[0059] Based on the technical solutions of the above embodiments of the present application, if the AMF obtains the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF, then the AMF can select the SMF for establishing the PDU session according to the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF during the PDU session establishment process. For example, an SMF that supports QoS monitoring capability information or supports more QoS monitoring capability items can be selected.

[0060] If the SMF obtains the QoS monitoring related information of the PCF, the SMF can select the PCF for establishing the PDU session based on the QoS monitoring related information of the PCF during the PDU session establishment process. For example, the SMF can select a PCF that supports QoS monitoring capability information or supports more QoS monitoring capability items.

[0061] If the SMF obtains the QoS monitoring related information of the UPF, then the SMF can select the UPF for establishing the PDU session based on the QoS monitoring related information of the UPF during the PDU session establishment process. For example, the SMF can select a UPF that supports QoS monitoring capability information or supports more QoS monitoring capability items.

[0062] The following takes the first network element as an access network element (such as a base station) and the second network element as an AMF as an example to illustrate the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application using a specific example:

[0063] FIG3 shows a flow chart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application, which can be executed by an access network element. Referring to FIG3 , the communication method at least includes S310 to S330, which are described in detail as follows:

[0064] In S310 , an NG interface establishment request message is generated, where the NG interface establishment request message includes QoS monitoring related information of the access network element itself.

[0065] That is, in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the access network element can reuse the NG interface establishment request message to send the access network element's own QoS monitoring related information to the AMF.

[0066] In some optional embodiments, an information element (IE) may be added to the NG interface establishment request message, namely a first information element, which is used to indicate QoS monitoring related information of the access network element. Optionally, the first information element may be represented as QoS Monitoring Capability.

[0067] In some optional embodiments, if the QoS monitoring-related information includes QoS monitoring capability information, then the element value corresponding to the first information element may include at least one flag bit, each flag bit corresponds to a QoS monitoring capability item, and the value of the flag bit is used to indicate whether the access network element supports the corresponding QoS monitoring capability item.

[0068] For example, the QoS monitoring capability items included in the QoS monitoring capability information are: link delay, round-trip time, network congestion information, network transmission rate and network delay jitter information. Then the element value corresponding to the first element information can contain 5 flag bits. Assuming 1 represents support and 0 represents unsupport, then "10110" is used to indicate that the access network network element supports link delay monitoring, does not support round-trip time monitoring, supports network congestion information monitoring, supports network transmission rate monitoring, and does not support network delay jitter information monitoring.

[0069] In S320, the NG interface establishment request message is sent to the access and mobility management function network element AMF.

[0070] In some optional embodiments, after the access network element sends the NG interface establishment request message to the AMF, the AMF may obtain the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element. In this case, the AMF may choose whether to pass the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element to other core network elements (such as SMF, UPF, etc.).

[0071] In S330, the NG interface establishment response message fed back by the AMF in response to the NG interface establishment request message is received. The NG interface establishment response message includes QoS monitoring related information of the core network network element.

[0072] In some optional embodiments, the AMF may reuse the NG interface establishment response message to send the QoS monitoring related information of the core network element to the access network element. Optionally, the QoS monitoring related information of the core network element included in the NG interface establishment response message may be one or more of the QoS monitoring related information of the AMF, the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF, the QoS monitoring related information of the PCF, and the QoS monitoring related information of the UPF.

[0073] In some optional embodiments, an information element IE, namely a second information element, may be added to the NG interface establishment response message. The second information element is used to indicate QoS monitoring related information of a core network element (such as AMF). Optionally, the second information element may be expressed as QoS Monitoring Capability CN (Core Network).

[0074] In some optional embodiments, if the QoS monitoring-related information includes QoS monitoring capability information, then the element value corresponding to the second information element may include at least one flag bit, each flag bit corresponds to a QoS monitoring capability item, and the value of the flag bit is used to indicate whether the core network element supports the corresponding QoS monitoring capability item.

[0075] For example, the QoS monitoring capability items included in the QoS monitoring capability information are: link delay, round-trip time, network congestion information, network transmission rate and network delay jitter information. Then the element value corresponding to the second element information can contain 5 flag bits. Assuming 1 represents support and 0 represents unsupport, then "10110" is used to indicate that the core network network element supports link delay monitoring, does not support round-trip time monitoring, supports network congestion information monitoring, supports network transmission rate monitoring, and does not support network delay jitter information monitoring.

[0076] In summary, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application proposes an active synchronization solution for QoS monitoring related information, which can allow QoS monitoring related information to be synchronized between network element devices, such as during interface establishment, network element discovery, and PDU session establishment / modification. QoS monitoring related information can be synchronized, thereby ensuring that each network element in the network can work together, thereby avoiding the problem of being unable to predict whether QoS monitoring can be performed when the 5G network carries QoS-sensitive services such as XRM, industrial control, and remote driving control.

[0077] In one embodiment of the present application, the negotiation of QoS monitoring related information can be carried out in the interface establishment phase or the network element discovery phase. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the 5G network key network element architecture defined by the 3GPP (The 3rd Generation Partnership Project) organization is shown, in which AMF, SMF, UPF, PCF, NSSF (Network Slice Selection Function), AUSF (Authentication Server Function), UDM (Unified Data Management), etc. are 5G network core network elements. UE (User Equipment) can be a 5G terminal such as a mobile phone or tablet computer; (R)AN (Radio Access Network) can be a 5G base station; DN (Data Network) is the data network, that is, the service server accessed by the UE.

[0078] Among them, AMF is responsible for terminating the N2 interface of the base station control plane and implementing the encoding and decoding of NGAP (Next Generation Application Protocol) based on the SCTP (Stream Control Transmission Protocol). The base station and AMF transmit the application layer NGAP protocol through the SCTP transport layer protocol, and carry the UE's NAS signaling data in NGAP. AMF is also responsible for terminating the UE's N1 interface, implementing the encryption and integrity protection of NAS (Non-Access Stratum), and is responsible for UE access authentication, authorization management, registration, connection, reachability and mobility management functions, as well as transparent transmission of session management messages between UE and SMF.

[0079] In addition, (R)AN and UPF can interact through the N3 interface; UPFs can interact through the N9 interface; UPF and SMF can interact through the N4 interface; UPF and DN can interact through the N6 interface; SMF and AMF can interact through the N11 interface; SMF and PCF can interact through the N7 interface; SMF and UDM can interact through the N10 interface; PCF and AF can interact through the N5 interface; AMFs can interact through the N14 interface; AMF and PCF can interact through the N15 interface; AMF and UDM can interact through the N8 interface; AMF and NSSF can interact through the N22 interface; AMF and AUSF can interact through the N12 interface; AUSF and UDM can interact through the N13 interface.

[0080] Based on the system architecture shown in Figure 4, core network elements can synchronize QoS monitoring-related information based on corresponding interaction interfaces during the network element discovery process or connection establishment process. Access network elements (i.e., base stations) and core network elements can negotiate QoS monitoring-related information when establishing the N2 / N3 RAN-CN interface.

[0081] Optionally, the QoS monitoring related information may include at least one of the following information: QoS monitoring configuration information, QoS monitoring parameter information, and QoS monitoring capability information. The following takes the QoS monitoring related information as QoS monitoring capability information as an example to elaborate on the implementation details of the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application:

[0082] In a specific example, as shown in FIG5 , QoS Monitoring-related capability information may be added to the NG setup request and NG setup response between the N2 interface of the gNB and the 5G Core (5G Core). The basic process of this embodiment includes:

[0083] S501: The gNB sends an NG setup request message or other message to the AMF, which includes the QoS monitoring capability information on the RAN side.

[0084] In S501, QoS monitoring capability information is synchronized from the gNB to the core network. For example, an IE (e.g., QoS Monitoring Capability) indicating the QoS Monitoring capability can be added to the message sent by the gNB to the AMF (e.g., NG setup request or other messages). This IE indicates the gNB's QoS monitoring capabilities, which may include monitoring of network congestion, delay, and RTT, as well as other monitoring items. To flexibly reflect different aspects of QoS monitoring capabilities, the capability IE can use different bitmaps to indicate different QoS monitoring capabilities of the gNB. For example, if the QoS monitoring capability information includes the following QoS monitoring capabilities, in order: link delay, round-trip time, network congestion information, network transmission rate, and network delay jitter information, the bitmap can contain five flag bits. Assuming 1 indicates support and 0 indicates non-support, "10110" indicates that the gNB supports link delay monitoring, but does not support round-trip time monitoring, network congestion information monitoring, network transmission rate monitoring, and does not support network delay jitter information monitoring.

[0085] In some optional embodiments, in order to inform possible core network elements of the QoS monitoring capability information in advance, the gNB may provide its own QoS monitoring capability information to multiple AMFs or UPFs. Optionally, in addition to providing its own QoS monitoring capability information to the UPF through the control plane, the gNB may also provide it through the user plane without passing through the AMF. For example, the gNB may provide its own QoS monitoring capability information to the AMF through the N3 interface shown in Figure 4.

[0086] S502: After the AMF obtains the QoS monitoring capability information on the RAN side, it can transmit the QoS monitoring capability information of the gNB between network elements within the 5GC.

[0087] Optionally, after obtaining the QoS monitoring capability information of the gNB, the AMF may use the QoS monitoring capability information in the subsequent PDU session establishment process, PDU session modification process or switching process, and may synchronize the SMF for PDU session management, the PCF for policy control, and the UPF for implementing user plane functions to obtain the QoS monitoring capability information of the gNB.

[0088] S503: The AMF sends an NG setup response message or other message to the gNB, which contains the QoS monitoring capability information of one or more network elements on the core network side.

[0089] In S503, QoS monitoring capability information is synchronized from the core network to the gNB. For example, an IE (e.g., QoS Monitoring Capability CN) indicating the QoS Monitoring capability can be added to the message sent by the AMF to the gNB (e.g., NG setup response or other message). This information indicates the QoS monitoring capability of the core network element, which may include monitoring of network congestion, delay, and RTT, as well as other monitoring items. To flexibly reflect different aspects of QoS monitoring capabilities, the capability IE can use different bitmaps to indicate different QoS monitoring capability items of the core network element. For example, if the QoS monitoring capability information includes the following QoS monitoring capability items, in order: link delay, round-trip time, network congestion information, network transmission rate, and network delay jitter information, the bitmap may contain five flag bits. Assuming 1 indicates support and 0 indicates non-support, "10110" indicates that the core network element supports link delay monitoring, but does not support round-trip time monitoring, network congestion information monitoring, network transmission rate monitoring, and does not support network delay jitter information monitoring.

[0090] It should be noted that the QoS monitoring capability information exchanged between the AMF and the gNB may be that of one or more network elements in the core network. For example, the QoS monitoring capability information exchanged between the AMF and the gNB may be that of the AMF itself, or that of the PCF, SMF or UPF. In this case, the AMF only acts as a node directly connected to the gNB and indicates the QoS monitoring capability information of other core network elements to the gNB.

[0091] In one embodiment of the present application, the negotiation of QoS monitoring related information can be carried out during the PDU session establishment process or modification process. Taking the PDU session establishment process as an example, this solution assumes that the gNB and 5GC network elements do not know the relevant information of QoS monitoring in advance, but follow the normal process of PDU session establishment to select network elements such as PCF, SMF, UPF for a PDU session and execute the PDU session establishment process. During the establishment of the PDU session, the relevant gNB and 5GC network elements reach an agreement on the relevant information of QoS monitoring. Therefore, the relevant information of QoS monitoring can be exchanged during the PDU session establishment process. The following continues to use the QoS monitoring related information as QoS monitoring capability information as an example for explanation:

[0092] Specifically, FIG6 shows a PDU session establishment process. The following describes the use and interaction process of QoS monitoring capability information in the PDU session establishment process.

[0093] Specifically, in S602 shown in Figure 6, the AMF may consider the QoS monitoring capability information of the SMF when selecting the SMF, and the AMF may obtain the QoS monitoring capability information of multiple candidate SMFs through the method of the previous embodiment or other methods. For example, the AMF may obtain the QoS monitoring capability information of multiple candidate SMFs from the NRF (Network Repository Function).

[0094] In S603 shown in Figure 6, if the SMF selected by the AMF does not know the gNB's QoS monitoring capability information in advance, the AMF may add indication information to the Create Session Management Uplink / Downlink Request to indicate the gNB's QoS monitoring capability information. Optionally, the AMF may also indicate its own QoS monitoring capability information to the selected SMF through the Create Session Management Uplink / Downlink Request.

[0095] In S605 shown in Figure 6, the SMF may indicate whether it has QoS monitoring capability information in the Create Session Management Context Response message sent to the AMF. This information may be stored in the AMF. The AMF regards this QoS monitoring capability information as per-SMF QoS monitoring capability information. Alternatively, whether the QoS monitoring capability information is enabled may depend on per PDU session or per user subscription.

[0096] In S607a shown in Figure 6, the SMF can consider the QoS monitoring capability information of the candidate PCF when selecting the PCF. Furthermore, in S607b shown in Figure 6, the SMF can exchange QoS monitoring capability information with the PCF (which can be one or more of the QoS monitoring capability information of the gNB, the QoS monitoring capability information of the SMF, and the QoS monitoring capability information of the AMF).

[0097] In S608 shown in Figure 6, SMF may consider the QoS monitoring capability information of the candidate UPF when selecting UPF. Furthermore, in S610a and S610b shown in Figure 6, the QoS monitoring capability information (which may be one or more of the QoS monitoring capability information of gNB, the QoS monitoring capability information of SMF, the QoS monitoring capability information of AMF, and the QoS monitoring capability information of PCF) is interacted with the UPF.

[0098] In S611 and S612 shown in Figure 6, the core network element can provide the QoS monitoring capability information of one or more network elements in the core network (such as one or more of AMF, SMF, UPF, and PCF) to the gNB.

[0099] In summary, AMF can transmit its own and / or other network elements' QoS monitoring capability information to SMF through one of the create session management context request message (i.e. CreateSMContext Request) in S603, the N1N2 information transfer message (i.e. N1N2MessageTransfer) in S613, and the update session management context request message (i.e. UpdateSMContext Request) in S615.

[0100] The AMF may also send the QoS monitoring capability information of itself and / or other network elements to the gNB through the PDU Session Request message (i.e., PDU Session Request) in S612.

[0101] SMF can send QoS monitoring capability information of itself and / or other network elements to AMF through one of the create session management context response message (i.e., CreateSMContext Response) in S605, the N1N2 information transfer message (i.e., N1N2MessageTransfer) in S611, the update session management context response message (i.e., UpdateSM Context Response) in S617, and the session management context status notification message (i.e., SMContextStatus Notify) in S618.

[0102] SMF can also send QoS monitoring capability information of itself and / or other network elements to PCF through the message in the session management policy association establishment process (i.e., SM Policy Association Establishment) in S607b or the session management policy association modification process (SM Policy Association Modification, which can also be the modification process initiated by SMF in S609 and S620).

[0103] The SMF may also send the QoS monitoring capability information of itself and / or other network elements to the UPF via a session establishment request message (ie, N4 Session Establishment Request) or a session modification request message (ie, N4 Session Modification Request) in S610a.

[0104] PCF can send QoS monitoring capability information of itself and / or other network elements to SMF through messages in the session management policy association establishment process (i.e., SM Policy Association Establishment) in S607b or the session management policy association modification process (SM Policy Association Modification, which can also be the modification process initiated by SMF in S609 and S620).

[0105] The UPF may send the QoS monitoring capability information of itself and / or other network elements to the SMF via a session establishment response message (ie, N4 Session Establishment Response) or a session modification response message (ie, N4 Session Modification Response) in S610b.

[0106] In one embodiment of the present application, QoS monitoring capability negotiation can be implemented after a PDU session is established, during the PDU session modification process (the messages used to exchange QoS monitoring capability information during the PDU session modification process are similar to some of the signaling in the process shown in Figure 6), or through separate signaling interactions. During the negotiation process, network elements such as the gNB, AMF, SMF, PCF, and UPF reach consensus on QoS monitoring capability items such as uplink delay (UL), downlink delay (DL), round-trip time (RTT), network congestion information (which can be uplink network congestion information, downlink network congestion information, or both uplink and downlink network congestion information), network transmission rate (which can be uplink network transmission rate, downlink network transmission rate, or both uplink and downlink network transmission rate), and network delay jitter information (which can be uplink network delay jitter information, downlink network delay jitter information, or both uplink and downlink network delay jitter information).

[0107] The technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application can allow the synchronization of QoS monitoring-related information between network elements, thereby ensuring that the various network elements in the network can work together to provide consistent QoS monitoring capabilities, which will help to ensure the service quality and reliability of critical applications such as industrial control and remote driving, thereby better meeting the needs of real-time control and data transmission.

[0108] The following describes an embodiment of the device of the present application, which can be used to execute the communication method in the above embodiment of the present application. For details not disclosed in the embodiment of the device of the present application, please refer to the embodiment of the communication method in the above embodiment of the present application.

[0109] Figure 7 shows a block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application, which is applied to a first network element. The first network element may be an access network element, such as a base station; the first network element may also be a core network element, such as AMF, SMF, UPF, PCF and other network elements.

[0110] 7 , a communication device 700 according to an embodiment of the present application includes a generating unit 702 and a sending unit 704 .

[0111] Among them, the generating unit 702 is configured to generate a first message, which includes the service quality QoS monitoring related information of the first network element; the sending unit 704 is configured to send the first message to the second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element with the second network element.

[0112] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the communication device 700 also includes: a receiving unit, configured to receive a second message sent by the second network element, the second message including QoS monitoring-related information of the second network element, or the second message including QoS monitoring-related information of other network elements interacting with the second network element, or the second message including QoS monitoring-related information of the second network element and other network elements interacting with the second network element.

[0113] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the first network element includes an access network network element, and the first message includes an NG interface establishment request message; the sending unit 704 is configured to: send the NG interface establishment request message to the access and mobility management function network element AMF, so that the AMF determines the QoS monitoring-related information of the access network network element or transmits the QoS monitoring-related information of the access network element to other core network network elements.

[0114] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the NG interface establishment request message includes a first information element, and the first information element is used to indicate QoS monitoring related information of the access network element.

[0115] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the QoS monitoring-related information includes QoS monitoring capability information, and the element value corresponding to the first information element contains at least one flag bit, each flag bit corresponds to a QoS monitoring capability item, and the value of the flag bit is used to indicate whether the access network element supports the corresponding QoS monitoring capability item.

[0116] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the communication device 700 also includes: a receiving unit, configured to receive an NG interface establishment response message fed back by the AMF in response to the NG interface establishment request message, the NG interface establishment response message including QoS monitoring-related information of the core network network element; wherein, the QoS monitoring-related information of the core network network element includes at least one of the following: QoS monitoring-related information of AMF, QoS monitoring-related information of the session management function network element SMF, QoS monitoring-related information of the policy control function network element PCF, and QoS monitoring-related information of the user plane function network element UPF.

[0117] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the NG interface establishment response message includes a second information element, and the second information element is used to indicate QoS monitoring related information of the core network network element.

[0118] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the QoS monitoring-related information includes QoS monitoring capability information, and the element value corresponding to the second information element contains at least one flag bit, each flag bit corresponds to a QoS monitoring capability item, and the value of the flag bit is used to indicate whether the core network network element supports the corresponding QoS monitoring capability item.

[0119] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the first network element includes an access network element; the sending unit 704 is configured to: send the first message to the UPF through the user plane, so that the UPF determines the QoS monitoring-related information of the access network element or transmits the QoS monitoring-related information of the access network element to the performance measurement function network element PMF.

[0120] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the first network element includes an AMF; if the first message is one of a create session management context request message, an N1N2 information transmission message, and an update session management context request message, the second network element is an SMF; if the first message is a protocol data unit PDU session request message, the second network element is an access network network element.

[0121] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the first network element includes an SMF; if the first message is one of a create session management context response message, an N1N2 information transmission message, an update session management context response message, and a session management context status notification message, then the second network element is an AMF; if the first message is a message in a session management policy association establishment process or a session management policy association modification process, then the second network element is a PCF; if the first message is a session establishment request message or a session modification request message, then the second network element is a UPF.

[0122] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, if the first network element is PCF, the first message is a message in the session management policy association establishment process or the session management policy association modification process, and the second network element is SMF; if the first network element is UPF, the first message is a session establishment response message or a session modification response message, and the second network element is SMF.

[0123] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the communication device 700 further includes a selection unit, which is configured to perform at least one of the following processes:

[0124] If the first network element is an AMF, the SMF used to establish the PDU session is selected according to the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF during the PDU session establishment process;

[0125] If the first network element is an SMF, selecting a PCF for establishing the PDU session according to the QoS monitoring related information of the PCF during the PDU session establishment process;

[0126] If the first network element is SMF, the UPF used to establish the PDU session is selected based on the QoS monitoring related information of the UPF during the PDU session establishment process.

[0127] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the first message further includes QoS monitoring related information of other network elements interacting with the first network element.

[0128] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the QoS monitoring related information includes at least one of the following information: QoS monitoring configuration information, QoS monitoring parameter information, and QoS monitoring capability information.

[0129] FIG8 shows a schematic structural diagram of a computer system of an electronic device suitable for implementing an embodiment of the present application. The electronic device may be a network element in the aforementioned embodiment.

[0130] It should be noted that the computer system 800 of the electronic device shown in FIG8 is only an example and should not bring any limitation to the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present application.

[0131] As shown in Figure 8, the computer system 800 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 801, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to the program stored in the read-only memory (ROM) 802 or the program loaded from the storage part 808 into the random access memory (RAM) 803, such as the method described in the above embodiment. Various programs and data required for system operation are also stored in the RAM 803. The CPU 801, ROM 802 and RAM 803 are connected to each other via a bus 804. An input / output (I / O) interface 805 is also connected to the bus 804.

[0132] The following components can be connected to the I / O interface 805: an input section 806 including a keyboard, a mouse, etc.; an output section 807 including devices such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a speaker; a storage section 808 including a hard disk; and a communication section 809 including a network interface card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card or a modem. The communication section 809 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 810 is also connected to the I / O interface 805 as needed. Removable media 811, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, etc., is installed in the drive 810 as needed, so that computer programs read from the removable media can be installed into the storage section 808 as needed.

[0133] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present application, the process described above with reference to the flowchart can be implemented as a computer software program. For example, an embodiment of the present application includes a computer program product, which includes a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, and the computer program is used to perform the method shown in the flowchart. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via the communication section 809, and / or installed from a removable medium 811. When the computer program is executed by the central processing unit (CPU) 801, the various functions defined in the system of the present application are performed.

[0134] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium shown in the embodiments of the present application may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium or any combination of the two. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device or component, or any combination of the above. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection with one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the above. In the present application, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a computer program that can be used by or in combination with an instruction execution system, device or device. In the present application, a computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, which carries a computer-readable computer program. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium may also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium that can transmit, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0135] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the possible implementation architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present application. Among them, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, program segment, or a part of the code, and the above-mentioned module, program segment, or a part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in an order different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two boxes represented in succession can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram or flowchart, and the combination of boxes in the block diagram or flowchart, can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and a computer program.

[0136] The units involved in the embodiments described in this application may be implemented by software or hardware, and the units described may also be set in a processor. In some cases, the names of these units do not constitute limitations on the units themselves.

[0137] As another aspect, the present application further provides a computer-readable medium, which may be included in the electronic device described in the above embodiments, or may exist independently without being incorporated into the electronic device. The computer-readable medium carries one or more computer programs, and when the one or more computer programs are executed by the electronic device, the electronic device implements the method described in the above embodiments.

[0138] It should be noted that, although several modules or units of the device for action execution are mentioned in the above detailed description, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to the embodiment of the application, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be concretized in one module or unit. On the contrary, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided into multiple modules or units to be concretized.

[0139] Through the description of the above embodiments, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the example embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solution according to the embodiments of the present application can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (which can be a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, etc.) or on a network, and includes several instructions to enable an electronic device to execute the method according to the embodiments of the present application.

[0140] For example, the electronic device may be a network element device, and the network element device may execute the communication method shown in FIG. 3 .

[0141] Those skilled in the art will readily conceive of other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the embodiments disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed herein.

[0142] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: The communication method is performed by a first network element, and the communication method includes: Generate a first message, wherein the first message includes information related to quality of service (QoS) monitoring of the first network element; The first message is sent to the second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element with the second network element.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: Receive a second message sent by the second network element, the second message including: QoS monitoring-related information of the second network element, or QoS monitoring-related information of other network elements interacting with the second network element, or QoS monitoring-related information of the second network element and QoS monitoring-related information of other network elements interacting with the second network element.

3. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first network element includes an access network element, and the first message includes an NG interface establishment request message; The sending of the first message to the second network element includes: sending the NG interface establishment request message to the access and mobility management function network element AMF, so that the AMF determines the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element or transmits the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element to other core network elements.

4. The communication method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The NG interface establishment request message includes a first information element, where the first information element is used to indicate QoS monitoring related information of the access network element.

5. The communication method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The QoS monitoring related information includes QoS monitoring capability information. The element value corresponding to the first information element contains at least one flag bit, each flag bit corresponds to a QoS monitoring capability item, and the value of the flag bit is used to indicate whether the access network element supports the corresponding QoS monitoring capability item.

6. The communication method according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: Receive an NG interface establishment response message, where the NG interface establishment response message is a message fed back by the AMF in response to the NG interface establishment request message, and the NG interface establishment response message includes QoS monitoring related information of the core network element; Among them, the QoS monitoring related information of the core network network element includes at least one of the following: QoS monitoring related information of AMF, QoS monitoring related information of session management function network element SMF, QoS monitoring related information of policy control function network element PCF, and QoS monitoring related information of user plane function network element UPF.

7. The communication method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The NG interface establishment response message includes a second information element, and the second information element is used to indicate the QoS monitoring related information of the core network element.

8. The communication method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The QoS monitoring related information includes QoS monitoring capability information, and the element value corresponding to the second information element contains at least one flag bit, each flag bit corresponds to a QoS monitoring capability item, and the value of the flag bit is used to indicate whether the core network network element supports the corresponding QoS monitoring capability item.

9. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first network element includes an access network element; The sending of the first message to the second network element includes: sending the first message to the UPF through the user plane, so that the UPF determines the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element or transmits the QoS monitoring related information of the access network element to the performance measurement function network element PMF.

10. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first network element includes an AMF; If the first message is a create session management context request message, an N1N2 information transmission message, an update session management context request message, the second network element is the SMF; If the first message is a protocol data unit (PDU) session request message, the second network element is an access network element.

11. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first network element includes an SMF; If the first message is one of a create session management context response message, an N1N2 information transmission message, an update session management context response message, and a session management context status notification message, the second network element is an AMF; If the first message is a message in a session management policy association establishment process or a session management policy association modification process, the second network element is a PCF; If the first message is a session establishment request message or a session modification request message, the second network element is the UPF.

12. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the first network element is a PCF, the first message is a message in a session management policy association establishment process or a session management policy association modification process, and the second network element is an SMF; If the first network element is UPF, the first message is a session establishment response message or a session modification response message, and the second network element is SMF.

13. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication method further comprises at least one of the following processes: If the first network element is an AMF, then during the PDU session establishment process, the SMF used to establish the PDU session is selected according to the QoS monitoring related information of the SMF; If the first network element is an SMF, selecting a PCF for establishing the PDU session according to the QoS monitoring related information of the PCF during the PDU session establishment process; If the first network element is SMF, during the PDU session establishment process, the UPF used to establish the PDU session is selected based on the QoS monitoring related information of the UPF.

14. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The first message also includes QoS monitoring related information of other network elements interacting with the first network element.

15. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The QoS monitoring related information includes at least one of the following information: QoS monitoring configuration information, QoS monitoring parameter information, and QoS monitoring capability information.

16. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device is applied to a first network element, and the communication device includes: A generating unit configured to generate a first message, wherein the first message includes information related to quality of service (QoS) monitoring of the first network element; The sending unit is configured to send the first message to the second network element to synchronize the QoS monitoring related information of the first network element with the second network element.

17. A computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 is implemented.

18. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: one or more processors; A memory for storing one or more computer programs, which, when executed by the one or more processors, enables the electronic device to implement the communication method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15.

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