Network sharing method and apparatus, device, and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

Disclosed in embodiments of the present application are a network sharing method and apparatus, a device, and a computer readable storage medium. A first operator is an operator providing a sharing resource, and a second operator is an operator participating in sharing. In the embodiments of the present application, a core network element of the first operator is connected to a core network element of the second operator, a subscription terminal of the second operator is connected to a core network of the first operator by means of an access network of the first operator, and a core network of the second operator does not need to be directly connected to the access network of the first operator, so that the system complexity is reduced while network sharing is realized. Moreover, the core network element of the first operator shares network interaction information of the subscription terminal of the second operator to the core network element of the first operator, so that the first operator provides a service for a subscription terminal thereof on the basis of the network interaction information.

Description

Network sharing method, device, equipment, and computer-readable storage medium

[0001] Priority information

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 19, 2023, with application number 2023117625324 and application name “Network Sharing Method and Apparatus, Equipment, and Computer-Readable Storage Medium,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a network sharing method and apparatus, device, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0004] In mobile communications technology, the system architecture generally includes an access network that directly communicates with user equipment, and a core network connected to the access network. In application scenarios where network upgrades or improved network coverage are required, a shared network solution may be used. There are two types of shared network solutions proposed in related technologies: one is that multiple operators only share the access network, while the core network is independent; the other is that multiple operators share not only the access network but also some core network elements. However, regardless of the solution, each operator's core network must be connected to the shared access network, that is, one access network is connected to multiple core networks. This will result in a large number of interfaces between the shared access network and the core networks of multiple operators, increasing the complexity of the system and thus reducing the stability of the system.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, embodiments of the present application provide a network sharing method and apparatus, device, and computer-readable storage medium.

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a network sharing method, which is applied to a core network element of a first operator, where the core network element of the first operator is connected to a core network element of a second operator. The method includes: after a contracted terminal of the second operator communicates and interacts with an access network of the first operator, obtaining network interaction information of the contracted terminal; and sharing the network interaction information of the contracted terminal with the core network element of the second operator.

[0008] In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a network sharing device, which is applied to the core network network element of a first operator, and the core network network element of the first operator is connected to the core network network element of a second operator. The device includes: a first acquisition module, configured to obtain network interaction information of the contracted terminal of the second operator after the contracted terminal communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator; and a sharing module, configured to share the network interaction information of the contracted terminal with the core network network element of the second operator.

[0009] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another network sharing method, which is applied to the core network network element of a second operator. The contracted terminal of the second operator is connected to the core network of the first operator through the access network of the first operator. The method includes: connecting to the core network network element of the first operator; receiving network interaction information of the contracted terminal sent by the core network network element of the first operator, where the network interaction information of the contracted terminal is generated after the contracted terminal communicates with the access network of the first operator.

[0010] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides another network sharing device, which is applied to the core network network element of a second operator. The contracted terminal of the second operator is connected to the core network of the first operator through the access network of the first operator. The device includes: a connection module, configured to connect to the core network network element of the first operator; a first receiving module, configured to receive network interaction information of the contracted terminal sent by the core network network element of the first operator, and the network interaction information of the contracted terminal is generated after the contracted terminal communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator.

[0011] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a network sharing device, comprising: one or more processors; a memory for storing one or more programs, wherein when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the network sharing device implements the network sharing method as described above.

[0012] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon. When the computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor of a computer, the computer executes the network sharing method as described above.

[0013] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, including a computer program, which implements the network sharing method described above when executed by a processor.

[0014] In the technical solution provided in the embodiments of the present application, the core network element of the first operator is connected to the core network element of the second operator, and the subscribed terminals of the second operator are connected to the core network of the first operator through the access network of the first operator. The core network of the second operator does not need to be directly connected to the access network of the first operator, thereby reducing system complexity and improving system stability while achieving network sharing. In addition, the core network element of the first operator shares the network interaction information of the subscribed terminals of the second operator with the core network element of the second operator, allowing the second operator to provide business services to its subscribed terminals based on the network interaction information, thereby meeting the business processing needs of the participating operators in the network sharing scenario.

[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 of a deployment architecture of a network sharing mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of network interaction corresponding to the network sharing architecture shown in FIG1 ;

[0018] FIG3 is a flow chart of a network sharing method shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0019] FIG4 is a flow chart of a network sharing method shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG5 is a flow chart of a network sharing method shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG6 is a flow chart of a network sharing method shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG7 is a flow chart of a network sharing method shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG8 is a flow chart of a network sharing method shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG9 is a block diagram of a network sharing device shown in an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG10 is a block diagram of a network sharing device shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG11 shows a schematic structural diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing a network sharing device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] In this application, "plurality" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0031] The terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth," etc., in the specification and claims of this application and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. The terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements, but may optionally include steps or elements not listed, or may optionally include other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0032] In order to solve the problems existing in the existing network sharing solutions, the embodiments of the present application propose a more flexible network sharing mechanism, which not only supports sharing between networks of different operators, but also does not require the establishment of a direct interface between the access network of the operator providing shared resources and the core network of the operator participating in the sharing. Therefore, it is more conducive to the service provision of an increasing number of virtual operators.

[0033] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the deployment architecture of the network sharing mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application. It should be noted that the first operator shown in Figure 1 is the operator providing shared resources, the second operator is the operator participating in the sharing, and the terminal (UE, User Equipment) is the contracted terminal of the second operator, that is, the terminal uses the subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the second operator. The contracted terminal of the second operator is connected to the core network of the first operator through the access network of the first operator, and the core network of the second operator is connected to the core network of the first operator, so that after the contracted terminal of the second operator communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator, the second operator can obtain the network interaction information of the contracted terminal from the core network of the first operator through the network information opening method. It should be understood that the network interaction information of the contracted terminal of the second operator includes but is not limited to one or more information such as location, status, session, and quality of service flow (QoS flow).

[0034] In the network sharing architecture shown in Figure 1, the second operator only needs to establish a core network and does not need a direct N2 / N3 interface with the first operator's access network. In other words, the core network of the participating operator is not directly connected to the access network of the operator providing the shared resources. While achieving network sharing, this reduces system complexity, thereby improving system stability and facilitating the service provision of an increasing number of virtual operators.

[0035] And under the network sharing architecture shown in Figure 1, the network of the first operator can be responsible for the access and mobility management of the second operator's contracted terminals, such as the first operator's Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) network element to implement the access and mobility management function of the second operator's contracted terminals. The first operator's network can also be responsible for the session management of the second operator's contracted terminals, such as the first operator providing the session management function (SMF) of the second operator's contracted terminals. The first operator's network can also be responsible for the authentication function of the second operator's contracted terminals, such as the first operator providing the unified data management (Unified Data Management) function of the second operator's contracted terminals. The second operator can provide the UDM function.

[0036] It should be noted that the network elements included in the above-mentioned network sharing architecture of each operator are merely exemplary. For example, the core network of the first operator may also include other network elements. For another example, the core network of the second operator may also have AMF and SMF network elements, and may also be managed accordingly, but is not directly connected to the access network of the first operator.

[0037] Furthermore, considering that under the network sharing architecture shown in Figure 1, the second operator may not provide the AMF function and SMF function of its contracted terminal, and in some application scenarios, the business services provided by the second operator require the network interaction information of the second operator's contracted terminal. It can also be understood that in the network sharing scenario, the operators participating in the sharing also have business processing needs. Therefore, this application also proposes that the network interaction information of the second operator's contracted terminal is shared by the first operator to the second operator through the network information opening mechanism.

[0038] The network information disclosure mechanism can be understood as the first operator network providing an interface for network information disclosure so that the core network elements of the first operator have information sharing capabilities, thereby being able to provide the core network elements of the second operator with network interaction information of the second operator's contracted terminals. The way of network information disclosure is generally that the core network elements with information sharing capabilities in the first operator share network information with the second operator network. The core network elements with this capability can be one or more of the application function (AF) network element, the network exposure function (NEF) network element, the policy control function (PCF) network element, the user plane function (UPF) network element or other core network elements, and are not limited here.

[0039] Similarly, the core network elements of the second operator obtain the network interaction information of its contracted terminals from the first operator's network through this network information disclosure mechanism. The second operator can obtain the network interaction information of its contracted terminals by deploying AF, or obtain the network interaction information of its contracted terminals through one or more of NEF, PCF, UPF or other core network elements, and this application does not limit this.

[0040] Based on this network information opening mechanism, since the first operator is responsible for the SMF function of the second operator's contracted terminal, the core network of the first operator can share the status information of the second operator's contracted terminal, including idle, inactive, connected, and location information, with the core network network elements of the second operator.

[0041] For example, when the subscribed terminal of the second operator is in an idle state, the first operator may share the cell-level and TA (Tracking Area)-level information of the subscribed terminal of the second operator with the core network element of the second operator.

[0042] When the second operator's subscribed terminal is in an idle or inactive state, the first operator may share the tracking area information and notification area information of the second operator's subscribed terminal with the second operator's core network element. The second operator may configure the priority of the public land mobile network (PLMN) selection or the priority of the communication frequency selection of the subscribed terminal, and transmit this configuration to the subscribed terminal through the first operator to guide the subscribed terminal to reside on or select the operator network to which it is connected.

[0043] When the second operator's contracted terminal is in the connected state, in addition to the location information mentioned above, the session information and QoS flow information of the second operator's contracted terminal can also be shared with the second operator, so that the second operator can schedule and control the network resources allocated by the first operator to the second operator's contracted terminal based on the obtained QoS flow information.

[0044] Furthermore, considering that in a network sharing scenario, the user contract data of the participating operators is not suitable to be fully exposed to the operator providing shared resources, this application also proposes a user contract information mapping mechanism. The user contract information mapping mechanism can be understood as follows: for the contracted terminal of the second operator, the second operator has the user contract data configured for it, which is called the original contract information, and the first operator does not directly use the original contract information, but uses the mapped user contract data, which is called the mapped contract information. That is, the original contract information is the user contract data used by the contracted terminal of the second operator in the network of the second operator, and the mapped contract information is the user contract data used by the contracted terminal of the second operator in the network of the first operator.

[0045] The mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information can be completed by the UDM network element of the first operator or the UDM network element of the second operator, or by another entity, such as a server or node that provides a mapping function. For example, the first operator and the second operator can negotiate to determine which party will complete the mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information; or, if neither the first operator nor the second operator can complete the mapping, the mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information can be completed by another entity; or, the first operator and the second operator can negotiate the triggering conditions for another entity to complete the mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information, which are not limited here.

[0046] The mapping method between the original contract information and the mapped contract information can also be obtained by agreement between the first operator and the second operator, and this application does not impose specific restrictions on the mapping method. Exemplarily, the mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information may include the mapping of user identifiers. For example, the user identifier of the contract terminal of the second operator in the network of the second operator is SUPI_OP#1_Ux, and the user identifier in the network of the first operator is SUPI_OP#2_Ux. The SUPI_OP#1_Ux and the SUPI_OP#2_Ux are mapped to each other. It can be understood that the user identifier in the above example is, for example, a user permanent identifier (SUPI). Therefore, the contract terminal of the second operator uses the mapped SUPI in the first operator to obtain shared services, which can improve the privacy of user data.

[0047] Of course, the network of the first operator can also directly use the user identifier of the contracted terminal in the network of the second operator. This application does not limit the mapping of the user identifier of the contracted terminal of the second operator in the network of the second operator to the user identifier in the network of the first operator.

[0048] The mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information can also include the selection of business-related table items. For example, for ease of understanding, if the original contract information contains contract data of 100 table items signed between the second operator and the user, but when the first operator provides shared services to the user, only the contract data of 10 of the table items needs to be used, the mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information only provides the contract data of these 10 table items to the second operator.

[0049] By mapping the original contract information with the mapped contract information, it can be understood that the mapped contract information contains the user contract data required by the first operator to provide shared services to the second operator's subscribers, rather than the entire user contract data configured by the second operator for its subscribers. Therefore, this mapping relationship can also isolate user contract data. The operator providing shared resources only obtains the user contract data related to providing shared services, without requiring all user contract data, thereby minimizing the sharing of user contract information.

[0050] Furthermore, in a network sharing scenario, the billing rules generated by network sharing between the first and second operators should also be independent. In the network sharing architecture provided in this application, the first operator shares the network interaction information of the second operator's contracted terminals with the first operator through network information disclosure, allowing the first operator to independently bill its contracted users based on the shared network interaction information. The final settlement between the first and second operators can also be determined through negotiation between the two operators, and this application does not restrict these settlement rules.

[0051] It should also be understood that the network sharing architecture shown in Figure 1 is only an example of the network architecture part related to realizing the network sharing scenario. In the actual application scenario, the contracted terminals of the first operator are also connected to the core network of the first operator through the access network of the first operator, and some contracted terminals of the second operator may be connected to the core network of the second operator through the access network of the second operator. Since this does not involve the network sharing process, this application does not explain this network interaction process.

[0052] 2, which is a schematic diagram of network interaction corresponding to the network sharing architecture shown in FIG1. ​​Corresponding to the network sharing architecture shown in FIG1, the first operator is the operator providing shared resources, and the second operator is the operator participating in the sharing.

[0053] The contracted terminal UE used by the contracted user of the second operator accesses the core network of the first operator through the base station (gNB) of the first operator. Therefore, the first operator is responsible for the AMF function and SMF function of the UE. As shown in Figure 2, the base station (gNB), AMF network element, SMF network element, PCF network element, UPF network element and UDN network element of the first operator establish the UE's PDU session and perform UE mobility management.

[0054] The second operator only needs to build a core network. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the core network of the second operator includes UDM network elements, authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) network elements, AF network elements or other network elements, and the core network elements of the second operator are connected to the core network elements of the first operator. It can be seen that the core network of the second operator does not need to be directly connected to the base station gNB of the first operator, thereby reducing the number of interfaces between the shared access network and the operator core network in the network sharing scenario. On the premise of realizing the network sharing scenario, the service degree of the system is reduced, thereby providing system stability.

[0055] Of course, the second operator can also build an access network. For example, the contracted terminals that do not use the shared network provided by the first operator can still connect to the core network of the second operator through the access network of the second operator. However, since the access network of the second operator may not participate in network sharing, Figure 2 does not illustrate the access network of the second operator. Similarly, the core network of the second operator can also have network elements such as AMF and SMF to provide network services to its contracted terminals when their contracted terminals do not need to use the shared network. However, since these core network elements do not participate in network sharing, Figure 2 does not illustrate the access network of the second operator.

[0056] In addition, since the business services provided by the second operator require the acquisition of UE information, such as independent billing for UEs using a shared network, recommending location service data to UEs, updating end-to-end QoS requirements based on the network status of the first operator, configuring the UE's network selection information, etc., the first operator also provides a network information opening mechanism to share the UE's network interaction information with the second operator.

[0057] To avoid exposing all user subscription data of participating operators to the operator providing shared resources, based on the user subscription information mapping mechanism, it is necessary to map the original subscription information used by the UE in the second operator's network to the mapped subscription information used by the UE in the first operator's network. As shown in Figure 2, the user identity SUPI_OP#1_Ux of the UE in the second operator's network is mapped to the user identity UPI_OP#2_Ux of the UE in the first operator's network. Therefore, the UE uses UPI_OP#2_Ux to establish a PDU session and perform access and mobility management in the first operator's network.

[0058] As a result, the present application realizes the provision of end-to-end mobile service support in a network sharing scenario that is not directly connected to the shared access network and the operator's core network, including access control and mobility management of terminals in different states, and avoids sharing user contract information between the operator network that provides shared resources and the operator network that participates in the sharing. It is suitable for network sharing solutions that are not directly connected to the shared access network and the operator's core network in core network forms such as the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) and the sixth generation mobile communication technology (6G).

[0059] Based on the network sharing architecture shown in FIG1 , embodiments of the present application also provide corresponding network sharing methods, network sharing apparatuses, network sharing devices, computer-readable storage media, and computer program products. These embodiments will be described in detail below.

[0060] Referring to Figure 3, which is a flow chart illustrating a network sharing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the method is applied to a core network element of a first operator. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the core network element of the first operator is connected to the core network element of a second operator, and the subscribed terminals of the second operator are connected to the core network of the first operator via the access network of the first operator. Therefore, the core network of the first operator provides shared services to the subscribed terminals of the second operator.

[0061] As shown in FIG3 , the exemplary network sharing method includes S310 to S320 , which are described in detail as follows:

[0062] S310: After the subscriber terminal of the second operator communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator, network interaction information of the subscriber terminal is obtained through the access network of the first operator.

[0063] In a network sharing scenario, the second operator's contracted terminal is connected to the first operator's core network through the first operator's access network. Therefore, the second operator's contracted terminal will communicate and interact with the first operator's access network. This communication interaction includes but is not limited to the first operator's access and mobility management and session management of the second operator's contracted terminal.

[0064] Correspondingly, the network interaction information of the second operator's contracted terminal that can be obtained by the core network element of the first operator includes but is not limited to one or more information such as the location, status, session, QoS flow, etc. of the contracted terminal.

[0065] It should be noted that the core network of the first operator can obtain the network interaction information of the contracted terminal of the second operator through the access network of the first operator, and can also obtain the above network interaction information through other network elements, such as AF, PCF or other network elements. This application does not limit this.

[0066] S320: Share the network interaction information of the second operator's contracted terminal with the core network element of the second operator.

[0067] The core network element of the first operator shares the network interaction information of the contracted terminal of the second operator with the core network element of the second operator, so that the core network of the second operator can still provide business services to the corresponding contracted terminal based on the acquired network interaction information.

[0068] For example, the second operator can send service data matching the location of the contracted terminal connected to the first operator's network to the contracted terminal of the second operator through the core network and access network of the first operator based on the location of the contracted terminal, such as restaurant recommendation information, surrounding map information, etc., without limitation here.

[0069] For another example, the second operator can configure the priority of PLMN selection or the priority of communication frequency selection for the contracted terminal in the idle state or inactive state, and send this configuration information to the contracted terminal of the second operator through the core network and access network of the first operator to guide the contracted terminal to reside or select the operator network to be accessed. The operator network can be the first operator network or the second operator network, or other operator networks. The specific configuration content of the second operator is not restricted here.

[0070] For another example, the second operator may independently charge the contracted terminal according to the session information of the contracted terminal in the connected state.

[0071] For example, the second operator can generate corresponding QoS requirements based on the QoS flow information of its contracted terminals in the connected state, and send the QoS requirements to the core network elements of the first operator, so that the first operator schedules the network resources allocated to the contracted terminals of the second operator according to the received QoS requirements, so that the end-to-end QoS meets the business requirements.

[0072] As can be seen from the above, the network sharing method provided in this embodiment is implemented based on the network sharing architecture illustrated in Figure 1. The core network of the second operator participating in the sharing does not need to be directly connected to the access network of the first operator providing the shared resources, thereby reducing the number of interfaces between the shared access network and the operator's core network. While achieving network sharing, the complexity of the system is reduced, thereby improving system stability and being more conducive to the service provision of an increasing number of virtual operators. In addition, the first operator providing the shared resources shares the network interaction information of users who have signed up with the second operator participating in the sharing with the second operator through network information openness, which can also meet the service processing needs of the participating operators in the network sharing scenario.

[0073] In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG4 , the network sharing method further includes S410 - S420 , which are described in detail as follows:

[0074] S410: Obtain mapping subscription information used by a subscriber terminal of the second operator in the network of the first operator, where the mapping subscription information is obtained by mapping original subscription information used by the subscriber terminal in the network of the second operator.

[0075] To avoid completely exposing the user contract data of the second operator's contracted terminal to the first operator, the user contract data of the contracted terminal needs to be mapped. That is, the user contract data used by the second operator's contracted terminal in the second operator's network is the original contract information, and the user contract data used by the contracted terminal in the first operator's network is the mapped contract information, which is mapped from the original contract information. The mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information has been described in the previous embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0076] And as recorded in the above-mentioned embodiment, the network element that completes the mapping between the original contract information and the mapped contract information can be the UDM network element of the first operator or the UDM network element of the second operator, or other entities with user contract data mapping. Therefore, the core network network element of the first operator obtains the mapped contract information of the contract terminal of the second operator in multiple ways. For example, in some embodiments, the core network network element of the first operator receives the original contract information of the contract terminal sent by the core network network element of the second operator, and obtains the mapped contract information by mapping the original contract information; for example, the core network network element of the first operator directly receives the mapped contract information sent by the core network network element of the second operator or other entities.

[0077] S420: Authenticate the contracted terminal according to the mapped contract information.

[0078] The core network element of the first operator, such as the UDM network element, authenticates the contracted terminal of the second operator according to the mapped contract information of the contracted terminal. The authentication may be understood as including user identification or identity authentication.

[0079] Therefore, the network sharing method provided in this embodiment can avoid completely exposing the user subscription data of the participating operators to the operator providing the shared resources through user subscription data mapping, thereby improving the privacy of user data in the network sharing scenario.

[0080] In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG5 , the network sharing method further includes S510 - S520 , which are described in detail as follows:

[0081] S510: Receive a QoS requirement corresponding to a subscribed terminal of the second operator sent by a core network element of the second operator.

[0082] The QoS requirements disclosed in this embodiment may include initial QoS requirements or updated QoS requirements. In order to meet the user's requirements for different service qualities for different applications, the core network of the first operator providing shared resources also needs to have QoS functions. The protocol data unit (PDU) session between the core network of the first operator and the contracted terminal of the second operator connected is established based on the initial QoS requirements, so that the resource allocation provided by the core network of the first operator to the contracted terminal meets the user's service quality requirements.

[0083] The first operator's core network element sends the QoS flow information of the second operator's subscribed terminal to the second operator's core network element. This allows the second operator to determine whether to change the QoS requirements of the subscribed terminal based on the obtained QoS flow information. For example, if the first operator's network is congested, the service quality requirements of the subscribed terminal need to be lowered. If the QoS requirements need to be changed, the second operator's core network element sends the new QoS requirements to the first operator's core network element.

[0084] S520: Control the PDU session established between the subscribed terminal and the core network based on the first operator according to the QoS requirement.

[0085] The core network element of the first operator controls the PDU session established between the corresponding contracted terminal and the core network based on the first operator based on the received QoS requirements, including the PDU session established according to the initial QoS requirements as recorded above, and also includes modifying the PDU session established between the contracted terminal and the core network based on the first operator based on the new QoS requirements, so that the resource allocation provided to the contracted terminal by the core network of the first operator keeps matching the user's service quality requirements.

[0086] Therefore, in the network sharing method provided in this embodiment, even if the core network of the second operator participating in the sharing is not directly connected to the access network of the first operator providing the shared resources, based on the network information sharing mechanism provided by the first operator, the second operator can still control the service quality of the contracted terminals accessing the first operator, meet business needs, and achieve predictability of shared network performance, so that the shared network can effectively allocate network bandwidth and achieve more reasonable utilization of network resources in the network sharing scenario.

[0087] In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG6 , the network sharing method further includes S610 - S620 , which are described in detail as follows:

[0088] S610: Receive network selection configuration information sent by a core network element of the second operator, where the network selection configuration information includes a priority for PLMN selection or a priority for communication frequency selection of a subscriber terminal of the second operator.

[0089] Based on the network information disclosure mechanism provided by the first operator, the first operator's core network elements share the location and status information of the second operator's subscriber terminals with the second operator. When the subscriber terminal is in the inactive state, the second operator can configure the subscriber terminal's PLMN selection priority or communication frequency selection priority, thereby generating network selection configuration information. The network selection configuration information is used to guide the subscriber terminal to reside on or select the network of the first operator, the second operator, or another operator.

[0090] S620: Forward the network selection configuration information to the contracted terminal.

[0091] After the core network element of the first operator receives the network selection configuration information sent by the core network element of the second operator, it forwards the received network selection configuration information to the corresponding contracted terminal of the second operator through the access network, so that the contracted terminal can reside in or select the network of the first operator, the second operator or other operators according to the network selection configuration information.

[0092] Therefore, in the network sharing method provided in this embodiment, even if the core network of the second operator participating in the sharing is not directly connected to the access network of the first operator providing the shared resources, based on the network information sharing mechanism provided by the first operator, the second operator can still guide the contracted terminals accessing the first operator to select the operator network, thereby meeting the service control needs of the operators participating in the sharing for the contracted users in the network sharing scenario.

[0093] Similarly, based on the network information sharing mechanism provided by the first operator, the second operator participating in the sharing can also transmit service data to its contracted terminals through the first operator providing shared resources, such as the recommended data based on terminal location as mentioned above, which is not limited here.

[0094] From the above, it can be concluded that in a scenario where the shared access network and the operator's core network are not directly connected, end-to-end business support can still be provided through the network sharing solution provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0095] Please continue to refer to Figure 7, which is a flow chart of a network sharing method shown in another exemplary embodiment of the present application, which is applied to the core network element of the second operator. As shown in Figure 1, the second operator's contracted terminal is connected to the first operator's core network through the first operator's access network, and the first operator's core network provides shared services to the second operator's contracted terminal.

[0096] As shown in FIG7 , the exemplary network sharing method includes the following steps:

[0097] S710, connecting with the core network element of the first operator;

[0098] S720: Receive network interaction information of the contracted terminal sent by the core network element of the first operator, where the network interaction information of the contracted terminal is generated after the contracted terminal communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator.

[0099] Under the network sharing architecture proposed in this application, since the core network of the first operator participating in the sharing is not directly connected to the access network of the second operator providing shared resources, but the second operator needs to obtain the network interaction information of its contracted terminals in the network of the second operator to perform relevant business processing, therefore, based on the network information opening mechanism provided by the first operator, the core network network element of the second operator is connected to the core network network element of the first operator to obtain the network interaction information of its contracted terminals after communication interaction with the access network of the first operator through the core network network element of the first operator.

[0100] As described in the aforementioned embodiment, the network interaction information of the subscribed terminal obtained by the core network element of the second operator may be one or more types of information such as the location, status, session, QoS flow, etc. of the subscribed terminal. Based on the obtained network interaction information, the second operator can provide business services to its subscribed terminals through the first operator based on its own business service needs.

[0101] Exemplarily, the core network element of the second operator generates network selection configuration information for its subscriber terminal in an idle state or an inactive state, the network selection configuration information including the priority of the subscriber terminal for selecting a PLMN or a communication frequency, and sends the network selection configuration information to the core network element of the first operator, so that the network selection configuration information is transmitted to the subscriber terminal through the core network element of the first operator. The subscriber terminal then resides on or selects a network connection of a certain operator based on the received network selection configuration information.

[0102] Exemplarily, the core network element of the second operator generates a QoS requirement corresponding to the contracted terminal and sends the QoS requirement to the core network element of the first operator, so that the core network of the first operator controls the PDU session of the contracted terminal according to the QoS requirement.

[0103] Exemplarily, the core network element of the second operator generates location service data according to the location information of its contracted terminal, and transmits the location service data to the corresponding contracted terminal through the core network element of the first operator.

[0104] Illustratively, the core network element of the second operator performs traffic statistics on data transmission between its contracted terminals and the core network of the first operator based on the session information of its contracted terminals, thereby implementing independent billing for its contracted terminals.

[0105] It should be noted that the processes of related business processing performed by the core network elements of the second operator mentioned above based on the network interaction information obtained of its contracted terminals in the network of the first operator have been recorded in the previous embodiments, so this embodiment does not provide a detailed introduction to this.

[0106] Therefore, in the network sharing method provided in this embodiment, based on the network sharing architecture illustrated in FIG1 , the core network of the second operator participating in the sharing does not need to be directly connected to the access network of the first operator providing the shared resources, thereby reducing the number of interfaces between the shared access network and the operator's core network. While achieving network sharing, this reduces system complexity, improves system stability, and is more conducive to the service provision of an increasing number of virtual operators. Furthermore, the first operator providing the shared resources shares the network interaction information of users who have signed up with the second operator participating in the sharing with the second operator through network information openness, which can meet the service processing needs of the operators participating in the sharing in the network sharing scenario, such as achieving service quality control for the contracted terminals accessing the first operator, guiding the contracted terminals accessing the first operator to select the operator network, transmitting service data to the contracted terminals, and independently billing the contracted terminals using the shared network.

[0107] In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG8 , the network sharing method further includes the following steps:

[0108] S810, obtaining original subscription information of the subscription terminal used in the second operator's network;

[0109] S820, maps the original contract information to the mapped contract information used by the contract terminal in the network of the first operator, and shares the mapped contract information with the core network element of the first operator; or, sends the original contract information to the core network element or other entity of the first operator, so as to map the original contract information to the mapped contract information used by the contract terminal in the network of the first operator through the core network element or other entity of the first operator.

[0110] Under the network sharing architecture provided in this application, a subscriber terminal of a second operator participating in the sharing obtains data services through the network of the first operator providing the shared resources. Based on the subscriber terminal's subscription in the second operator's network, the second operator's core network element can obtain the original subscription information of its subscriber terminal. Exemplarily, the second operator's core network element can be a UDM element.

[0111] As previously mentioned, in order to avoid completely exposing the user subscription data of the second operator's contracted terminal to the first operator, the user subscription data of the contracted terminal needs to be mapped. That is, the user subscription data used by the second operator's contracted terminal in the second operator's network is the original subscription information, and the user subscription data used by the contracted terminal in the first operator's network is the mapped subscription information, which is mapped from the original subscription information. The network element that completes the mapping between the original subscription information and the mapped subscription information can be the UDM network element of the first operator or the UDM network element of the second operator, or another entity that has user subscription data mapping. Therefore, in an embodiment in which the mapping between the original subscription information and the mapped subscription information is completed by the UDM network element of the second operator, the UDM network element of the second operator also shares the mapped subscription information with the core network element of the first operator. In an embodiment in which the mapping between the original subscription information and the mapped subscription information is completed by the UDM network element of the first operator or another entity, the UDM network element of the second operator sends the original subscription information to the UDM network element or other entity of the first operator.

[0112] A more detailed process related to user subscription data mapping has been described in the aforementioned embodiment. Therefore, it can be seen that the network sharing method provided in this embodiment, through the user subscription data mapping method, can avoid completely exposing the user subscription data of participating operators to the operator providing the shared resources, thereby improving the privacy of user data in the network sharing scenario.

[0113] Please continue to refer to Figure 9, which is a block diagram of a network sharing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. It should be noted that the network sharing device is applied to a core network element of a first operator, and the core network element of the first operator is connected to the core network element of a second operator.

[0114] As shown in FIG9 , an exemplary network sharing device 900 includes:

[0115] A first acquisition module 910 is configured to acquire network interaction information of the contracted terminal after the contracted terminal of the second operator communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator;

[0116] The sharing module 920 is configured to share the network interaction information of the contracted terminal with the core network element of the second operator.

[0117] In another exemplary embodiment, the network sharing device 900 further includes:

[0118] A second acquisition module is configured to acquire mapped contract information used by the contracted terminal in the network of the first operator, where the mapped contract information is obtained by mapping the original contract information used by the contracted terminal in the network of the second operator;

[0119] The authentication module is configured to authenticate the contract terminal according to the mapped contract information.

[0120] In another exemplary embodiment, the second acquisition module is further configured to:

[0121] receiving original contract information of the contracted terminal sent by the core network element of the second operator, and mapping the original contract information to obtain mapped contract information;

[0122] Alternatively, the mapping subscription information sent by the core network element of the second operator or other entities is received, and the other entities are connected to the core network element of the first operator.

[0123] In another exemplary embodiment, the network sharing device 900 further includes:

[0124] A second receiving module is configured to receive a QoS requirement corresponding to the contracted terminal sent by a core network element of the second operator;

[0125] The first response module is configured to control the PDU session established between the contracted terminal and the core network based on the first operator according to QoS requirements.

[0126] In another exemplary embodiment, the network sharing device 900 further includes:

[0127] a third receiving module configured to receive network selection configuration information sent by a core network element of the second operator, where the network selection configuration information includes a priority for PLMN selection or a priority for communication frequency selection by the contracted terminal;

[0128] The second response module is configured to forward the network selection configuration information to the contracted terminal.

[0129] Please continue to refer to Figure 10, which is a block diagram of a network sharing device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application. It should be noted that the network sharing device is applied to the core network element of the second operator, and the contracted terminal of the second operator is connected to the core network of the first operator through the access network of the first operator.

[0130] As shown in FIG10 , an exemplary network sharing device 1000 includes:

[0131] A connection module 1010 is configured to connect to a core network element of the first operator;

[0132] The first receiving module 1020 is configured to obtain, through the core network element of the first operator, network interaction information of the contracted terminal after the contracted terminal communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator.

[0133] In another exemplary embodiment, the network sharing device 1000 further includes:

[0134] A third acquisition module is configured to obtain original contract information used by the contracted terminal in the network of the second operator;

[0135] The first processing module is configured to map the original contract information into the mapped contract information used by the contract terminal in the network of the first operator, and share the mapped contract information with the core network element of the first operator; or, send the original contract information to the core network element or other entity of the first operator, so as to map the original contract information into the mapped contract information used by the contract terminal in the network of the first operator through the core network element or other entity of the first operator.

[0136] In another exemplary embodiment, the network sharing device 1000 further includes a second processing module, and the second processing module is configured to:

[0137] generating network selection configuration information for the subscriber terminal when the subscriber terminal is in an idle state or an inactive state, the network selection configuration information including a priority for PLMN selection or a priority for communication frequency selection by the subscriber terminal; and sending the network configuration information to a core network element of the first operator, so that the network configuration information is transmitted to the subscriber terminal through the core network element of the first operator;

[0138] Alternatively, generating a QoS requirement corresponding to the contracted terminal; sending the QoS requirement to a core network element of the first operator, so that the core network of the first operator controls the PDU session established between the contracted terminal and the core network based on the first operator according to the QoS requirement;

[0139] Alternatively, based on the session information, traffic statistics are collected for data transmission between the contracted terminal and the core network of the first operator;

[0140] Alternatively, location service data may be generated based on the location information of the contracted terminal;

[0141] The location service data is transmitted to the contracted terminal through the core network element of the first operator.

[0142] It should be noted that the network sharing device provided in the above embodiment and the network sharing method provided in the above embodiment are based on the same concept. The specific manner in which the various modules and units perform their operations has been described in detail in the method embodiments and will not be repeated here. In actual applications, the network sharing device provided in the above embodiment can, as needed, allocate the above functions to different functional modules, i.e., divide the internal structure of the device into different functional modules to perform all or part of the functions described above. This is not a limitation herein.

[0143] An embodiment of the present application also provides a network sharing device, comprising: one or more processors; a memory for storing one or more programs, wherein when the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the network sharing device implements the network sharing method provided in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0144] Figure 11 shows a schematic diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing a network sharing device according to an embodiment of the present application. It should be noted that the computer system 1000 of the network sharing device shown in Figure 11 is only an example and should not limit the functions and scope of use of the embodiments of the present application.

[0145] As shown in Figure 11, the computer system 1100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 1101, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to the program stored in the read-only memory (ROM) 1102 or the program loaded from the storage part 1108 into the random access memory (RAM) 1103, such as executing the method described in the above embodiment. Various programs and data required for system operation are also stored in the RAM 1103. The CPU 1101, ROM 1102 and RAM 1103 are connected to each other via a bus 1104. An input / output (I / O) interface 1105 is also connected to the bus 1104.

[0146] The following components are connected to the I / O interface 1105: an input section 1106 including a keyboard, a mouse, and the like; an output section 1107 including devices such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a speaker; a storage section 1108 including a hard disk; and a communication section 1109 including a network interface card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card or a modem. The communication section 1109 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 1110 is also connected to the I / O interface 1105 as needed. Removable media 1111, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, is installed in the drive 1110 as needed, so that computer programs read from the removable media can be installed in the storage section 1108 as needed.

[0147] 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 includes a computer program for executing 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 1109, and / or installed from a removable medium 1111. When the computer program is executed by the central processing unit (CPU) 1101, the various functions defined in the system of the present application are executed.

[0148] 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 thereof. 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 disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer program contained in the computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0149] 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 part of the code, and the above-mentioned module, program segment, or 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 computer instructions.

[0150] 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.

[0151] Another aspect of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the network sharing method described above. The computer-readable storage medium may be included in the network sharing device described in the above embodiments, or may exist independently and not be incorporated into the network sharing device.

[0152] Another aspect of the present application provides a computer program product or computer program, which includes computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of a computer device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform the network sharing method provided in each of the above embodiments.

[0153] The above content is only a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the implementation scheme of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can easily make corresponding changes or modifications based on the main ideas and spirit of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application shall be based on the scope of protection required by the claims.

[0154] It is understandable that in the specific implementation of this application, related data such as network interaction data is involved. When the above embodiments of this application are applied to specific products or technologies, user permission or consent is required, and the collection, use and processing of relevant data must comply with relevant laws, regulations and standards of relevant countries and regions.

Claims

1. A network sharing method, characterized in that: Applied to a core network element of a first operator, the core network element of the first operator is connected to a core network element of a second operator, the method comprising: After the contracted terminal of the second operator communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator, obtaining network interaction information of the contracted terminal; The network interaction information of the subscribed terminal is shared with the core network element of the second operator.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: Acquire mapping subscription information used by the subscription terminal in the network of the first operator, where the mapping subscription information is obtained by mapping original subscription information used by the subscription terminal in the network of the second operator; The signing terminal is authenticated according to the mapped signing information.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The acquiring mapping subscription information used by the subscription terminal in the network of the first operator includes: Receiving original subscription information of the subscription terminal sent by the core network element of the second operator; The original contract information is mapped to obtain the mapped contract information.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The acquiring mapping subscription information used by the subscription terminal in the network of the first operator includes: The mapping subscription information is received from a core network element or other entity of the second operator, and the other entity is connected to the core network element of the first operator.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Receiving a quality of service (QoS) requirement corresponding to the subscribed terminal sent by a core network element of the second operator; According to the QoS requirement, control is performed on a PDU session established between the subscribed terminal and a core network based on the first operator.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The method further comprises: receiving network selection configuration information sent by a core network element of the second operator, where the network selection configuration information includes a priority for the subscriber terminal to select a public land mobile network PLMN or a priority for communication frequency selection; The network selection configuration information is forwarded to the contracted terminal.

7. A network sharing method, characterized in that: Applied to a core network element of a second operator, a contracted terminal of the second operator is connected to the core network of the first operator through an access network of the first operator, the method comprising: Connecting to the core network element of the first operator; Receive network interaction information of the contracted terminal sent by the core network element of the first operator, where the network interaction information of the contracted terminal is generated after the contracted terminal communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The method further comprises: Acquire original subscription information used by the subscription terminal in the network of the second operator; Mapping the original subscription information into mapped subscription information used by the subscription terminal in the network of the first operator; The mapping subscription information is shared with the core network element of the first operator.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Acquire original subscription information used by the subscription terminal in the network of the second operator; The original contract information is sent to the core network element or other entity of the first operator, so that the original contract information is mapped into mapping contract information used by the contracted terminal in the network of the first operator through the core network element or other entity of the first operator.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The network interaction information includes the status of the contracted terminal; the method further includes: Generate network selection configuration information when the contracted terminal is in an idle state or an inactive state, the network selection configuration information including a priority of the contracted terminal for selecting a PLMN or a priority of a communication frequency; The network configuration information is sent to the core network element of the first operator, so that the network configuration information is transmitted to the contracted terminal through the core network element of the first operator.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The method further comprises: Generating QoS requirements corresponding to the contracted terminal; The QoS requirement is sent to the core network element of the first operator, so that the core network of the first operator controls the PDU session established between the subscribed terminal and the core network based on the first operator according to the QoS requirement.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The network interaction information also includes session information; the method also includes: According to the session information, traffic statistics are performed on the data transmission between the subscribed terminal and the core network of the first operator.

13. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The network information of the contracted terminal includes location information, and the method further includes: Generate location service data according to the location information of the contracted terminal; The location service data is transmitted to the contracted terminal through the core network element of the first operator.

14. A network sharing device, characterized in that: Applied to a core network element of a first operator, the core network element of the first operator is connected to a core network element of a second operator, the device comprising: A first acquisition module, configured to acquire network interaction information of the contracted terminal after the contracted terminal of the second operator communicates and interacts with the access network of the first operator; The sharing module is configured to share the network interaction information of the contracted terminal with the core network element of the second operator.

15. A network sharing device, characterized in that: Applied to a core network element of a second operator, a contracted terminal of the second operator is connected to the core network of the first operator through an access network of the first operator, and the device includes: A connection module, configured to connect to a core network element of the first operator; The first receiving module is configured to receive network interaction information of the contracted terminal sent by the core network element of the first operator, where the network interaction information of the contracted terminal is the network interaction information between the contracted terminal and the access network of the first operator. Produced after communication interaction.

16. A network sharing device, characterized in that: include: one or more processors; A memory for storing one or more programs, which, when executed by the one or more processors, enables the network sharing device to implement the network sharing method described in any one of claims 1-6 or 7-13.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: Computer-readable instructions are stored thereon, and when the computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor of a computer, the computer is enabled to execute the network sharing method described in any one of claims 1-6 or 7-13.

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