Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to a communication method and apparatus. In the communication method, a first network element can receive inventory operation information, and then first information and / or second information can be sent to a first reader on the basis of the inventory operation information, such that the first reader can flexibly adopt a proper inventory mode for inventory. The present invention can better adapt to more flexible inventory requirements in a real scenario.

Description

Communication method and device

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application with application number 202311770820.4 filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 21, 2023, and priority to the Chinese patent application with the invention name “A Communication Method and Device”, all contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and device. Background Art

[0003] In ambient IoT (A-IoT) technology, readers can be used to take inventory of A-IoT terminals. However, these readers are restricted to a fixed inventory method, which is inflexible and cannot meet the more flexible inventory requirements in real-world scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a communication method and apparatus that can flexibly adopt a suitable inventory method for inventory.

[0005] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a first network element, or by a module (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.) applied to the first network element, or by a logical node, a logical module, or software that can realize all or part of the functions of the first network element. In this communication method, operation information can be received from a service requester, and the operation information is used to perform an operation on a terminal, and the operation includes an inventory operation. Thus, first information and / or second information can be sent to a first reader based on the operation information, the first information is used for the first reader to perform an inventory operation on a first type of terminal, and the second information is used for the first reader to perform an inventory operation on a second type of terminal. Furthermore, an operation result sent by the first reader can also be received and sent to the service requester, the operation result including the identification of one or more terminals, and the type of one or more terminals belongs to the first type and / or the second type.

[0006] It can be seen that in the above embodiment, the first network element can receive inventory operation information, and thus can send the first information and / or the second information to the first reader based on the inventory operation information, so that the first reader can flexibly adopt a suitable inventory method for inventory, which can better adapt to the more flexible inventory needs in real scenarios.

[0007] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, sending the first information and / or the second information to the first reader based on the operation information includes: determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the operation information; the terminal to be operated includes a first type of terminal and / or a second type of terminal, the first type is different from the second type; based on the type of the terminal to be operated, sending the first information and / or the second information to the first reader.

[0008] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, the first network element can determine the type of terminal to be inventoried based on the inventory operation information, and then send the first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the type of terminal to be inventoried. This allows the first network element to more accurately determine which types of terminals should be triggered to inventory the first reader. Therefore, this can reduce the problem of missed inventories or unnecessary signaling overhead, and can also ensure inventory efficiency.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, based on the operation information, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined, including: the operation information is carried in the first message, and the message name of the first message indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes first indication information, and the first indication information indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined; or, the operation information includes an identification of the terminal to be operated, and based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined; or, the operation information includes identification information indicating the service requester, and based on the identification information indicating the service requester, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined.

[0010] It can be seen that in the above embodiment, the type of the terminal to be operated is indicated by the message name of the first message, which can save signaling overhead. Indicating the type of the terminal to be operated by the first indication information in the operation information is equivalent to displaying the type of the terminal to be operated, so that the first network element can quickly know the type of the terminal to be operated, which is also more flexible. Determining the type of the terminal to be operated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated in the operation information is equivalent to determining the type of the terminal to be operated in the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, so that the first network element can accurately know the type of the terminal to be operated in the area. Determining the type of the terminal to be operated by the identifier of the terminal to be operated in the operation information can more efficiently determine the type of the terminal to be operated. Determining the type of the terminal to be operated by the identifier information indicating the service requester included in the operation information simplifies the content carried by the operation information and saves signaling overhead.

[0011] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated includes: determining the network in which the terminal to be operated is located based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated; and determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the network in which the terminal to be operated is located.

[0012] It can be seen that in the above embodiment, by associating the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated with the network in which the terminal to be operated is located, the type of the terminal to be operated in the network in which the terminal to be operated is located in the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated can be accurately determined, so that the first network element can accurately know the type of the terminal to be operated in the area.

[0013] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the network in which the terminal to be operated is located includes a local area network or a non-public network, and the type of the terminal to be operated includes a first type; and / or, the network in which the terminal to be operated is located includes a wide area network or a public network, and the type of the terminal to be operated includes a second type.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined, including: based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, determining the working mode of the terminal to be operated, the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponding to the first type and / or the second type.

[0015] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is associated with the operating mode of the terminal to be operated. This is equivalent to pre-defining which locations specifically correspond to which operating modes. In this way, the first network element can determine the corresponding type based on the operating mode of the terminal to be operated, allowing the first network element to more accurately determine which types of terminals should be triggered by the first reader to perform inventory. Therefore, this can reduce the problem of missed inventories or triggering unnecessary signaling overhead, and can also ensure inventory efficiency.

[0016] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, determining the type of the terminal to be operated includes: based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, obtaining contract data corresponding to the terminal to be operated, the contract data including the type of the terminal to be operated; or, based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, obtaining first context information corresponding to the identification of the terminal to be operated, the first context information including the association relationship between the identification of the terminal to be operated and the type of the terminal to be operated; or, based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, obtaining second context information corresponding to the identification of the terminal to be operated, the second context information including the association relationship between the identification of the terminal to be operated and the working mode of the terminal to be operated, the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponding to the first type and / or the second type.

[0017] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, the first network element can accurately obtain the corresponding contract data based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, and obtain the type of the terminal to be operated from the contract data, allowing the first network element to more accurately determine which types of terminals should be triggered to inventory the first reader. Therefore, this can reduce the problem of missed inventories or triggering unnecessary signaling overhead, and can also ensure inventory efficiency. Alternatively, the first network element can accurately obtain the first context information or the second context information based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, and obtain the type of the terminal to be operated from the first context information or the second context information, reducing the signaling interaction process with other network elements and improving the efficiency of determining the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the working mode of the terminal to be operated includes a passive mode, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type; and / or, the working mode of the terminal to be operated includes an active mode, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the second type.

[0019] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, based on the identification information indicating the service requester, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined, including: based on the identification of the service requester or the address of the service requester, obtaining the contract data corresponding to the service requester, the contract data including the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0020] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, the first network element can accurately obtain the corresponding contract data based on the identifier or address of the service requester, and obtain the type of the terminal to be operated from the contract data, so that the first network element can more accurately determine which types of terminals should be triggered to perform inventory on the first reader. Therefore, this can reduce the problem of missed inventories or triggering unnecessary signaling overhead, and can also ensure inventory efficiency.

[0021] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the first information includes second indication information or mask information, the second indication information is used to trigger the first reader to send a first selection command so that the first type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader responds to the first selection command, and the mask information is used to trigger the first reader to send a second selection command so that the first type of terminal corresponding to the mask information responds to the second selection command.

[0022] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, using the second indication information to inventory terminals of the first type within the coverage area of ​​the first reader is equivalent to inventorying all terminals of the first type within the coverage area of ​​the first reader, which is more efficient. Alternatively, using the mask information to inventory terminals of the first type corresponding to the mask information is equivalent to inventorying certain terminals within the coverage area of ​​the first reader. This allows for more precise and flexible inventorying of terminals requiring inventory within the first network element.

[0023] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the second information includes third indication information or group identification information, the third indication information is used to trigger the first reader to send a first paging message so that the second type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader responds to the first paging message, and the group identification information is used to trigger the first reader to send a second paging message so that the second type of terminal corresponding to the group identification information responds to the second paging message.

[0024] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, using the third indication information to inventory terminals of the second type within the coverage area of ​​the first reader is equivalent to inventorying all terminals of the second type within the coverage area of ​​the first reader, which is more efficient. Alternatively, using the group identification information to inventory terminals of the second type corresponding to the group identification information is equivalent to inventorying certain terminals within the coverage area of ​​the first reader. This allows for more precise and flexible inventorying of terminals requiring inventory within the first network element.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the terminal to be operated includes a first terminal, and based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, before obtaining the first context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the method also includes: when a second message is received from the first terminal, the type of the first terminal is the second type, and the second message includes the identifier of the first terminal; and the identifier of the first terminal and the type of the first terminal are associated and stored in the first context information.

[0026] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, when the first network element detects the second message from the first terminal, it can determine that the type of the first terminal is the second type. It can then associate and store the first terminal's identifier and the type of the first terminal in the first context information. This allows the first network element to subsequently determine the type of the first terminal based on the identifier, thereby improving efficiency. Furthermore, the first network element can also determine which type of terminal should be inventoried, which ensures the smooth implementation of the solution.

[0027] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the terminal to be operated includes a second terminal, and based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, before obtaining the second context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the method also includes: receiving a third message from the second terminal, the third message including the identifier of the second terminal; determining the first location information corresponding to the second terminal; based on the first location information, determining the first working mode of the second terminal, the first working mode being a passive mode or an active mode; and in the second context information, associating and storing the identifier of the second terminal and the first working mode.

[0028] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, after the first network element receives the third message from the second terminal, it can determine the first location information corresponding to the second terminal and determine its operating mode, such as the first operating mode. This allows the first network element to associate and store the first terminal identifier and the first operating mode in the second context information. This allows the first network element to subsequently learn the operating mode of the second terminal through the identifier of the second terminal and further determine which type of terminal should be inventoried. This improves efficiency and ensures the smooth implementation of the solution.

[0029] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the method further includes: sending third information to the second terminal, where the third information is used for the second terminal to enter the first working mode.

[0030] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the method also includes: detecting that the second terminal corresponds to second location information, and the second location information is different from the first location information; based on the second location information, determining the second working mode of the second terminal, the second working mode is a passive mode or an active mode; sending fourth information to the second terminal, and the fourth information is used for the second terminal to enter the second working mode.

[0031] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, the first network element can learn that the second terminal has moved to a new location, such as the second location information, so that the first network element can re-determine the second operating mode of the second terminal and instruct the second terminal to enter the second operating mode. This ensures that the operating mode of the second terminal matches the operating mode at the corresponding location, allowing the subsequent inventory process to be carried out smoothly.

[0032] In combination with the first aspect, optionally, the method further includes: updating the first working mode to the second working mode in the second context information.

[0033] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a service requester, or by a module (such as a processor, chip, or chip system) applied to the service requester, or by a logical node, logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the service requester. In this communication method, operation information can be sent to a first network element, and the operation information is used to perform an operation on a terminal, and the operation includes an inventory operation. Thus, an operation result can be received from the first network element, and the operation result includes an identifier of one or more terminals, and the type of one or more terminals belongs to the first type and / or the second type, and the first type is different from the second type; wherein the operation result is determined based on the first information and / or the second information, the first information is used for the first reader to perform an inventory operation on the terminal of the first type, and the second information is used for the first reader to perform an inventory operation on the terminal of the second type.

[0034] It can be seen that in the above embodiment, the service requester can send operation information to the first network element, so that the first network element can send the first information and / or the second information to the first reader based on the inventory operation information, so that the first reader can flexibly adopt a suitable inventory method for inventory, which can better adapt to the more flexible inventory needs in real scenarios.

[0035] In combination with the second aspect, optionally, the operation information is also used by the first network element to determine the type of the terminal to be operated, and the type of the terminal to be operated is used by the first network element to send the first information and / or the second information to the first reader. The terminal to be operated includes a first type of terminal and / or a second type of terminal.

[0036] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, the first network element can determine the type of terminal to be inventoried based on the inventory operation information, and then send the first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the type of terminal to be inventoried. This allows the first network element to more accurately determine which types of terminals should be triggered to inventory the first reader. Therefore, this can reduce the problem of missed inventories or unnecessary signaling overhead, and can also ensure inventory efficiency.

[0037] In combination with the second aspect, optionally, the operation information is carried in the first message, and the message name of the first message indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes first indication information, and the first indication information indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes an identifier of the terminal to be operated, and the identifier of the terminal to be operated is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes identification information indicating the service requester, and the identification information indicating the service requester is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0038] It can be seen that in the above embodiment, the type of the terminal to be operated is indicated by the message name of the first message, which can save signaling overhead. Indicating the type of the terminal to be operated by the first indication information in the operation information is equivalent to displaying the type of the terminal to be operated, so that the first network element can quickly know the type of the terminal to be operated, which is also more flexible. Determining the type of the terminal to be operated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated in the operation information is equivalent to determining the type of the terminal to be operated in the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, so that the first network element can accurately know the type of the terminal to be operated in the area. Determining the type of the terminal to be operated by the identifier of the terminal to be operated in the operation information can more efficiently determine the type of the terminal to be operated. Determining the type of the terminal to be operated by the identifier information indicating the service requester included in the operation information simplifies the content carried by the operation information and saves signaling overhead.

[0039] In a third aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a unit or module for implementing the method described in any one of aspects 1 to 2. The communication device may be a first network element or a service requester, or a module of the first network element or service requester (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first network element or service requester.

[0040] In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising at least one processor; wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute any of the methods described in any one of the first to second aspects. The communication device may be a first network element or a service requester, or a module of the first network element or the service requester (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.), or a logical node, a logical module, or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the first network element or the service requester. At least one processor may execute a computer program or instruction in a memory so that the above method is executed. The memory may be included in the communication device or may be located outside the communication device. In addition, the communication device may further include an interface.

[0041] In a fifth aspect, a communication system is provided, the communication system including a first network element and a service requester; the first network element is used to execute the method as described in any one of the first aspects; the service requester is used to execute the method as described in any one of the second aspects.

[0042] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed, the computer executes any one of the methods described in any one of the first to second aspects.

[0043] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product comprising: a computer program code, and when the computer program code is executed by a computer, the computer executes any one of the methods described in any one of the first to second aspects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] FIG1 is a basic architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a CN;

[0046] Figure 3 shows an A-IoT system architecture;

[0047] FIG4 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG5 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG6 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Among them, the terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of the present application can be used interchangeably. Unless otherwise specified, " / " indicates that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B; "and / or" in this application is a kind of association relationship that describes the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In addition, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" refers to two or more than two. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be one or more. In addition, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between network elements and identical or similar items with substantially the same functions. Those skilled in the art will understand that terms such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and terms such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily limit differences.

[0053] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in the embodiments of the present application mean that one or more embodiments of the present application include specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in some other embodiments", "in some other embodiments", etc. that appear in different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and their variations all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0054] The following specific implementation methods further illustrate the objectives, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present application. It should be understood that the following are only specific implementation methods of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made on the basis of the technical solutions of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

[0055] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0056] It should be understood that the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to the long term evolution (LTE) architecture, the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G), the third generation partner project (3GPP) service-based network architecture (SBA), etc. The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to other future communication systems, such as 6G communication systems, etc. In future communication systems, the functions may remain the same, but the names may change.

[0057] The following introduces the infrastructure of the communication system provided by the embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1, the terminal can access the wireless network to obtain services of the external network (such as the data network (DN)) through the wireless network, or communicate with other devices through the wireless network, such as communicating with other terminals. The wireless network includes a (radio) access network ((R)AN) and a core network (CN), wherein the (R)AN (hereinafter described as RAN) is used to access the terminal to the wireless network, and the CN is used to manage the terminal and provide a gateway for communication with the DN. The terminal, RAN, CN and DN involved in the system architecture in Figure 1 are described in detail below.

[0058] 1. Terminal

[0059] A terminal is an entity on the user side that is used to receive signals, send signals, or both receive and send signals. The terminal is used to provide one or more of voice services and data connectivity services to users. A terminal can be a device that includes wireless transceiver functions and can cooperate with the RAN to provide communication services to users. Specifically, a terminal can refer to user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent, user device or road side unit (RSU). The terminal may also be a drone, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a station (ST) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular phone, a smart phone, a cordless phone, a wireless data card, a tablet computer, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a laptop computer, a machine type communication (MTC) terminal, a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device (also referred to as a wearable smart device), a virtual reality (VR) terminal, an augmented reality (AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in remote medical care, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a transportation security system, or a similar device. Safety), wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, home gateways, customer-premises equipment (CPE), etc. The terminal can be a terminal in a 5G system or a terminal in a next-generation communication system, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0060] The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form factor of the terminal. The device used to implement the terminal's function can be a terminal; it can also be a device that supports the terminal in implementing the function, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the terminal or used in conjunction with the terminal. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of a chip or include a chip and other discrete components.

[0061] 2. RAN

[0062] The RAN may include one or more RAN devices (or access network devices). An access network device is an entity on the network side that is used to send signals, or receive signals, or both send and receive signals.

[0063] In one possible scenario, access network equipment may be equipment with base station functionality, such as an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmitting and receiving point (TRP), a transmitting point (TP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6G mobile communication system, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, or non-terrestrial access network equipment in an NTN, i.e., equipment that can be deployed on a high-altitude platform or satellite. Access network equipment may include a transmission reception point (TRP), a base station, or various forms of control nodes, such as a network controller or a wireless controller. Specifically, access network equipment can include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations (also known as small cells) in heterogeneous network (HetNet) scenarios, relay stations, access points (APs), radio network controllers (RNCs), node Bs (NBs), base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), home base stations (e.g., home evolved node Bs, or home node Bs, HNBs), baseband units (BBUs) and remote radio units (RRUs) in distributed base station scenarios, transmission points (TRPs), transmitting points (TPs), mobile switching centers, and the like. It can also be the antenna panel of a base station. A control node can connect to multiple base stations and configure resources for multiple terminals covered by multiple base stations. In systems using different wireless access technologies, the names of devices with base station functions may vary.For example, it can be a gNB in ​​5G, or a network-side device in a network after 5G, or an access network device in a future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN) network, or a device that performs base station functions in device-to-device (D2D) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, or vehicle network communication. This application does not limit the specific name of the access network device. The access network device can be an open access network (open RAN, O-RAN or ORAN), a baseband pool (BBU pool) and RRU under a cloud radio access network (CRAN), etc.

[0064] In another possible scenario, multiple access network devices collaborate to assist terminal devices in achieving wireless access, and different access network devices respectively implement part of the functions of the base station. For example, the access network device may include a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU). The CU and DU may be set separately, or may be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The RU may be included in a radio frequency device or a radio frequency unit, such as a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH). It is understandable that the access network device may be a CU node, a DU node, or a device including a CU node and a DU node. In addition, the CU may be divided into an access network device in the access network RAN, or the CU may be divided into an access network device in the core network CN, without limitation here.

[0065] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU may also have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in the ORAN system, CU may also be called O-CU (Open CU), DU may also be called O-DU, CU-CP may also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP may also be called O-CU-UP, and RU may also be called O-RU. For the convenience of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU and RU as examples for description. Any unit of CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU and RU in this application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0066] In the embodiments of the present application, the form of the access network device is not limited. The device used to implement the functions of the access network device can be the access network device; it can also be a device that supports the access network device to implement the functions, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the access network device or used in conjunction with the access network device.

[0067] 3. CN

[0068] The CN may include one or more CN devices (which may be understood as network element devices or network function (NF)).

[0069] See Figure 2, which is a structural diagram of a CN provided by this application. The CN in Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the CN in the 5G network architecture. The CN shown in Figure 2 includes multiple CN devices, such as unified data management (UDM), network exposure function (NEF), application function (AF), authentication server function (AUSF), access and mobility management function (AMF), etc. that may be involved in various embodiments of this application. In addition, Figure 1 also involves other network elements, which will not be introduced in detail here. Among them:

[0070] The UDM is primarily used to manage user subscription and authentication data, as well as perform authentication credit processing, user identity processing, access authorization, registration / mobility management, subscription management, and short message management. In some embodiments, the UDM may also include a unified data repository (UDR). Alternatively, in other embodiments, the 3GPP SBA of the 5G system may also include a UDR. The UDR is used to provide storage and retrieval for PCF policies, storage and retrieval of open structured data, and storage of user information requested by application functions.

[0071] NEF is mainly used to support secure interaction between the network and third-party applications. The network can securely expose network capabilities and events to third parties through NEF to enhance or improve the quality of application services. In addition, the network can securely obtain relevant data from third parties through NEF to enhance the network's intelligent decision-making. At the same time, NEF supports recovering structured data from UDR or storing structured data in UDR.

[0072] AF is mainly used to support interaction with the core network to provide services, such as influencing data routing decisions, policy control functions, or providing some third-party services to the network side.

[0073] AUSF is responsible for authenticating users to determine whether users or devices are allowed to access the network.

[0074] The AMF is a control plane function provided by the operator network, responsible for access control and mobility management of terminals accessing the operator network, such as mobility status management, allocating temporary user identities, and authenticating and authorizing users.

[0075] The above-mentioned CN devices may also be referred to as network elements or functional network elements. In a 5G communication system, each functional network element may be the name of each functional network element shown in FIG2 . In a communication system evolved after 5G (such as a 6G communication system), each functional network element may still be the name of each functional network element shown in FIG2 , or may have other names. For example, in a 5G communication system, a network open function network element may be an NEF. In a communication system evolved after 5G (such as a 6G communication system), the network open function may still be an NEF, or may have other names, which is not limited in this application.

[0076] In Figure 2, Npcf, Nnef, Nudm, Naf, Namf, Nsmf, N1, N2, N3, N4, N6, and N9 are interface serial numbers. The meanings of these interface serial numbers are defined in relevant standard protocols and are not limited here.

[0077] 4. DN

[0078] DN, also known as packet data network (PDN), is a network located outside the operator network. The operator network can access multiple DNs. Application servers (AS) corresponding to various services can be deployed in the DN to provide a variety of possible services for terminals.

[0079] The following, in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2, illustrates an exemplary A-IoT system architecture, including a terminal, a reader, a first network element, a second network element, and a service requester. The terminal can communicate with the reader, the reader can communicate with the first network element, the first network element can communicate with the second network element, and the second network element can communicate with the service requester.

[0080] Optionally, the communication system may further include a third network element and a fourth network element (not shown in FIG3 ). The first network element may communicate with the third network element and the fourth network element.

[0081] The following describes in detail each network element involved in the communication system in FIG3 .

[0082] 1. Terminal

[0083] The terminal in Figure 3 can be the terminal in Figures 1 and 2. Optionally, the terminal can be a passive device (passive device or type A device), a semi-passive device (semi-passive device or type B device), a semi-active device (semi-active device) or an active device (active device or type C device). In this case, the terminal mentioned in this application can also be called an Internet of Things terminal, an Internet of Things device, an environmental Internet of Things device or an environmental energy acquisition Internet of Things terminal, etc., and this application does not limit its name. The following text uses the terminal as an example for explanation.

[0084] Alternatively, a passive device may be referred to as a passive terminal or a passive IoT device. A semi-passive device may be referred to as a semi-passive terminal or a semi-passive IoT device. A semi-active device may be referred to as a semi-active terminal or a semi-active IoT device. An active device may be referred to as an active terminal or an IoT device. The following description uses passive terminals, semi-passive terminals, semi-active terminals, and active terminals as examples.

[0085] Passive terminals, semi-passive terminals and semi-active terminals can communicate through reflected carriers, that is, they need to rely on an external carrier source to communicate. Passive terminals may or may not have energy storage capacitors. Passive terminals without energy storage capacitors can rely on the external environment to obtain energy for communication, such as radio frequency energy. Semi-passive terminals and semi-active terminals can have power amplifiers, so that the communication distance is improved compared to passive terminals. Semi-passive terminals and semi-active terminals usually have energy storage capacitors, which can store energy in the environment, such as solar energy, radio power, etc. in the capacitor. This application does not limit the name of the passive terminal.

[0086] Active terminals can actively generate carrier waves (or can be understood as having carrier recovery capabilities) and do not need to rely on external carrier sources for communication, so they can have active communication capabilities. In one possible implementation, the active terminal can also have an energy storage capacitor that can store energy in the environment, such as solar energy, wireless power, etc. This application does not limit the name of the active terminal.

[0087] The terminal may be in the form of a tag or any other terminal form, such as a sensor, license plate, or nameplate. The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. The device used to implement the terminal's function may be a terminal; it may also be a device that supports the terminal in implementing the function, such as a chip system. The device may be installed in the terminal or used in conjunction with the terminal. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system may be composed of a chip or may include a chip and other discrete components.

[0088] 2. Reader

[0089] The reader uses radio frequency (RF) for contactless, two-way data communication, reading and writing to the terminal using RF, thereby identifying the terminal for data exchange. Alternatively, the reader interacts with the terminal via RF or wireless signals. It operates in two ways: when a terminal (such as a passive terminal) enters the reader's effective recognition range, it receives the RF signal from the reader and, using the energy gained from the induced current, transmits the information stored in the chip. Alternatively, the terminal (such as a semi-passive terminal, semi-active terminal, or active terminal) can store some electrical energy through solar energy, allowing it to actively transmit signals of a certain frequency. The reader receives and decodes the information and sends it to the central information system for relevant data processing.

[0090] It should be understood that this application does not limit the name of the reader. The reader can be named a reader / writer or other names, that is, it can be understood that the terms reader and reader / writer are interchangeable. The reader here has the functions involved in the reader in this application, such as the reader has the function of performing the operations described in this application on the terminal (such as obtaining the terminal's identification, inventory operations (or inventory operations), read operations, write operations, invalidation operations or message interaction operations with tags, etc.), has the function of obtaining billing-related information and / or billing information, and sending billing information to the billing function, etc.

[0091] In this application, the terminal identifier can be allocated by the enterprise (that is, written into the terminal when the enterprise prints the terminal) or allocated by the operator. In one possible implementation, the terminal identifier can be a unique identifier, such as an electronic product code (EPC), a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), an access network temporary identifier (RNTI), a permanent equipment identifier (PEI), a user hidden identifier (SUCI) or a 5G globally unique temporary identity (5G-globally unique temporary identity, 5G-GUTI), etc. The terminal identifier can also be a temporary identifier.

[0092] For example, a terminal is used as a tag to illustrate the reader's possible functions. For example, the reader can send messages to the terminal, such as messages from a service requester or a core network device. These messages can be, for example, operation messages. Alternatively, the reader can send information from the tag, such as the tag's identifier, to the core network device or service requester. Specifically, the reader can retrieve information stored in a specified tag based on an operation message sent by the core network device or service requester. For example, if an operation message instructs the terminal to perform an inventory operation, the reader retrieves the tag's identifier. For example, if an operation message instructs the terminal to perform a read operation, the reader can read data from the tag's storage area. Optionally, in situations where the information stored in the tag needs to be rewritten, the reader can provide a write function. For example, if an operation message instructs the terminal to perform a write operation, the reader can write data to the tag's storage area. Optionally, the reader can perform a deactivation operation on the tag. After the deactivation operation is performed, the tag becomes invalid and cannot be used to retrieve the tag's identifier, perform an inventory operation, read the tag, interact with the tag, or write to the tag. In one possible implementation, the inability to obtain the tag's identifier upon tag expiration can be understood as the inability of the reader to obtain the tag's identifier after the tag has expired. In another possible implementation, the inability to perform message interaction operations with the tag upon tag expiration can be understood as the inability of the reader to exchange messages with the tag after the tag has expired.

[0093] In a possible implementation, the inventory or inventory operation in this application can be understood as paging, or can be replaced by paging.

[0094] The reader mentioned in this application may be the access network device, pole station, etc. in Figures 1 and 2. Alternatively, the reader may be the terminal in Figures 1 and 2. In the embodiments of this application, the form of the reader is not limited. The device used to implement the functions of the reader may be an access network device or terminal; or it may be a device that can support the access network device or terminal to implement the functions, such as a chip system. The device may be installed in the access network device or terminal, or the device may be used in conjunction with the access network device or terminal.

[0095] 3. First Network Element

[0096] The first network element is used to perform at least one function on the terminal, including access control, mobility management, security authentication, data transmission (such as IoT service transmission), message transmission (such as IoT service message transmission), and IoT terminal management.

[0097] For example, the first network element may be an access and mobility management function, which may be referred to as an access and mobility management device, an access and mobility management function entity, an access and mobility management function network element, a mobility management device, an access management device, a mobility management network element, a mobility management entity or an AMF, etc., and is a type of core network device. The device may be used to manage the access control and mobility of the user equipment. In actual applications, it includes the access and mobility management function in the mobility management entity (MME) in the network framework in LTE, and adds an access management function, which may be specifically responsible for the registration, mobility management, tracking area update process, reachability detection, selection of session management network elements, and mobile state transition management of the user equipment. For example, in 5G, the access and mobility management network element may be an AMF. In future communications, such as 6G, the access and mobility management network element may still be an AMF, or have other names, which are not limited in this application. When the access and mobility management network element is an AMF, the AMF may provide Namf services.

[0098] For another example, the first network element can be used to perform functions such as terminal management, terminal data processing, and terminal data routing. It can parse the message from the service requester and determine the reader to execute the message, instruct the reader to perform terminal operations, or instruct the reader to perform the random access process of the terminal. Receive data from the terminal through the reader, optionally perform terminal data processing, and send the terminal data to the service requester. The first network element can be a tag management function (TMF), a tag management device, an IoT management function (IMF), an IoT terminal management function, an ambient energy acquisition IoT terminal management function (AITMF), an ambient energy acquisition IoT management device, an ambient IoT function (AIoTF), an ambient energy enabling IoT terminal management function, an ambient energy enabling IoT management function, or an ambient IoT management function (AIoTMF), etc. This application does not limit its name. The following description takes TMF as an example.

[0099] Among them, TMF can have an interface with the reader, or can interact with the reader through AMF. Optionally, TMF can be deployed together with AMF, or deployed independently.

[0100] 4. Second Network Element

[0101] The second network element is mainly used to support secure interaction between the network and third-party applications (such as service requesters); the network can securely expose (or open) network capabilities and events to third parties through the second network element to enhance or improve the quality of application services; and the network can securely obtain relevant data from third parties through the second network element to enhance the network's intelligent decision-making; at the same time, the second network element supports recovering structured data from the UDR or storing structured data in the UDR.

[0102] For example, the second network element may be an NEF, which may be referred to as a network open device, a network open function entity, a network open function network element, a network capability open function entity, a network capability open function device, a network capability open function network element, a network capability open device, etc. In future communication systems, such as 6G, the second network element may still be an NEF or have other names, which is not limited in this application.

[0103] In a possible implementation, when the third-party application is a trusted function, or a function deployed by an operator, the second network element may not be required, that is, the third-party application may communicate directly with the first network element.

[0104] 5. Business Requester

[0105] The service requester (also known as the operation requester or third party) can be understood as the device that sends the operation message. For example, the service requester can be a server, P-IoT server, AF, AS, ambient IoT application function (A-IoT AF or P-IoT AF), or other device that sends the operation message. The service requester can correspond to a certain type of user, which can include enterprises, tenants, third parties, or companies, without restriction. The service requester corresponding to a certain type of user can be understood as belonging to that type of user and being managed by that type of user.

[0106] The operation message indicates that at least one of the following operations is to be performed on the terminal: an inventory operation, a read operation, a write operation, an invalidation operation, or a message interaction operation with a tag.

[0107] 6. Third Network Element

[0108] The third network element is used to manage the terminal's contract data, etc.

[0109] For example, the third network element may be a unified data management function, which may be referred to as a unified data management device, a unified data management network element, a data management device, a unified data management entity, or a UDM. In a 5G communication system, the third network element may be a UDM. In future communication systems, the third network element may also be a UDM, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of this application. The third network element may be a core network device. The third network element may be a control plane device.

[0110] For another example, the third network element may be a user data storage function, which may be referred to as a user database device, a user database entity, a user database network element, a user data storage device, or a UDR. The user database primarily includes the following functions: access to data such as subscription data, policy data, and application data. In a 5G communication system, the third network element may be a UDR. In future communication systems, the third network element may also be a UDR, or may have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0111] 7. Fourth Network Element

[0112] The fourth network element is responsible for authenticating the user to determine whether the terminal device is trustworthy and authentic, or to determine whether the user or device is allowed to access the network. The fourth network element can be an authentication service function, which can be called an authentication service network element, an authentication service device, an AUSF, etc., and is used to perform authentication, that is, authentication between the terminal and the operator network. After the fourth network element receives the authentication request initiated by the contracted user, it can authenticate and / or authorize the contracted user through the authentication information and / or authorization information stored in the third network element, or generate the authentication and / or authorization information of the contracted user through the third network element. The fourth network element can feedback the authentication information and / or authorization information to the contracted user. In the 5G communication system, the fourth network element can be an AUSF. In future communication systems, the fourth network element can still be an AUSF, or it can have other names, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0113] It should be understood that the above naming is only used to distinguish different functions and does not mean that these network elements are independent physical devices. This application does not limit the specific form of the above network elements. For example, the above network elements can be integrated into the same physical device or be independent physical devices. For example, the first network element can be combined with the second network element. When two network elements are combined, the interaction between the two network elements provided in the embodiment of the present application can be understood as the internal operation of the combined network element or can be omitted.

[0114] It should be noted that the system architecture shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 is merely an example and cannot be regarded as a specific limitation on the technical solution of the present application.

[0115] In order to facilitate understanding of the contents of this solution, some of the terms involved in the embodiments of this application are explained below to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. This part is for ease of understanding and cannot be regarded as a specific limitation of this application.

[0116] In this application, a reader may establish a connection with another reader, which may also be referred to as a reader triggering a terminal to perform random access. This application does not limit this description; other descriptions used to represent a reader-terminal connection also apply to this solution. The following description uses the example of a reader-terminal connection as an example and should not be construed as a specific limitation of this application.

[0117] It is understandable that in this application, the reader can establish a connection with different types of terminals. For ease of description, this application can divide the types of terminals into a first type and a second type, and the first type and the second type are different.

[0118] Exemplarily, the first type of terminal may be a terminal that does not support active communication. For example, this type of terminal does not support carrier generation (or carrier recovery), or in other words, the uplink data transmission of this type of terminal is achieved by reflecting an externally provided carrier. For example, an entity can provide a carrier, and this type of terminal achieves uplink data transmission by reflecting the carrier provided by the entity. In this case, the first type of terminal includes at least one of a passive terminal, a semi-passive terminal, and a semi-active terminal. The second type of terminal may be a terminal that supports active communication. For example, this type of terminal supports carrier generation (or carrier recovery), or in other words, the uplink data transmission of this type of terminal can be actively initiated by the terminal, without relying on an externally provided carrier or without relying on reflecting an externally provided carrier. In this case, the second type of terminal includes at least one of an active terminal, a semi-passive terminal, and a semi-active terminal. The reverse is also possible.

[0119] In this application, the first type of terminal and the second type of terminal are different. For example, when the first type of terminal includes passive terminals, semi-passive terminals, and semi-active terminals, the second type of terminal includes active terminals. Alternatively, when the first type of terminal includes active terminals, the second type of terminal includes passive terminals, semi-passive terminals, and semi-active terminals. In this application, the following description uses the example that the first type of terminal includes passive terminals, semi-passive terminals, and semi-active terminals, and the second type of terminal includes active terminals, which should not be construed as a specific limitation of this application.

[0120] It should be noted that the above are only specific examples of some first-type terminals and second-type terminals, and the present application does not limit which terminals are the first-type terminals and the second-type terminals.

[0121] The following describes the process of establishing a connection between the reader and the first type of terminal and the second type of terminal respectively.

[0122] First, for the first type of terminal, the process of establishing a connection between the reader and the terminal may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0123] Step 1: The reader sends a select command, which may include mask information.

[0124] In this application, mask information can be used to indicate a memory area and / or a mask. Memory areas can include a reserved area, an electronic product code area, a tag identification number (TID) area, and a user area. A mask can be used to indicate a terminal identification range to select one or more terminals. For example, in this application, a mask can include at least one of the following: a network identifier, a group ID, terminal type information, or a terminal identifier.

[0125] The network identifier mentioned in this application may be a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier, a public network identifier, a non-public network identifier, a local area network identifier, or a wide area network identifier. Non-public networks may include standalone non-public networks (SNPNs) and / or public network integrated non-public networks (PNI-NPNs).

[0126] The terminal type information mentioned in this application may include the first type and / or the second type.

[0127] The terminal identification range mentioned in this application can be referred to as a terminal identification list, which can include the identification of at least one terminal. Alternatively, the terminal identification range can be indicated by a prefix of the terminal identification. Alternatively, the terminal identification range can be indicated by a group identification, etc. This is merely an example of a terminal identification range and is not limited in this application. Any content that can indicate a terminal identification range can be used as a terminal identification range in this application.

[0128] Optionally, the mask information may be used to indicate the starting address information and / or mask length of the memory area, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0129] Step 2: After the terminal receives the selection command, it determines whether the stored identification information matches the mask indicated by the mask information, or determines whether the information stored in the memory area indicated by the mask information matches the mask indicated by the mask information. If they match, the terminal can generate a random number and feedback information based on the random number when it hears a query (Query or QueryRep) command. For example, each time the terminal receives a query command, it decrements the random value by one until the random value is reduced to 0. The terminal then sends a random number (RN16, a 16-bit random number) to the reader. If there is no match, the terminal does not take any action.

[0130] Step 3: The reader sends an acknowledgment (ACK) command to the terminal, where the acknowledgment command includes the random number (RN16).

[0131] Step 4: When the random number in the terminal verification confirmation command is correct, the terminal identification is sent to the reader.

[0132] For example, the terminal sends an RRC message to the reader. The RRC message may include the terminal's identifier. For example, the RRC message may include a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, and the NAS message includes the terminal's identifier. The RRC message may be an RRC establishment completion message, etc. The NAS message may be a registration request message, an access request message, or an uplink NAS message, etc. The registration request message in this application is used to request registration or access to the network. Optionally, the registration request message may be just a message name, and does not mean that the terminal needs to perform a complete registration process. For example, the terminal may send identification information through a registration request message.

[0133] Second, for the second type of terminal, the process of establishing a connection between the reader and the terminal may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0134] Step 1: The terminal sends a random access request message to the reader to request access to the reader.

[0135] Optionally, the random access request message may include a random access preamble (also known as a preamble code).

[0136] Optionally, after the network device obtains the preamble code, it can estimate the transmission delay between it and the terminal device based on the preamble code, so that the network device can calibrate the uplink timing (TA).

[0137] Step 2: The reader sends a random access response message to the terminal.

[0138] Optionally, the random access response message may include uplink timing and identification information of the preamble, etc. The identification information of the preamble may be, for example, the number of the preamble or the index of the preamble, etc.

[0139] If the preamble code indicated by the identification information of the preamble code in the random access response message is the same as the preamble code sent by the terminal to the reader, the terminal considers that the random access request message has been successfully received by the network device, and the random access response message responds to the random access request message. If the preamble code indicated by the identification information of the preamble code in the random access response message is different from the preamble code sent by the terminal to the reader, the terminal considers that the random access request message has not been successfully received by the network device, and the terminal may re-trigger the random access process.

[0140] Step 3: The terminal sends a radio resource control setup request (RRC setup request) message to the reader to request to establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with the reader.

[0141] Step 4: The reader sends an RRC setup (RRCsetup) message to the terminal to indicate that the terminal is allowed to access the reader.

[0142] Step 5: After the terminal completes the establishment of the signaling radio bearer (SRB) resources, it sends an RRC setup complete message to the reader to indicate that the connection between the terminal and the reader has been successfully established.

[0143] For example, the RRC setup complete message may include the terminal identifier. For example, the RRC message may include a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, and the NAS message may include the terminal identifier. The NAS message may be a registration request message, an access request message, or an uplink NAS message.

[0144] The following describes the terminal registration process in detail, which may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0145] Step 1: The terminal sends a registration request message to the reader, where the registration request message includes the terminal's identifier.

[0146] Optionally, the registration request message further includes a registration type.

[0147] The registration type includes at least one of the following:

[0148] Initial registration: The registration process initiated when the terminal is in the unregistered state.

[0149] Mobility registration update: A registration process initiated when a terminal moves.

[0150] Periodic registration update: A registration process initiated when the terminal is in the registered state due to the expiration of the periodic registration update timer.

[0151] Emergency registration: A registration process initiated when the terminal is in a service-restricted state.

[0152] When the terminal has a valid 5G-GUTI (a temporary identity assigned by the first network element serving it), the registration request message includes the 5G-GUTI (i.e., the terminal's identity is the 5G-GUTI). When the terminal does not have a valid 5G-GUTI, the registration request message includes the SUCI (i.e., the terminal's identity is the SUCI). In emergency registration, when the terminal does not have a valid 5G-GUTI and no SUPI (i.e., no SUCI, SUCI is an encrypted SUPI), the registration request message includes the PEI (i.e., the terminal's identity is the PEI).

[0153] Among them, the first network element can be AMF, TMF or AIoTMF, etc. The following is explained by taking the first network element as AMF as an example.

[0154] Step 2: The reader selects an appropriate AMF and sends a registration request message to the AMF. For example, the AMF serving the terminal is selected based on the terminal's location.

[0155] Step 3: AMF selects the appropriate AUSF to perform authentication and other security processes. The terminal, AMF, AUSF, and UDM interact to complete the authentication and other security processes.

[0156] Step 4: After the terminal and the network successfully authenticate each other, the AMF sends an N2 message to the reader, which includes a registration response message.

[0157] Step 5: The reader sends a registration acceptance message to the terminal.

[0158] The registration acceptance message is used to indicate that the terminal has successfully registered with the network.

[0159] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. Specifically, the terminals mentioned below may be the terminals involved in Figures 1 to 3, and the readers (such as the first reader, the second reader, etc.), the first network element, the second network element, the service requester, the third network element, and the fourth network element mentioned below may be the above-mentioned reader, the above-mentioned first network element, the above-mentioned second network element, the above-mentioned third network element, and the above-mentioned fourth network element, respectively. For ease of description, the following description is made by taking the first network element, the second network element, the third network element, and the fourth network element as an example to be used for explanation, respectively, as AMF, NEF, UDM, and AUSF.

[0160] It should be pointed out that the message names between the network elements or the names of the parameters in the messages in the following embodiments are only examples, and other names may be used in specific implementations, and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this. The processing performed by the single execution subject (terminal, reader (such as the first reader, the second reader, etc.), AMF, NEF, service requester, UDM or AUSF, etc.) shown in the embodiments of the present application can also be divided into multiple execution subjects, and these execution subjects can be logically and / or physically separated. For example, the processing performed by the reader can be divided into at least one of the CU, DU and RU.

[0161] As shown in FIG4 , a communication method is provided in an embodiment of the present application, which includes but is not limited to the following steps:

[0162] 401. The service requester sends operation information to the AMF. The operation information is used to perform an operation on the terminal, including an inventory operation.

[0163] Accordingly, the AMF receives the operation information from the service requester. Alternatively, the AMF may receive the operation information from the service requester via the NEF. For example, the AMF may receive the operation information forwarded by the NEF. For another example, the NEF may obtain the operation information based on the message from the service requester and send the operation information to the AMF.

[0164] Optionally, the message of the service requester mentioned here may include at least one of the following: operation type, first indication information, location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, identification of the terminal to be operated, mask information, identification information indicating the service requester, or group identification information.

[0165] The operation type may include an inventory operation, a read operation, a write operation, a deactivation operation, a positioning operation, or an operation of interacting with a terminal.

[0166] The first indication information may indicate the type of the terminal to be operated. For example, the first indication information may be at least one piece of information, specifically:

[0167] A. The first indication information includes information indicating a passive terminal, such as a passive terminal, or may include a string, bit, or value indicating a passive terminal. Alternatively, the first indication information includes information indicating a semi-active terminal, such as a semi-active terminal, or may include a string, bit, or value indicating a semi-active terminal. Alternatively, the first indication information includes information indicating a semi-passive terminal, such as a semi-passive terminal, or may include a string, bit, or value indicating a semi-passive terminal. In this way, it can be indicated that the terminals to be operated include terminals of the first type, and / or an instruction can be given to perform an inventory operation on terminals of the first type.

[0168] B. The first indication information may include information indicating an active terminal, such as an active terminal, or may include a character string, bit, value, etc. indicating an active terminal, to indicate that the terminal to be operated includes a terminal of the second type, and / or instruct to perform an inventory operation on the terminal of the second type.

[0169] C. The first indication information may include information indicating the passive terminal and information indicating the active terminal. This can be referred to above method A and method B, and will not be described in detail here.

[0170] As another example, the first indication information may be a P bit, where the P bit corresponds to 2 P states, where the states can represent the type of the terminal to be operated. For example, P is 2, corresponding to the four states '00', '01', '10', and '11'. '00' indicates that the terminal to be operated includes a terminal of the first type, and / or indicates that an inventory operation is performed on the terminal of the first type. '01' indicates that the terminal to be operated includes a terminal of the second type, and / or indicates that an inventory operation is performed on the terminal of the second type. '10' indicates that the terminal to be operated includes a terminal of the first type and a terminal of the second type, and / or indicates that an inventory operation is performed on the terminal of the first type and the terminal of the second type. This is an example, and there can be other combinations, which are not listed here one by one. P can be a positive integer.

[0171] The location information mentioned in this application includes, for example, at least one of the following: longitude and latitude, interval values ​​composed of longitude and latitude, coordinate values, interval values ​​composed of coordinate values, identifier of a cell identifier reader, identifier of a tracking area (TA), closed access group identifier (CAG ID) or network identifier, etc. Among them, the cell identifier can be a physical cell identifier (PCI), a logical cell identifier, or a cell global identity (CGI), etc. The identifier of the tracking area can be a tracking area identity (TAI) or a tracking area code (TAC). Optionally, the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated can be understood as: location information for performing inventory operations and / or inventory services on the terminal to be operated.

[0172] Optionally, the inventory operation information including the identifiers of the terminals to be operated can be understood as including a range of identifiers of the terminals to be operated. The range of identifiers of the terminals to be operated includes the identifiers of the terminals to be operated. Alternatively, the range of identifiers of the terminals to be operated can be indicated by a prefix of the identifiers of the terminals to be operated. Alternatively, the range of identifiers of the terminals to be operated can be indicated by a group identifier, etc. These are merely examples and are not limited in this application. Any information that can indicate the identifiers of the terminals to be operated can be used as the identifiers of the terminals to be operated in this application.

[0173] The identification information indicating the service requester mentioned in this application may include the globally unique identification information of the service requester or the globally unique identification information of the operator, etc. If the service requester is AF, the identification information indicating the service requester may include the AF identifier (such as AF ID, AF Identifier or AF identity, etc.) or the address of AF. Alternatively, the identification information indicating the service requester may be the service identifier corresponding to the service requester, such as a service identifier (such as service Identifier, service ID, service identity), an application identifier (such as APPID, APP Identifier or APP identity). Alternatively, the identification information indicating the service requester may include a user identifier (user ID), an enterprise identifier (enterprise ID), a third party identifier (the third party ID) or an owner identifier (owner ID), etc. This is only an example of the identification information indicating the service requester. This application does not limit the specific name, structure, and length of the identification information indicating the service requester. Any information that can indicate the service requester can be used as the identification information indicating the service requester in this application. Optionally, the address of the AF may include at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a port number, a domain name, etc.

[0174] The group identification information mentioned in this application may include at least one of the following: network identification, group identification, terminal type information, and terminal identification.

[0175] In one possible implementation, it can be considered that the various information included in the message of the service requester is located in the above-mentioned operation information, that is, it can be described as the message of the service requester including operation information, and the operation information may include at least one of the following: operation type, first indication information, location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, identification of the terminal to be operated, mask information, identification information indicating the service requester or group identification information. Alternatively, the above-mentioned operation information can be obtained through the various information included in the message of the service requester. For example, the above-mentioned operation information may be a parameter in the message of the service requester, or part of the information included in the above-mentioned operation information is included in the message name of the message of the service requester. For example, different operation types can be indicated / characterized by different message names. This application does not limit the message, field, encoding, construction method, etc. that carries the operation information. The operation information may come from the same message or different messages, and this application does not limit it.

[0176] 402. The AMF sends first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the operation information, where the first information is used by the first reader to perform an inventory operation on a first type of terminal, and the second information is used by the first reader to perform an inventory operation on a second type of terminal, where the first type is different from the second type.

[0177] Accordingly, the first reader receives the first information and / or the second information from the AMF.

[0178] 403. The first reader performs an inventory operation on the one or more terminals based on the first information and / or the second information to obtain identifications of the one or more terminals, where the type of the one or more terminals belongs to the first type and / or the second type.

[0179] It is understood that the first reader can perform an inventory operation on the first type of terminals based on the first information, or can perform an inventory operation on the second type of terminals based on the second information. That is, when the first reader receives the first information from the AMF, the first reader performs an inventory operation on the first type of terminals based on the first information. In this case, the one or more terminals in step 403 are terminals of the first type. When the first reader receives the second information from the AMF, the first reader performs an inventory operation on the second type of terminals based on the second information. In this case, the one or more terminals in step 403 are terminals of the second type. When the first reader receives the first information and the second information from the AMF, the first reader performs an inventory operation on the first type of terminals based on the first information, and performs an inventory operation on the second type of terminals based on the second information. In this case, the one or more terminals in step 403 include terminals of the first type and terminals of the second type.

[0180] The process of establishing connection with the terminal involved in the first reader performing inventory operations on different types of terminals can refer to the above-mentioned related content and will not be described in detail here.

[0181] 404. The first reader sends the identifiers of one or more terminals to the AMF.

[0182] Accordingly, the AMF receives the identifiers of one or more terminals from the first reader. Optionally, the identifiers of one or more terminals may be carried in an N2 message. The N2 message mentioned in this application may also be referred to as a Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) message, which is not limited in this application.

[0183] 405. AMF sends one or more terminal identifiers to the service requester.

[0184] Accordingly, the service requester receives the identifiers of one or more terminals from the AMF. For example, the AMF may send the identifiers of one or more terminals to the service requester via the NEF.

[0185] The specific implementation of steps 401 to 405 is described below.

[0186] In one possible implementation, the operation information can be used to perform an inventory operation on the terminal. Exemplarily, the operation information is inventory operation information, e.g., the operation information includes an operation type, and the operation type includes an inventory operation. In another possible implementation, the operation information may include performing an inventory operation on the terminal. Exemplarily, the operation information is read operation information, write operation information, positioning operation information, deactivation operation information, or information operation information for interacting with the terminal. In this case, for example, it can be considered that the operation information includes an operation type, and the operation type includes a read operation, a write operation, a deactivation operation, a positioning operation, or an information interaction operation with the terminal. Before performing the read operation, the write operation, the positioning operation, the deactivation operation, or the information interaction operation with the terminal, the network needs to first perform an inventory operation on the terminal, and then perform the above-mentioned operation on the (specific) terminal after obtaining the identifier of the (specific) terminal or after the (specific) terminal sends the identifier. For ease of understanding, the following explanation is based on the operation information being read operation information. Specifically, the operation information is used to instruct the execution of a read operation on the terminal. After receiving the operation information, the AMF may first perform an inventory operation on the terminal. After the inventory operation is successful, the read operation is performed on the terminal. In the examples below, the operation information being inventory operation information is used as an example for explanation, which should not be regarded as a specific limitation of this application.

[0187] Optionally, the inventory operation information may be carried in the first message. It should be understood that, in the present application, the message name of the first message may or may not indicate the type of the terminal to be operated. It should be noted that, except for the specific description below where the message name of the first message may indicate the type of the terminal to be operated, the rest of the description should be understood as follows: the message name of the first message may or may not indicate the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0188] In the case where the message name of the first message indicates the type of the terminal to be operated, the first message can be called an environmental Internet of Things passive service request (e.g., Nnef_A-IoT_Passive_Service Request) message, indicating that the terminal to be operated is a terminal of the first type, and / or indicating that an inventory operation is performed on the terminal of the first type. Alternatively, the first message can be called an environmental Internet of Things active service request (e.g., Nnef_A-IoT_Active_Service Request) message, indicating that the terminal to be operated is a terminal of the second type, and / or indicating that an inventory operation is performed on the terminal of the second type. Alternatively, the first message can be called an environmental Internet of Things service request (e.g., Nnef_AIoT_Service Request) message, indicating that the terminal to be operated includes a terminal of the first type and a terminal of the second type, and / or indicating that an inventory operation is performed on the terminal of the first type and the terminal of the second type. It should be understood that these are some examples of the first message, and there may be other implementation methods, which are not listed here one by one.

[0189] Optionally, the Nnef_A-IoT_Passive_Service Request message and the Nnef_A-IoT_Active_Service Request message may be simplified as: a passive service request (eg, Nnef_Passive_Service Request) message and an active service request (eg, Nnef_Active_Service Request) message, respectively.

[0190] In the case where the message name of the first message does not indicate the type of the terminal to be operated, the first message may be called an ambient Internet of Things service request (eg, Nnef_AIoT_Service Request) message, indicating that an inventory operation is to be performed on the terminal to be operated.

[0191] The following describes in detail the AMF sending the first information and / or the second information to the first reader in conjunction with the inventory operation information. Specifically:

[0192] The first one is that the AMF determines the type of the terminal to be operated based on the inventory operation information, and sends the first information and / or the second information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0193] The AMF may determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the inventory operation information in the following manners:

[0194] 1. The inventory operation information is carried in the first message, and the message name of the first message indicates the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0195] 2. The inventory operation information includes first indication information, which indicates the type of the terminal to be operated. For details about the first indication information, please refer to the above description, which will not be repeated here.

[0196] 3. The inventory operation information includes the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated. The AMF can determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated. The following are several possible implementations of "the AMF determines the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated", specifically:

[0197] ①. The location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the type of the terminal to be operated. The AMF can determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated.

[0198] In one possible implementation, the correspondence between the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated and the type of the terminal to be operated can be understood as: the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the type of the terminal to be operated. In other words, it is possible to predefine which locations specifically correspond to which types of terminals. For example, the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type and / or the second type. In this case, the AMF can determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated.

[0199] In another possible implementation, the correspondence between the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated and the type of the terminal to be operated can be understood as: the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the working mode of the terminal to be operated, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type and / or the second type.

[0200] In the present application, a terminal operating in passive mode needs to send data by means of a reflected carrier. In this case, the terminal operating in passive mode can be considered to correspond to a terminal of the first type. For example, a terminal operating in passive mode can be regarded as a terminal of the first type. A terminal operating in active mode needs to be able to autonomously generate a carrier (or autonomously recover a carrier) to send data. In this case, the terminal operating in active mode can be considered to correspond to a terminal of the second type. For example, a terminal operating in active mode can be regarded as a terminal of the second type. In this case, it is possible to predefine which positions specifically correspond to which types of terminals. For example, the position information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type and / or the second type. Or, it is predefine which positions specifically correspond to which working modes, and the position information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the working mode of the terminal to be operated. These two descriptions can be interchangeable.

[0201] Exemplarily, the working modes of the terminals to be operated all correspond to the first type. For example, the working modes of the terminals to be operated all correspond to the passive mode, and the terminals to be operated can be regarded as terminals of the first type.

[0202] As another example, the working modes of the terminals to be operated all correspond to the second type. For example, if the working modes of the terminals to be operated all correspond to the active mode, the terminals to be operated can be regarded as terminals of the second type.

[0203] For example, the operating modes of some terminals to be operated correspond to the first type, and the operating modes of other terminals correspond to the second type. For example, the operating modes of the terminals to be operated include passive mode and active mode, and the terminals to be operated can be regarded as terminals of the first type and terminals of the second type.

[0204] Optionally, in this application, the passive mode and the active mode may be referred to as the passive mode and the active mode, respectively, and this application does not limit their names. The following description uses the passive mode and the active mode as examples and should not be regarded as a specific limitation of this application. Optionally, in this application, the operating mode may be replaced by mode, excitation mode, activation mode, communication mode, etc., and this application does not limit the names of the operating modes.

[0205] Optionally, the types of terminals corresponding to different location information may be the same or different. For example, the types of terminals within the areas indicated by different location information may be the same or different. Optionally, the location information here may be the location of at least one network, which may be a public network, a non-public network, a local area network, or a wide area network. For example, if the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is the location of a local area network and / or a non-public network, the type of the terminal to be operated includes the first type. And / or, if the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is the location of a wide area network and / or a public network, the type of the terminal to be operated includes the second type.

[0206] Optionally, when using Method ① in Method 3, if a new terminal moves to the area indicated by the location information before the AMF sends the first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated, the AMF still determines the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and sends the first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated, the new terminal may be missed. To avoid this situation, the following describes several detailed scenarios, specifically:

[0207] (1) The working mode associated with the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is the passive mode. An active terminal enters the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated from the area corresponding to the active mode. In this case, the active terminal can trigger a registration process (such as a mobility registration update process) or a tracking area update process (such as a tracking area update, TAU) process so that the AMF can re-determine the location information corresponding to the active terminal, thereby determining its working mode and indicating its working mode to the active terminal. In this way, it is ensured that the working mode of the terminal in the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is the passive mode, so that the AMF can inventory all terminals in the area. Similarly, the working mode associated with the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is the active mode. An active terminal enters the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated from the area corresponding to the passive mode. In this case, the active terminal can trigger a registration process (such as a mobility registration update process) or a tracking area update process so that the AMF can re-determine the location information corresponding to the active terminal, thereby determining its working mode and indicating its working mode to the active terminal. In this way, it is ensured that the working mode of the terminals in the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is in passive mode, so that the AMF can inventory all the terminals in the area.

[0208] (2) The working mode associated with the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is a passive mode or an active mode. A passive terminal enters the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated. In this case, the AMF can further determine the type of the terminal to be operated in combination with the following method 3. In this case, it can be considered that the inventory operation information includes the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated and the identification of the terminal to be operated. Alternatively, the AMF can also choose to directly determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the following method 3. In this case, it can be considered that the inventory operation information includes the identification of the terminal to be operated.

[0209] ②. The location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the network in which the terminal to be operated is located, and the network in which the terminal to be operated is located corresponds to the type of the terminal to be operated. In other words, the AMF can determine the network in which the terminal to be operated is located based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and thus can determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the network in which the terminal to be operated is located. For example, the network in which the terminal to be operated is located includes a local area network and / or a non-public network, and the type of the terminal to be operated is a first type. And / or, the network in which the terminal to be operated is located includes a wide area network and / or a public network, and the type of the terminal to be operated is a second type.

[0210] Optionally, the correspondence between the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated and the network in which the terminal to be operated is located can be understood as: the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated corresponds to the network in which the terminal to be operated is located. Therefore, the AMF can determine the network in which the terminal to be operated is located based on the area indicated by the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated.

[0211] Method ② in Method 3 is similar to Method ① in that both predefine which locations correspond to which types of terminals. However, in actual application scenarios, if a new terminal moves into these areas before the AMF sends the first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated, the AMF may miss the new terminal by determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated and sending the first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated. For example, the network where the terminal to be operated is located is a local area network, and an active terminal moves into the LAN. According to the previous agreement, the AMF will assume that the type of the terminal to be operated is the first type and send the first information to the first reader. However, in reality, there are active terminals (i.e., terminals of the second type) in the LAN. However, based on the location information, the AMF will not send the second information to the first reader. Therefore, the second type of terminal may be missed. To avoid this situation, the AMF can further determine the type of the terminal to be operated in combination with Method 3 above. In this case, the inventory operation information can be considered to include the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated and the identifier of the terminal to be operated. Alternatively, the AMF can directly determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the above method 3. In this case, the inventory operation information can be considered to include the identifier of the terminal to be operated.

[0212] 4. The inventory operation information includes the identifier of the terminal to be operated. The AMF determines the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated. The identifier of the terminal to be operated can be referred to the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0213] The AMF may determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated in the following ways:

[0214] ①. The first type of terminal and the second type of terminal correspond to different terminal identification ranges. For ease of understanding, this application refers to the terminal identification range corresponding to the first type of terminal as the first identification range, and the terminal identification range corresponding to the second type of terminal as the second identification range. It is understandable that when the identification range of the terminal to be operated falls within the first identification range, the terminal to be operated is a terminal of the first type. When the identification range of the terminal to be operated falls within the second identification range, the terminal to be operated is a terminal of the second type.

[0215] ② The value of the nth field in the identifier of the terminal to be operated indicates the type of the terminal to be operated. For example, a value of 0 in the nth field indicates that the terminal to be operated is a terminal of the first type; a value of 1 in the nth field indicates that the terminal to be operated is a terminal of the second type. The reverse is also true. For example, if the identifier of a terminal is AAABBB034333, and the value of the 7th field is 0, it indicates that the terminal is a terminal of the first type.

[0216] Here, n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0217] ③. Based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the AMF obtains the contract data corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and the contract data includes the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0218] Exemplarily, the AMF may obtain subscription data corresponding to a terminal of the first type based on an identifier of the terminal of the first type, and the subscription data may include the first type. For example, if the terminal of the first type is a passive terminal, the subscription data may include information about the passive terminal, such as a passive terminal, or may include a string, bit, or value indicating a passive terminal. In this case, the subscription data may include the first type. Alternatively, if the terminal of the first type is a semi-passive terminal, the subscription data may include information about the semi-passive terminal, such as a semi-passive terminal, or may include a string, bit, or value indicating a semi-passive terminal. In this case, the subscription data may include the first type. Alternatively, if the terminal of the first type is a semi-active terminal, the subscription data may include information about the semi-active terminal, such as a semi-active terminal, or may include a string, bit, or value indicating a semi-active terminal. In this case, the subscription data may include the first type.

[0219] As another example, the AMF may obtain subscription data corresponding to the second type of terminal based on the identifier of the second type of terminal, and the subscription data may include the second type. For example, if the second type of terminal is an active terminal, the subscription data may include information about the active terminal, such as the active terminal or a string, bits, or a value indicating the active terminal. In this case, the subscription data may include the second type.

[0220] As another example, the AMF may obtain subscription data corresponding to the first type of terminal and the second type of terminal based on the identifier of the first type of terminal and the identifier of the second type of terminal. The subscription data may include the first type and the second type. This can be referred to above and will not be repeated here.

[0221] Optionally, the AMF may obtain the contract data corresponding to the terminal to be operated from the UDM based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated. Optionally, the contract data may also be referred to as service configuration data, and this application does not limit its name.

[0222] Optionally, the number of contract data items may be one or more. For example, all terminals to be operated may correspond to one contract data item. Alternatively, one terminal to be operated may correspond to one contract data item, and another terminal may correspond to another contract data item. Alternatively, a first type of terminal to be operated may correspond to one contract data item, and a second type of terminal may correspond to another contract data item, and so on. These are just some examples; there are other implementations, which are not listed here.

[0223] ④. The AMF may obtain first context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, where the first context information includes an association between the identifier of the terminal to be operated and the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0224] In one possible implementation, this method may be applicable to the second type of terminal. For the first type of terminal, the AMF may use any one or more of Methods ① to ③ in Method 4 to determine the type of the terminal.

[0225] In another possible implementation, this approach can be applied to both terminals of the first type and terminals of the second type. For example, after performing an inventory operation on a terminal of the first type, the AMF may record the identification information and terminal type information of the first type of terminal in its corresponding context information, where the terminal type information is of the first type; and / or, after performing an inventory operation on a terminal of the second type, the AMF may record the identification information and terminal type information of the second type of terminal in its corresponding context information. In other words, after performing an inventory operation on a terminal, the AMF may record the terminal's identification information and terminal type information in the corresponding context information.

[0226] ⑤. Based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the AMF obtains the second context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated, where the second context information includes an association between the identifier of the terminal to be operated and the working mode of the terminal to be operated, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type and / or the second type.

[0227] For example, the working modes of the terminals to be operated all correspond to the first type. For example, if the working modes of the terminals to be operated are all passive modes, the terminals to be operated can be regarded as terminals of the first type. In this case, it can be considered that the methods ④ and ⑤ in method 4 are the same.

[0228] As another example, the operating modes of the terminals to be operated all correspond to the second type. For example, if the operating modes of the terminals to be operated are all active modes, the terminals to be operated can be considered as terminals of the second type. In this case, it can be considered that method ④ and method ⑤ in method 4 are the same.

[0229] As another example, the operating modes of some of the terminals to be operated correspond to the first type, while the operating modes of other terminals correspond to the second type. For example, the operating modes of the terminals to be operated include passive mode and active mode, and the terminals to be operated can be considered as terminals of the first type and terminals of the second type. In this case, method 4 and method 5 in method 4 can be considered the same.

[0230] 5. The inventory operation information includes identification information indicating the service requester. The AMF may determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identification information indicating the service requester. For example, the AMF may obtain the contract data corresponding to the service requester based on the identification information indicating the service requester. The contract data may include the type of the terminal to be operated. Alternatively, the AMF may obtain the contract data from the UDM based on the identification information indicating the service requester.

[0231] For the identification information indicating the service requester, please refer to the above related description and will not be elaborated here.

[0232] Taking the service requester as an AF as an example, the identification information indicating the service requester may include the AF identifier and / or the AF address. The AMF determines the type of the terminal to be operated based on the AF identifier and / or the AF address. For example, the AMF may obtain the contract data corresponding to the AF based on the AF identifier and / or the AF address, and the contract data includes the type of the terminal to be operated. Optionally, the AMF may obtain the contract data corresponding to the AF from the UDM based on the AF identifier and / or the AF address.

[0233] It should be noted that any of the above methods 1-5 can be used alone as an implementation method for the AMF to determine the type of the terminal to be operated. Alternatively, at least two of the above methods 1-5 can be combined as an implementation method for the AMF to determine the type of the terminal to be operated. This application does not limit the specific combination. It should be understood that the above are only a few simple examples, and there are other implementation methods, which this application does not limit.

[0234] The second type predefines or preconfigures that the AMF sends the first information and the second information to the first reader when obtaining the inventory operation information. This is equivalent to the AMF sending the first information and the second information to the first reader by default when obtaining the inventory operation information.

[0235] Optionally, in the present application, the first information and / or the second information may be carried in an N2 message.

[0236] In addition, when the AMF sends the first information and the second information to the first reader, it may send them in two separate messages. For example, the first information and the second information may be carried in different messages. Alternatively, the AMF may send the first information and the second information to the first reader simultaneously. For example, the first information and the second information may be carried in the same message. The message here may be an N2 message.

[0237] The first information and the second information are described in detail below. Specifically:

[0238] 1. The first information may include second indication information and / or mask information.

[0239] The second indication information is used to trigger the first reader to send a first selection command, so that the first type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader responds to the first selection command, for example, so that the first type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader sends an identifier of the first type of terminal to the first reader.

[0240] Optionally, the second indication information may be referred to as first random access indication information, and this application does not limit its name.

[0241] The mask information can be used to trigger the first reader to send a second selection command, causing the first type of terminal corresponding to the mask information to respond to the second selection command. For example, the first type of terminal corresponding to the mask information can send its identifier to the first reader. The second selection command may include the mask information. For details about the mask information, please refer to the above description and will not be elaborated here.

[0242] Optionally, when the first information includes the second indication information and the mask information, the first information may be considered to trigger the first reader to send the second selection command, such as causing the first type of terminal corresponding to the mask information to send an identifier of the first type of terminal to the first reader.

[0243] Among them, the above-mentioned first selection command and second selection command are only named for distinction, and their specific naming does not limit the scope of protection of this application. For example, the first selection command can also be the third paging message, and the second selection command can also be the fourth paging message, and this application does not limit this. In one possible implementation, the paging messages mentioned in this application (such as the first paging message, the second paging message, the third paging message or the fourth paging message, etc.) can also be referred to as A-IoT paging messages. For example, the first paging message can also be called the first A-IoT paging message, the second paging message can also be called the second A-IoT paging message, the third paging message can also be called the third A-IoT paging message, and the fourth paging message can also be called the fourth A-IoT paging message, and this application does not limit this.

[0244] Optionally, the AMF may obtain the mask information in at least one of the following ways:

[0245] ①. Inventory operation information can also include mask information.

[0246] ② The AMF may determine the mask information based on the identification information indicating the service requester in the inventory operation information. For example, the identification information indicating the service requester is associated with the mask information. In this way, the AMF may determine the mask information based on the identification information indicating the service requester and the association between the identification information and the mask information.

[0247] For example, taking the service requester as an AF, the identification information indicating the service requester may include the AF identifier and / or the AF address, and the AMF may determine the mask information based on the AF identifier and / or the AF address. For example, the AF identifier and / or the AF address is associated with the mask information, so that the AMF may determine the mask information based on the AF identifier and / or the AF address, and the association between the AF identifier and / or the AF address and the mask information.

[0248] It should be pointed out that method ① or method ② here can be applicable to the above-mentioned process of "AMF determines the type of terminal to be operated based on the inventory operation information, and sends the first information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated", or can be applicable to the process of "predefining or preconfiguring AMF to send the first information to the first reader when obtaining the inventory operation information".

[0249] 2. The second information includes third indication information and / or group identification information.

[0250] The third indication information is used to trigger the first reader to send a first paging message, so that the second type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader responds to the first paging message, for example, the second type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader sends an identifier of the second type of terminal to the first reader.

[0251] Optionally, the third indication information may be called a paging message or second random access indication information, and this application does not limit the name.

[0252] The group identification information can be used to trigger the first reader to send a second paging message, so that the second type of terminal corresponding to the group identification information responds to the second paging message. For example, the second type of terminal corresponding to the group identification information sends the identifier of the second type of terminal to the first reader. The second paging message may include the group identification information.

[0253] Optionally, when the second information includes the third indication information and the group identification information, the second information may be considered to trigger the first reader to send a second paging message, such as causing the second type of terminal corresponding to the group identification information to send the second type of terminal identifier to the first reader.

[0254] Optionally, the AMF may obtain the group identification information in at least one of the following ways, specifically:

[0255] ①. Inventory operation information may also include group identification information.

[0256] ② The AMF may determine the group identification information based on the identification information indicating the service requester in the inventory operation information. For example, the identification information indicating the service requester is associated with the group identification information. In this way, the AMF may determine the group identification information based on the identification information indicating the service requester and the association between the identification information and the group identification information.

[0257] For example, taking the service requester as an AF, the identification information indicating the service requester may include the AF's identifier and / or the AF's address, and the AMF may determine the group identification information based on the AF's identifier and / or the AF's address. For example, the AF's identifier and / or the AF's address are associated with the group identification information, so that the AMF may determine the group identification information based on the AF's identifier and / or the AF's address, and the association between the AF's identifier and / or the AF's address and the group identification information.

[0258] It should be pointed out that method ① or method ② here can be applicable to the above-mentioned process of "AMF determines the type of terminal to be operated based on the inventory operation information, and sends the first information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated", or can be applicable to the process of "predefining or preconfiguring AMF to send the first information to the first reader when obtaining the inventory operation information".

[0259] In one possible implementation, the identifiers of one or more terminals may be carried in an Ambient IoT Passive Service Response message (e.g., Nnef_A-IoT_Passive_Service Response). For example, if one or more terminals are type-one terminals, the identifiers of one or more terminals may be carried in the Nnef_A-IoT_Passive_Service Response message.

[0260] In another possible implementation, the identifiers of one or more terminals may be carried in a Nnef A-IoT Active Service Response message (e.g., Nnef_A-IoT_Active_Service Response). For example, if one or more terminals are terminals of the second type, the identifiers of one or more terminals may be carried in the Nnef_A-IoT_Active_Service Response message.

[0261] In another possible implementation, the identifiers of one or more terminals may be carried in an Nnef AIoT service response message (e.g., Nnef_AIoT_Service Response). For example, if the one or more terminals include a first type of terminal and a second type of terminal, the identifiers of the one or more terminals may be carried in the Nnef_AIoT_Service Response message.

[0262] Optionally, the Nnef_A-IoT_Passive_Service Response message and the Nnef_A-IoT_Active_Service Response message may be simplified as: an Nnef passive service response (eg, Nnef_Passive_Service Response) message and an Nnef active service response (eg, Nnef_Active_Service Response) message, respectively.

[0263] As can be seen, in the above embodiment, the AMF can receive inventory operation information and, based on the inventory operation information, send the first information and / or second information to the first reader, allowing the first reader to flexibly adopt an appropriate inventory method for the inventory. Furthermore, based on the inventory operation information, the AMF can determine the type of terminal to be inventoried and, based on the type of terminal to be inventoried, send the first information and / or second information to the first reader. This allows the AMF to more accurately determine which types of terminals should be triggered for the first reader to perform an inventory. This reduces the problem of missed inventories or unnecessary signaling overhead, while also ensuring inventory efficiency.

[0264] In one possible implementation, the AMF in Figure 4 may not be co-deployed with the TMF. In this case, step 401 can be understood as: the service requester (through NEF) sends a message to the TMF service requester, and the TMF obtains the inventory operation information based on the message of the service requester, and sends the inventory operation information to the AMF. Or, the service requester (through NEF) sends a message to the TMF service requester, and the TMF determines the type of the terminal to be operated based on the message of the service requester, and sends the type of the terminal to be operated to the AMF. Optionally, the TMF can also send the information carried in the message of the service requester to the AMF, such as mask information, group identification information, etc., which are not listed here. Optionally, step 405 can be understood as: the AMF sends the identification of one or more terminals to the TMF, and the TMF (through NEF) sends the identification of one or more terminals to the service requester.

[0265] It should be understood that, with respect to method ④ in the above-mentioned method 4, the second type of terminal can be registered so that the AMF can store the association between the identifier of the second type of terminal and its type. Since this association can be stored in the context, the AMF can determine the type of the terminal based on the context. It should be understood that the process of the second type of terminal registering can occur before "the AMF obtains first context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated." Exemplarily, the terminal to be operated includes a first terminal, and before the AMF obtains first context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the method further includes: when the AMF receives a second message from the first terminal, the type of the first terminal is the second type, the second message includes the identifier of the first terminal, and the first terminal identifier and the type of the first terminal are stored in association in the first context information. The process of the AMF storing the identifier of the first terminal and the type of the first terminal in association is described in detail below in conjunction with Figure 5.

[0266] Referring to FIG5 , FIG5 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The embodiment shown in FIG5 can be combined with the embodiment shown in FIG4 , for example, based on the embodiment shown in FIG4 , further comprising the following steps:

[0267] 501. A first terminal sends a second message to a first reader, where the second message includes an identifier of the first terminal.

[0268] Correspondingly, the first reader receives the second message from the first terminal. Optionally, the second message may be, for example, a registration request message.

[0269] 502. The first reader selects a suitable AMF and sends a second message to the AMF.

[0270] Correspondingly, the AMF receives the second message from the first reader. That is, the AMF receives the second message. In one possible implementation, since only the second type of terminal can actively send a registration request message to the first reader, the AMF receives the second message (i.e., the registration request message) and can learn the type of the first terminal. In another possible implementation, the reader can send the type of the first terminal to the AMF. For example, the reader can learn the type of the first terminal (for example, based on the physical layer or air interface mechanism) and send the type of the first terminal to the AMF. In another possible implementation, the AMF can receive the identification or capability information of the first terminal to learn the type of the first terminal.

[0271] Among them, the first reader can, for example, select the AMF to serve the terminal based on the location of the terminal, the type of terminal or the access technology type (for example, environmental Internet of Things terminal, environmental Internet of Things technology, etc.). This application does not limit its specific process.

[0272] 503. The AMF associates and stores the identifier of the first terminal and the type of the first terminal in the first context information.

[0273] Optionally, the terminal to be operated may also include other terminals, the type of the other terminals is the second type, and the AMF may also associate and store the identifiers of the other terminals and their corresponding types in the first context information, or the AMF may separately store the identifiers of the other terminals and their corresponding types, which is not limited here.

[0274] 504. The AMF selects an appropriate AUSF to perform authentication and other security processes. The terminal, AMF, AUSF, and UDM interact to complete authentication and other security processes.

[0275] 505. After the mutual authentication between the terminal and the network is successful, the AMF sends an N2 message to the first reader, where the N2 message includes a registration acceptance message.

[0276] Correspondingly, the first reader receives the N2 message from the AMF. The registration acceptance message is used to indicate that the first terminal has successfully registered with the network.

[0277] 506. The first reader sends a registration acceptance message to the first terminal.

[0278] Correspondingly, the first terminal receives the registration acceptance message through the first reader.

[0279] As can be seen in the above embodiment, during the registration process, the AMF can associate and store the first terminal's identifier and type in the first context information. This allows the AMF to subsequently determine the first terminal's type based on the identifier, improving efficiency. Furthermore, the AMF can also determine which terminal type should be inventoried, ensuring smooth implementation of the solution.

[0280] Optionally, the embodiment shown in FIG5 may be executed before step 402 in FIG4 , for example, before the AMF obtains the first context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated.

[0281] It should be understood that with respect to method ⑤ of method 4 above, a second-type terminal may be registered so that the AMF can determine its operating mode based on the location information corresponding to the second-type terminal, and further associate and store the association between the identifier of the second-type terminal and its operating mode. Since this association can be stored in the context, the AMF can determine the terminal type based on the context. The second-type terminal registration process may occur before the AMF obtains, based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, second context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated. Exemplarily, the terminal to be operated includes a second terminal, and before the AMF obtains, based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the second-type terminal's identifier, the method further includes: the AMF receiving a third message from the second terminal, the third message including the identifier of the second terminal; the AMF determining first location information corresponding to the second terminal; the AMF determining, based on the first location information, the first operating mode of the second terminal; and the AMF storing, in the second context information, the identifier of the second terminal and the first operating mode. The process of the AMF associating and storing the identifier of the second terminal with its operating mode is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 6 .

[0282] Referring to FIG6 , FIG6 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The embodiment shown in FIG6 can be combined with the embodiment shown in FIG4 , for example, based on the embodiment shown in FIG4 , further comprising the following steps:

[0283] 601. A second terminal sends a third message to a first reader, where the third message includes an identifier of the second terminal.

[0284] Correspondingly, the first reader receives a third message from the second terminal. Optionally, the third message may be, for example, a registration request message.

[0285] 602. The first reader selects a suitable AMF and sends a third message to the AMF.

[0286] Correspondingly, the AMF receives the third message from the first reader. That is, the AMF receives the third message. In one possible implementation, since only the second type of terminal can actively send a registration request message to the first reader, the AMF receives the third message (i.e., the registration request message) and can learn the type of the first terminal. In another possible implementation, the reader can send the type of the first terminal to the AMF. For example, the reader can learn the type of the first terminal (for example, according to the physical layer or air interface mechanism) and send the type of the first terminal to the AMF. In another possible implementation, the AMF can receive the identification or capability information of the first terminal to learn the type of the first terminal.

[0287] Among them, the first reader can, for example, select the AMF to serve the terminal based on the location of the terminal, the type of terminal or the access technology type (for example, environmental Internet of Things terminal, environmental Internet of Things technology, etc.). This application does not limit its specific process.

[0288] 603. The AMF associates and stores the identifier of the second terminal and the type of the second terminal in the second context information.

[0289] Optionally, the terminal to be operated may also include other terminals, the type of the other terminal is the second type, and the AMF may also associate and store the identifiers of the other terminals and their corresponding types in the second context information, or the AMF may separately store the identifiers of the other terminals and their corresponding types, which is not limited here.

[0290] 604. The AMF selects an appropriate AUSF to perform authentication and other security processes. The terminal, AMF, AUSF, and UDM interact to complete authentication and other security processes.

[0291] 605. After the terminal and the network side successfully authenticate each other, the AMF determines the first location information corresponding to the second terminal, and determines the first operating mode of the second terminal based on the first location information.

[0292] Optionally, the AMF determines the first location information corresponding to the second terminal, for example, by determining the first location information based on the location of the first reader that forwarded the third message. This application does not limit the specific process. Furthermore, the first location information can also be determined in other ways, which are not listed here.

[0293] The first operating mode is a passive mode or an active mode. For example, the operating mode corresponding to the first location information is a passive mode, and the first operating mode of the second terminal is a passive mode. The operating mode corresponding to the first location information is an active mode, and the first operating mode is an active mode.

[0294] 606. The AMF associates and stores the identifier of the second terminal and the first operating mode in the second context information.

[0295] In one possible implementation, it can be considered that the identifier of the second terminal and the type of the second terminal are associated with each other, and that the identifier of the second terminal and the first operating mode are associated with each other. In another possible implementation, it can be considered that the identifier of the second terminal, the type of the second terminal, and the first operating mode are associated with each other. These two interpretations can be presented in the form of a table, for example. It should be understood that this is merely an example and is not limited to a table format.

[0296] Optionally, the terminal to be operated may also include other terminals, the type of the other terminal is the second type, and the AMF may also associate and store the identifier of the other terminal, the type of the other terminal and its working mode in the second context information, or the AMF may separately store the identifier of the other terminal, the type of the other terminal and its working mode, which is not limited here.

[0297] 607. The AMF sends an N2 message to the first reader, where the N2 message includes a registration acceptance message.

[0298] Correspondingly, the first reader receives the N2 message from the AMF. The registration acceptance message is used to indicate that the second terminal has successfully registered with the network.

[0299] Optionally, the AMF may further send third information to the second terminal, where the third information is used for the second terminal to enter the first working mode. For example, the registration acceptance message may further include the third information.

[0300] It should be noted that the information mentioned in this application (such as the third information) used for the terminal to enter the corresponding operating mode can be understood as: the information is at least one field or at least one bit. At least one field or at least one bit is used for the terminal to enter the corresponding operating mode. For example, the third information is 1 bit, corresponding to two states '0' and '1'. '0' indicates that the second terminal enters the first operating mode, and '1' indicates that the second terminal does not enter the first operating mode. The reverse is also possible.

[0301] Optionally, the AMF may further indicate the first location information to the second terminal. That is, the AMF indicates its registration area to the second type of terminal, so that the second type of terminal triggers a registration procedure (e.g., a mobility registration update procedure) or a tracking area update procedure after leaving the area. For example, the registration accept message may further include the first location information.

[0302] 608. The first reader sends a registration acceptance message to the second terminal.

[0303] Correspondingly, the second terminal receives the registration acceptance message through the first reader.

[0304] Optionally, after step 608, assuming that the second terminal moves from the area indicated by the first location information to the area indicated by the second location information, the second terminal may re-register or perform a tracking area update procedure. For another example, after the core network has recorded the area indicated by the second location information to the second terminal, in this case, steps 609 to 610 may also be included.

[0305] 609. AMF obtains second location information corresponding to the second terminal, where the second location information is different from the first location information.

[0306] Optionally, the AMF obtains the second location information corresponding to the second terminal. This can be understood as follows: the AMF receives a fourth message from the second terminal via a second reader and determines the second location information based on the second reader or the location of the second reader. The first reader may be the same as or different from the second reader. The fourth message includes an identifier of the second terminal. The fourth message may be, for example, a registration request message.

[0307] 610. The AMF determines the second operating mode of the second terminal based on the second location information, and sends fourth information to the second terminal, where the fourth information is used for the second terminal to enter the second operating mode.

[0308] Accordingly, the second terminal receives the fourth information from the AMF. For example, the second terminal may receive the fourth information from the AMF via a second reader. Optionally, the fourth information may be included in a registration response message. The registration response message is used to indicate that the second terminal has successfully registered with the network.

[0309] The second working mode may be a passive mode or an active mode.

[0310] Optionally, the AMF may also update the first operating mode to the second operating mode in the second context information. It is understood that if the first operating mode is the same as the second operating mode, the AMF may not perform any action. If the first operating mode is different from the second operating mode, the AMF may update the first operating mode to the second operating mode in the second context information.

[0311] As can be seen in the above embodiment, during the registration process, the AMF can associate and store the second terminal's identifier and the second terminal's operating mode in the second context information. This allows the AMF to subsequently learn the second terminal's operating mode through the second terminal's identifier and, therefore, determine which terminal type should be inventoried. This improves efficiency and ensures the smooth implementation of the solution. Furthermore, the AMF can also update the second terminal's operating mode to ensure that it matches the operating mode at the corresponding location, allowing the subsequent inventory process to proceed smoothly.

[0312] Optionally, steps 601 to 608 in the embodiment shown in FIG6 may be performed before step 402 in FIG4 , for example, before obtaining the second context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated. Steps 609 to 610 in the embodiment shown in FIG6 may be performed simultaneously with, before, or after any of steps 402 to 405, without limitation herein.

[0313] Optionally, this application only exemplifies the specific process of AMF triggering the first reader to perform inventory operations on the first type of terminal and the second type of terminal. It should be understood that this solution can also be used when the inventory processes of different types of terminals are different.

[0314] It is understandable that, in order to realize the above functions, the above-mentioned devices include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that, in combination with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0315] In the embodiments of the present application, the AMF or AF can be divided into functional modules according to the above-mentioned method examples. For example, each functional module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into a single processing module. The above-mentioned integrated module can be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional modules. It should be noted that the module division in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative and is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used.

[0316] Refer to Figure 7, which is a structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 700 can be applied to the method shown in any of the embodiments in Figures 4 to 6 above. As shown in Figure 7, the communication device 700 includes: a processing module 701 and a transceiver module 702. The processing module 701 can be one or more processors, and the transceiver module 702 can be a transceiver or a communication interface. The communication device can be used to implement the AMF or AF involved in any of the above method embodiments, or to implement the functions of the network element involved in any of the above method embodiments. The network element or network function can be a network element in a hardware device, a software function running on dedicated hardware, or a virtualization function instantiated on a platform (for example, a cloud platform). Optionally, the communication device 700 can also include a storage module 703 for storing program code and data of the communication device 700.

[0317] In one example, when the communication device functions as an AMF or a chip used in an AMF, and executes the steps performed by the AMF in the above-described method embodiments, the transceiver module 702 is configured to specifically execute the sending and / or receiving actions performed by the AMF in any of the embodiments of Figures 4 to 6 , such as supporting the AMF in executing other processes of the technology described herein. The processing module 701 may be configured to support the communication device 700 in executing the processing actions in the above-described method embodiments, such as supporting the AMF in executing other processes of the technology described herein.

[0318] Exemplarily, the transceiver module 702 is used to: receive operation information from the service requester, the operation information is used to perform operations on the terminal, and the operations include inventory operations; send first information and / or second information to the first reader based on the operation information, the first information is used for the first reader to perform inventory operations on the first type of terminal, and the second information is used for the first reader to perform inventory operations on the second type of terminal; receive the operation results sent by the first reader, and send the operation results to the service requester, the operation results include the identification of one or more terminals, and the type of one or more terminals belongs to the first type and / or the second type.

[0319] Optionally, when sending the first information and / or the second information to the first reader based on the operation information, the processing module 701 is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the operation information; the terminal to be operated includes a first type of terminal and / or a second type of terminal, and the first type is different from the second type; the transceiver module 702 is used to send the first information and / or the second information to the first reader based on the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0320] Optionally, when determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the operation information, the operation information is carried in the first message, and the message name of the first message indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes first indication information, and the first indication information indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and the processing module 701 is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information includes an identifier of the terminal to be operated, and the processing module 701 is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated; or, the operation information represents the identifier of the service requester and / or the address of the service requester, and the processing module 701 is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the service requester and / or the address of the service requester.

[0321] Optionally, when determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, the processing module 701 is used to: determine the network of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated; determine the type of the terminal to be operated based on the network of the terminal to be operated.

[0322] Optionally, when determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, the processing module 701 is used to: determine the working mode of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type and / or the second type.

[0323] Optionally, when determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, the processing module 701 is used to: obtain contract data corresponding to the terminal to be operated based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, the contract data including the type of the terminal to be operated; or, obtain first context information corresponding to the identification of the terminal to be operated based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, the first context information including the association relationship between the identification of the terminal to be operated and the type of the terminal to be operated; or, obtain second context information corresponding to the identification of the terminal to be operated based on the identification of the terminal to be operated, the second context information including the association relationship between the identification of the terminal to be operated and the working mode of the terminal to be operated, the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponding to the first type and / or the second type.

[0324] Optionally, when determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the service requester and / or the address of the service requester, the processing module 701 is used to: obtain the contract data corresponding to the service requester based on the identifier of the service requester or the address of the service requester, and the contract data includes the type of the terminal to be operated.

[0325] Optionally, the terminal to be operated includes a first terminal, and the transceiver module 702 is further used to receive a second message from the first terminal, where the type of the first terminal is the second type and the second message includes the identifier of the first terminal; the processing module 701 is also used to associate and store the identifier of the first terminal and the type of the first terminal in the first context information.

[0326] Optionally, the terminal to be operated includes a second terminal, and the transceiver module 702 is also used to receive a third message from the second terminal, and the third message includes an identifier of the second terminal; the processing module 701 is also used to: determine the first location information corresponding to the second terminal; based on the first location information, determine the first working mode of the second terminal, the first working mode is an active mode or an active mode; in the second context information, the identifier of the second terminal and the first working mode are associated and stored.

[0327] Optionally, the transceiver module 702 is further configured to send third information to the second terminal, where the third information is used for the second terminal to enter the first working mode.

[0328] Optionally, the processing module 701 is also used to: detect that the second terminal corresponds to second location information, and the second location information is different from the first location information; based on the second location information, determine the second working mode of the second terminal, and the second working mode is an active mode or an active mode; the transceiver module 702 is also used to send fourth information to the second terminal, and the fourth information is used for the second terminal to enter the second working mode.

[0329] Optionally, the processing module 701 is further configured to update the first operating mode to the second operating mode in the second context information.

[0330] In one embodiment, when the communication device functions as an AF or a chip used in an AF, and executes the steps performed by the AF in the above-described method embodiments, the transceiver module 702 is configured to specifically execute the sending and / or receiving actions performed by the AF in any of the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 6 , such as supporting the AF in executing other processes related to the techniques described herein. The processing module 701 is configured to support the communication device 700 in executing the processing actions described in the above-described method embodiments, such as supporting the AF in executing other processes related to the techniques described herein.

[0331] Exemplarily, the transceiver module 702 is used to: send operation information to the first network element, the operation information is used to perform an operation on the terminal, the operation including an inventory operation; receive an operation result from the first network element, the operation result including the identification of one or more terminals, the type of one or more terminals belongs to the first type and / or the second type, and the first type is different from the second type; wherein the operation result is determined based on the first information and / or the second information, the first information is used by the first reader to perform an inventory operation on the terminal of the first type, and the second information is used by the first reader to perform an inventory operation on the terminal of the second type.

[0332] In one possible implementation, when the AMF or AF is a chip, the transceiver module 702 may be a communication interface, a pin, or a circuit. The communication interface may be used to input data to be processed into the processor and output the processing results of the processor. In a specific implementation, the communication interface may be a general purpose input / output (GPIO) interface that can be connected to multiple peripheral devices (such as a display (LCD), a camera, a radio frequency (RF) module, an antenna, etc.). The communication interface is connected to the processor via a bus.

[0333] The processing module 701 can be a processor that can execute computer-executable instructions stored in the storage module to cause the chip to perform the method involved in any of the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 6. Furthermore, the processor can include a controller, an arithmetic unit, and registers. For example, the controller is primarily responsible for decoding instructions and issuing control signals for operations corresponding to the instructions. The arithmetic unit is primarily responsible for performing fixed-point or floating-point arithmetic operations, shift operations, and logical operations, and can also perform address operations and conversions. The registers are primarily responsible for storing register operands and intermediate operation results temporarily stored during instruction execution. In a specific implementation, the processor hardware architecture can be an ASIC architecture, a microprocessor without interlocked piped stages architecture (MIPS) architecture, an advanced RISC machine (ARM) architecture, or a second processor (NP) architecture, etc. The processor can be single-core or multi-core. The storage module can be a storage module within the chip, such as a register or cache. The storage module may also be a storage module located outside the chip, such as a ROM or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, RAM, etc.

[0334] It should be noted that the functions corresponding to the processor and the interface can be implemented through hardware design, software design, or a combination of hardware and software, and there is no limitation here.

[0335] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. It is understandable that the communication device 810 includes necessary means such as modules, units, elements, circuits, or interfaces, which are appropriately configured together to implement this solution. The communication device 810 can be the above-mentioned AMF or AF, or it can be a component (such as a chip) in these devices to implement the method described in the above method embodiment. The communication device 810 includes one or more processors 811. The processor 811 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, etc. For example, it can be a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit can be used to control the communication device (such as AMF, AF, or chip, etc.), execute software programs, and process software program data.

[0336] Optionally, in one design, the processor 811 may include a program 813 (sometimes also referred to as code or instructions), which may be executed on the processor 811, causing the communication device 810 to perform the methods described in the above embodiments. In another possible design, the communication device 810 includes circuitry (not shown in FIG8 ), which is used to implement the AMF, AF, and other functions in the above embodiments. Optionally, the communication device 810 may include one or more memories 812 on which a program 814 (sometimes also referred to as code or instructions) is stored, which may be executed on the processor 811, causing the communication device 810 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0337] Optionally, data may also be stored in the processor 811 and / or the memory 812. The processor and the memory may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0338] Optionally, the communication device 810 may further include a transceiver 815 and / or an antenna 816. The processor 811 may also be referred to as a processing unit, and controls the communication device (e.g., AMF or AF). The transceiver 815 may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, or a transceiver, and is configured to implement the transceiver functions of the communication device via the antenna 816.

[0339] An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device, which includes at least one processor; wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute any one of the methods described in any one of the embodiments in Figures 4 to 6.

[0340] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed, the computer executes any method as described in any one of the embodiments in Figures 4 to 6.

[0341] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, which includes: a computer program code, and when the computer program code is executed by a computer, the computer executes any one of the methods described in any one of the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 6.

[0342] An embodiment of the present application also provides a chip, which includes at least one processor and an interface. The processor is used to read and execute instructions stored in a memory. When the instructions are executed, the chip executes any method as described in any of the embodiments in Figures 4 to 6.

[0343] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or they may be distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the objectives of the embodiments of the present application. In addition, the network element units in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software network element units.

[0344] If the above-mentioned integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software network element unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the part that essentially contributes to the technical solution of the present application, or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, AMF, cloud server, or AF, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the above-mentioned methods in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), disk or optical disk and other media that can store program code.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: include: receiving operation information from a service requester, wherein the operation information is used to perform an operation on a terminal, wherein the operation includes an inventory operation; Based on the operation information, determining the type of the terminal to be operated; the terminal to be operated includes a first type of terminal and / or a second type of terminal, the first type is different from the second type; Based on the type of the terminal to be operated, sending first information and / or second information to the first reader, the first information being used for the first reader to perform the inventory operation on the terminal of the first type, and the second information being used for the first reader to perform the inventory operation on the terminal of the second type; An operation result sent by the first reader is received, and the operation result is sent to the service requester, where the operation result includes identifications of one or more terminals, and the one or more terminals belong to the terminal to be operated.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The determining, based on the operation information, the type of the terminal to be operated includes: The operation information is carried in a first message, and the message name of the first message indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, The operation information includes first indication information, where the first indication information indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, The operation information includes location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and the type of the terminal to be operated is determined based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated; or, The operation information includes an identifier of the terminal to be operated, and based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined; or, The operation information includes identification information indicating the service requester, and the type of the terminal to be operated is determined based on the identification information indicating the service requester.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated includes: Determining the network where the terminal to be operated is located based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated; Based on the network in which the terminal to be operated is located, the type of the terminal to be operated is determined.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The network where the terminal to be operated is located includes a local area network or a non-public network, and the type of the terminal to be operated includes the first type; and / or, The network where the terminal to be operated is located includes a wide area network or a public network, and the type of the terminal to be operated includes the second type.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated includes: Based on the position information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, the working mode of the terminal to be operated is determined, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type and / or the second type.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated includes: Based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, acquiring the contract data corresponding to the terminal to be operated, wherein the contract data includes the type of the terminal to be operated; or, Based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, acquiring first context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated, wherein the first context information includes an association relationship between the identifier of the terminal to be operated and the type of the terminal to be operated; or, Based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, second context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated is obtained, wherein the second context information includes an association relationship between the identifier of the terminal to be operated and the working mode of the terminal to be operated, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type and / or the second type.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The working mode of the terminal to be operated includes a passive mode, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the first type; and / or, The working mode of the terminal to be operated includes an active mode, and the working mode of the terminal to be operated corresponds to the second type.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The determining the type of the terminal to be operated based on the identification information indicating the service requester includes: Based on the identification information indicating the service requester, the contract data corresponding to the service requester is acquired, where the contract data includes the type of the terminal to be operated.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The first information includes second indication information or mask information, the second indication information is used to trigger the first reader to send a first selection command so that the first type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader responds to the first selection command, and the mask information is used to trigger the first reader to send a second selection command so that the first type of terminal corresponding to the mask information responds to the second selection command.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The second information includes third indication information or group identification information, the third indication information is used to trigger the first reader to send a first paging message so that the second type of terminal within the coverage of the first reader responds to the first paging message, and the group identification information is used to trigger the first reader to send a second paging message so that the second type of terminal corresponding to the group identification information responds to the second paging message.

11. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The terminal to be operated includes a first terminal. Before acquiring first context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the method further includes: When a second message is received from the first terminal, the type of the first terminal is the second type, and the second message includes an identifier of the first terminal; The identifier of the first terminal and the type of the first terminal are associated and stored in the first context information.

12. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The terminal to be operated includes a second terminal. Before acquiring, based on the identifier of the terminal to be operated, second context information corresponding to the identifier of the terminal to be operated, the method further includes: receiving a third message from the second terminal, wherein the third message includes an identifier of the second terminal; Determining first location information corresponding to the second terminal; Determine a first operating mode of the second terminal based on the first location information, where the first operating mode is a passive mode or an active mode; In the second context information, the identifier of the second terminal and the first working mode are stored in association.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that The method further comprises: Sending third information to the second terminal, where the third information is used for the second terminal to enter the first working mode.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that The method further comprises: It is detected that the second terminal corresponds to second location information, and the second location information is different from the first location information; Determine a second operating mode of the second terminal based on the second location information, where the second operating mode is a passive mode or an active mode; Send fourth information to the second terminal, where the fourth information is used for the second terminal to enter the second working mode.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The method further comprises: The first working mode is updated to the second working mode in the second context information.

16. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Sending operation information to a first network element, where the operation information is used to perform an operation on a terminal, where the operation includes an inventory operation, and the operation information is also used by the first network element to determine a type of a terminal to be operated, where the terminal to be operated includes a first type of terminal and / or a second type of terminal, where the first type is different from the second type; receiving an operation result from the first network element, the operation result including identifications of one or more terminals, the one or more terminals belonging to the terminal to be operated; The operation result is determined based on first information and / or second information, the first information is used by the first reader to perform the inventory operation on the first type of terminal, and the second information is used by the first reader to perform the inventory operation on the second type of terminal.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that: The operation information is carried in a first message, and the message name of the first message indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, The operation information includes first indication information, where the first indication information indicates the type of the terminal to be operated; or, The operation information includes location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated, and the location information corresponding to the terminal to be operated is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated; or, The operation information includes an identifier of the terminal to be operated, and the identifier of the terminal to be operated is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated; or, The operation information includes identification information indicating the service requester, and the identification information indicating the service requester is used to determine the type of the terminal to be operated.

18. A communication device, characterized in that: The method comprises a unit or a module for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device comprises at least one processor; wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, which, when executed, cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

21. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product comprises: a computer program code, and when the computer program code is executed by a computer, the computer is caused to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

22. A chip, characterized in that: The chip includes at least one processor and an interface, wherein the processor is used to read and execute instructions stored in a memory, and when the instructions are executed, the chip executes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

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