Wireless communication method and communication device

Abstract

Provided are a wireless communication method and a communication device. The method comprises: a first device sends first information to a second device, the first information being used for indicating one or more of the following: a first protocol data unit (PDU) session of a first terminal device being used for relay communication of a second terminal device; the first PDU session of the first terminal device being used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; and maintaining the first PDU session. In the present application, a communication device (e.g., a first device or a second device) performs transmission of first information so as to instruct a first PDU to provide service to a second terminal device, such that a network device adjusts the state of a first PDU session on the basis of the state (e.g., a connected state or a non-connected state) of the second terminal device.

Description

Wireless communication method and communication device Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and more specifically, to a wireless communication method and communication device. Background Art

[0002] Typically, for a terminal device in a connected state, the protocol data unit (PDU) session of the terminal device needs to be in a connected state so that the terminal device can communicate with the core network device. In some scenarios, in order to improve the coverage of the network device, the second terminal device can use the PDU session of the first terminal device (also known as the "first PDU session") to communicate with the core network device. At this time, if the first terminal device is in a non-connected state, even if the second terminal device is in a connected state, it cannot communicate with the core network device through the first PDU session.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a wireless communication method and a communication device. The following introduces various aspects involved in the present application.

[0005] In a first aspect, a method for wireless communication is provided, including: a first device sends first information to a second device, wherein the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: a first protocol data unit (PDU) session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; a first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0006] In a second aspect, a method for wireless communication is provided, including: a second device receives first information sent by a first device, wherein the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: a first protocol data unit (PDU) session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; a first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0007] According to a third aspect, a communication device is provided, which is a first device and includes: a sending unit for sending first information to a second device, wherein the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: a first protocol data unit PDU session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; a first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0008] In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided, which is a second device and includes: a receiving unit for receiving first information sent by a first device, wherein the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: a first protocol data unit PDU session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0009] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a processor, a memory, and a communication interface, wherein the memory is used to store one or more computer programs, and the processor is used to call the computer program in the memory so that the communication device performs some or all of the steps in the method of the above aspect.

[0010] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, which includes the above-mentioned terminal device and / or network device. In another possible design, the system may also include other devices that interact with the terminal device or network device in the solution provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0011] In the seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program, and the computer program enables a communication device (for example, a terminal device or a network device) to perform some or all of the steps in the methods of the above aspects.

[0012] In an eighth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product, wherein the computer program product includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is operable to cause a communication device (e.g., a terminal device or a network device) to perform some or all of the steps of the methods described in each of the above aspects. In some implementations, the computer program product may be a software installation package.

[0013] In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the processor can call and run a computer program from the memory to implement some or all of the steps described in the methods of the above aspects.

[0014] In the present application, communication devices (e.g., a first device or a second device) can transmit first information to indicate that a first PDU provides services to a second terminal device, thereby helping a network device to adjust the state of a first PDU session based on the state of the second terminal device (e.g., connected state or unconnected state). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG1 is a wireless communication system 100 used in an embodiment of the present application.

[0016] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a communication architecture of a vehicle-mounted relay (VMR) applicable to an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0018] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication method according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0019] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication method according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0020] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0022] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The technical solution in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Communication system architecture

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: global system of mobile communication (GSM) system, code division multiple access (CDMA) system, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, general packet radio service (GPRS), long term evolution (LTE) system, advanced long term evolution (LTE-A) system, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) system, LTE time division duplex (TDD) system, new radio (NR) system, NR system evolution system, LTE on unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) system, NR on unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) system, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) system, terrestrial networks (TN) system, universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) system. system (UMTS), wireless local area networks (WLAN), wireless fidelity (WIFI), fifth-generation (5G) systems, etc. The technical solutions provided in this application can also be applied to other communication systems, such as future communication systems, such as the sixth-generation mobile communication system, and satellite communication systems.

[0026] Generally speaking, traditional communication systems support a limited number of connections and are easy to implement. However, with the development of communication technology, mobile communication systems will not only support traditional communications, but will also support, for example, device-to-device (D2D) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, and the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to these communication systems.

[0027] The communication system in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to a carrier aggregation (CA) scenario, a dual connectivity (DC) scenario, and a standalone (SA) networking scenario.

[0028] The communication system in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to an unlicensed spectrum, where the unlicensed spectrum can also be considered as a shared spectrum; or, the communication system in the embodiment of the present application can also be applied to an authorized spectrum, where the authorized spectrum can also be considered as a dedicated spectrum.

[0029] An important feature of communication system architecture (such as 5G system architecture) is that the communication system architecture can be a service-oriented architecture, that is, the network elements (service providers) in the core network can provide specific services and make them available to other network elements (consumers) through defined application programming interfaces (APIs).

[0030] FIG1 exemplarily shows a system architecture diagram of a wireless communication system to which embodiments of the present application can be applied. Taking the communication system as a 5G system architecture as an example, the wireless communication system may include multiple network elements, nodes, or devices, such as terminal equipment, access network (AN) equipment, user plane function (UPF) network element, access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, session management function (SMF) network element, policy control function (PCF) network element, and application function (AF) network element. The wireless communication system may also include a data network (DN), etc.

[0031] The following is an illustrative description of the functions of each part or network element involved in the wireless communication system in the 5G network.

[0032] Terminal device: A terminal device may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent, or user apparatus. In the embodiments of the present application, a terminal device may refer to a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to a user and can be used to connect people, objects, and machines, such as a handheld device or vehicle-mounted device with wireless connectivity. The terminal device in the embodiments of the present application can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a mobile internet device (MID), a wearable device, a vehicle equipment, a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR) device, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal in a smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in a smart city, a wireless terminal in a smart home, etc.

[0033] Access network equipment: Access network equipment provides network access for authorized terminal devices in a specific area and can utilize transmission channels of varying quality based on the terminal device's level and service requirements. Access network equipment manages wireless resources, provides access services to terminal devices, and forwards control signals and data between terminal devices and the core network.

[0034] An access network device may be a device in a wireless network. An access network device may also be referred to as a radio access network (RAN) device or a network device. For example, an access network device may be a base station. The access network device in the embodiments of the present application may refer to a radio access network (RAN) node (or device) that connects a terminal device to a wireless network. A base station can broadly cover various names as follows, or be replaced with the following names, such as: NodeB, evolved NodeB (eNB), next generation NodeB (gNB), relay station, access point, transmission point (TRP), transmission point (TP), master station MeNB, secondary station SeNB, multi-standard radio (MSR) node, home base station, network controller, access node, wireless node, access point (AP), transmission node, transceiver node, baseband unit (BBU), remote radio unit (RRU), active antenna unit (AAU), remote radio head (RRH), central unit (CU), distributed unit (DU), positioning node, etc. A base station can be a macro base station, a micro base station, a relay node, a donor node or the like, or a combination thereof. A base station can also refer to a communication module, a modem or a chip used to be set in the aforementioned device or apparatus. The base station can also be a mobile switching center and a device that performs base station functions in device-to-device D2D, vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, a network-side device in a 6G network, or a device that performs base station functions in future communication systems. The base station can support networks with the same or different access technologies. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology and specific device form used by the access network device.

[0035] Base stations can be fixed or mobile. For example, a helicopter or drone can be configured to act as a mobile base station, and one or more cells can move based on the location of the mobile base station. In other examples, a helicopter or drone can be configured to act as a device that communicates with another base station.

[0036] In some deployments, the access network device in the embodiments of the present application may refer to a CU or a DU, or the access network device may include a CU and a DU. The gNB may also include an AAU.

[0037] The access network equipment and terminal equipment can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; they can also be deployed in the air on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the scenarios in which the access network equipment and terminal equipment are located.

[0038] UPF network element: UPF is the user plane function in the core network, which can be responsible for forwarding and receiving user data (such as business data flow) in the terminal device. UPF can be connected to the access network equipment (such as base station) and the external data network for data transmission. For example, UPF can receive user data from DN and transmit it to the terminal device through the access network equipment; or, UPF can also receive user data from the terminal device through the access network equipment and then forward it to DN. The transmission resources and scheduling functions in UPF that provide services to terminal devices are managed and controlled by SMF. In some embodiments, UPF can be divided into intermediate-UPF (I-UPF) and anchor UPF (A-UPF). Among them, I-UPF is connected to the access network, A-UPF is the UPF of the session anchor, and A-UPF can also be called PDU session anchor (PSA).

[0039] AMF network element: AMF is the mobility management function in the core network. It can be used to implement other functions of the mobility management entity (MME) in addition to session management, such as lawful interception or access authorization (or authentication). In some embodiments, in addition to performing mobility management for terminal devices, the AMF can also be responsible for forwarding session management related messages between terminal devices and SMF.

[0040] SMF network element: SMF is the session management function in the core network. It is mainly responsible for session management, Internet protocol (IP) address allocation and management of terminal devices, selection of endpoints for manageable user plane functions, policy control, or charging function interfaces, downlink data notification, and configuration of routing information for user plane functions.

[0041] PCF network element: PCF is the policy management function in the core network, responsible for formulating policies related to mobility management, session management, and billing for terminal devices. Specifically, PCF can provide policy rule information to functional network elements in the control plane (such as AMF and SMF network elements) to manage and control mobility management and session management of terminal devices.

[0042] AF network element: The AF primarily supports interaction with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) core network to provide services, such as influencing data routing decisions, policy control functions, or providing third-party services to the network. Alternatively, the AF can be primarily used to communicate application-side requirements to the network. In some embodiments, the AF can be an application within the operator, such as the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology. In some embodiments, the AF can be understood as a third-party server, such as an application server on the Internet, providing relevant service information, including providing service-related quality of service (QoS) requirement information to the PCF and sending service user plane data information to the A-UPF. In some embodiments, the AF can also be a service provider (content provider, CP). In some embodiments, if the AF is within the operator and is within the same trusted domain as other network functions (NFs), it can directly interact and access other NFs. If the AF is not within the trusted domain, it needs to access other NFs through other network elements (e.g., the NEF network element described below).

[0043] DN: A DN is a network used to transmit data. It can be a private network, such as a local area network (LAN), an external network not controlled by a carrier, such as the internet, or a proprietary network deployed jointly with carriers, such as the network that provides IMS services.

[0044] It should be understood that the above network elements in the core network can also be referred to as functional entities, and this application does not limit this. For example, the UPF network element can also be referred to as the UPF entity, and the AMF network element can also be referred to as the AMF entity, etc. It should also be understood that in some embodiments, the xx network element or the xx functional entity can also be directly referred to as xx, for example, the UPF network element (or UPF entity) can be referred to as UPF, and the AMF network element (or AMF entity) can be referred to as AMF. For the sake of convenience of description, the xx (such as UPF, AMF, etc.) mentioned in the embodiments of this application can refer to the xx network element or the xx entity, which will not be repeated later.

[0045] Optionally, the wireless communication system may also include a unified data management (UDM) network element, an authentication and authorization service function (AUSF) network element, a network slice selection function (NSSF) network element, a network exposure function (NEF) network element, a network data analysis function (NWDAF) and other network elements, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0046] The UDM network element is a subscription database in the core network, which can be used to generate and store subscription data of users in the network (for example, 5G network), management of authentication data and other functions. The UDM network element can support interaction with external third-party servers. The AUSF network element can be used to receive AMF's request for terminal device identity authentication, request a key from the UDM, and then forward the issued key to the AMF for authentication processing. The NSSF network element can be used for network slice selection. The NEF network element can be responsible for managing the network data opened to the outside world by 5G network elements. External non-trusted applications need to access the core network's internal data through the NEF to ensure the security of the 3GPP network. In some embodiments, the NEF network element can also provide external application QoS capability opening, event subscription, AF request distribution and other functions. The NWDAF network element can collect data from various network elements, network management systems, etc. in the core network for big data statistics, analysis or intelligent data analysis, so as to obtain analysis results on the network side or prediction data on the network side, thereby assisting each network element to more effectively control the terminal device based on the data analysis results.

[0047] In the wireless communication system 100 shown in Figure 1 , various components or network elements can communicate with each other through interfaces. For example, a terminal device can establish an access layer connection with the AN via the Uu interface, exchanging access layer messages and wireless data transmission. A terminal device can establish a non-access stratum (NAS) connection with the AMF via the N1 interface, exchanging NAS messages. The AN can connect to the AMF via the N2 interface to transmit radio bearer control information from the core network to the AN. The UPF can transmit data with the AN via the N3 interface and with the DN via the N6 interface. The interfaces connecting other components or network elements can be found in Figure 1 and will not be described in detail here.

[0048] It should be understood that the network elements such as the terminal device, access network device, SMF, and PCF shown in Figure 1 are merely names and do not limit the devices themselves. In 5G networks and other future networks, the network elements corresponding to the terminal device, access network device, SMF, and PCF may also have other names, and this embodiment of the application does not specifically limit this.

[0049] It should be understood that the above-mentioned communication system is illustrated using the 5G system as an example. Of course, the present application can also be applied to other 3GPP communication systems, such as the 4G communication system, or future 3GPP communication systems, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0050] It should be understood that all or part of the functions of the communication device in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform).

[0051] It should be understood that the system architecture described in the embodiments of the present application is intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application. Those skilled in the art will know that with the evolution of network architecture, the embodiments of the present application may also be applicable to similar technical problems.

[0052] VMR-based communication architecture

[0053] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the communication architecture of a VMR applicable to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 2 , to improve network device coverage, terminal device 1 can access the CN of mobile network operator (MNO) 1 via the access network device on a vehicle-mounted relay. The vehicle-mounted relay not only functions as a terminal device but also as a complete access network device. Furthermore, the vehicle-mounted relay can connect to the CN of MNO 2 via access network device 1. In other words, the CNs to which terminal device 1 and the vehicle-mounted relay are connected can be different.

[0054] In some implementations, the terminal device 1 may use the PDU session (eg, MT PDU session) of the vehicle relay as a channel for connecting to the CN in the MNO2.

[0055] In some implementations, a secure tunnel may be established between the access network device in the vehicle terminal and the CN of MNO1.

[0056] In some implementations, the terminal device in the vehicle terminal can communicate with the access network device 1 through the MNO1 Uu interface.

[0057] In some implementations, the access network device 1 may communicate with the core network device in the MNO 2 through the N2 or N3 interface.

[0058] In some implementations, the core network device in MNO2 may communicate with the backbone network via the N6 interface.

[0059] Typically, for a terminal device in a connected state, the PDU session of the terminal device needs to be in a connected state so that the terminal device can communicate with the core network device. In some scenarios, in order to improve the coverage of network devices, the second terminal device can use the PDU session of the first terminal device (also known as the "first PDU session") to communicate with the core network device. At this time, if the first terminal device is in a non-connected state, even if the second terminal device is in a connected state, it cannot communicate with the core network device through the first PDU session.

[0060] The applicant found that the root cause of the above problem is that the network device cannot know that the first PDU session provides services for the second terminal device. Therefore, when the first terminal device is in a non-connected state, the first PDU session will be interrupted. At this time, even if the second terminal device is in a connected state, the second terminal device cannot communicate with the network device through the first PDU.

[0061] Therefore, the applicant proposed a wireless communication method, in which communication devices (hereinafter referred to as the first device or the second device) can transmit first information to indicate that the first PDU provides services to the second terminal device, which helps the network device adjust the state of the first PDU session based on the state of the second terminal device (for example, connected state or non-connected state).

[0062] In some implementations, the first PDU may be a PDU session of the vehicle relay in FIG. 2 , for example, the first PDU session may be an MT PDU session.

[0063] For ease of understanding, the wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present application is described below in conjunction with FIG3 . FIG3 is a schematic flow chart of the wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present application. The method shown in FIG3 includes step S310 .

[0064] In step S310, the first device sends first information to the second device.

[0065] In some implementations, the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication with the second terminal device; the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication with the second terminal device; and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0066] Taking the example of the first information being used to indicate that the first PDU of the first terminal device is used for relay communication with the second terminal device, in some implementations, the first PDU session can be used for communication services on the core network corresponding to the second terminal device, or in other words, the first PDU session is used to provide services for the transmission of information of the second terminal device between the core network device and the backbone network.

[0067] In the embodiment of the present application, the content carried by the first information is not limited. For example, the first information may carry one or more of the following: identification information of the first PDU session, identification information of the first terminal device, and identification information of the second terminal device.

[0068] In some scenarios, the communication above the core network (for example, the communication process between the core network and the backbone network) can also be referred to as "backhaul communication." Therefore, the first information can be used to indicate that the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device.

[0069] Taking the first information being used to indicate maintaining the first PDU session as an example, that is, the first information can directly indicate maintaining the first PDU session, which helps to reduce the transmission resources occupied by transmitting the first information.

[0070] In an embodiment of the present application, the first information between the above-mentioned embodiments can be used independently of each other, or the first information between the various embodiments can be used in combination with each other, which helps to simplify the transmission process of the first information. For example, the first information is used to indicate that the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device, and the first PDU session is maintained. For another example, the first information can be used to indicate that the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device, and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0071] The above describes the first information in the embodiment of the present application, and the following describes the transmission process of the first information in the embodiment of the present application. The following describes implementations 1 to 3 respectively.

[0072] In implementation mode 1, the first information is carried in a first request, and the first request is used to request establishment of a first PDU session, wherein the first request is also called a "PDU session establishment request".

[0073] In some implementations, the first request may be carried in the last NAS transport (uplink NAS transport). Of course, in the embodiment of the present application, the first request may be carried in other uplink information.

[0074] In some implementations, the first information is determined by a request type of the first request. For example, the request type of the first request may be a return to indicate the first information. Of course, in an embodiment of the present application, the first information may be carried by a protocol configuration option (PCO) of the first request, where the PCO is used to provide the terminal device with additional information for connecting to the network.

[0075] In the embodiments of the present application, the first device and / or the second device are not limited. In some implementations, the first device is a first terminal device, and the second device is an access and mobility management function (AMF). In other implementations, the first device is a first terminal device, and the second device is a session management function (SMF). For example, the first terminal device may communicate with the SMF via the AMF. This will be described below with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

[0076] In implementation 2, the first information is carried in a second request, and the second request is used to request the creation of a session management (SM) context associated with the first PDU session. The second request is also called "Nsmf_PDU Session_CreateSM Context Request".

[0077] In some implementations, the first device is an AMF and the second device is an SMF.

[0078] In implementation manner 3, the first information is carried in a response message, and the response message is used to indicate whether the first PDU session is established successfully or failed.

[0079] In some implementations, the first information may be an N2 message.

[0080] In some implementations, the first device is an AMF, and the second device is an access network device, wherein the access network device is used to provide services for the first terminal device.

[0081] In some implementations, the first terminal device is used to provide access services to the second terminal device. Therefore, the first terminal device can be called a relay terminal, for example, it can be a vehicle-mounted relay (see Figure 2). Correspondingly, the second terminal device can be called a "remote terminal."

[0082] For ease of understanding, the wireless communication method of the embodiment of the present application is described below with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 describes the method using a request type to carry the first information as an example. Figure 5 describes the method using a PCO to carry the first information as an example.

[0083] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication method according to another embodiment of the present application. The method shown in Figure 4 includes steps S410 to S423.

[0084] In step S410, the relay terminal initiates a registration process, during which authentication, allocation of a temporary ID, and other processes are completed.

[0085] In step S411, the relay terminal sends a first request to the AMF.

[0086] In some implementations, the relay terminal sends an uplink NAS transport message to the AMF through the access network device, where the message carries one or more of the following information: a first request, a request type of the first request, an identifier of the first PDU session, S-NSSAI, and DNN.

[0087] In some implementations, the request type of the first request is backhaul, to indicate that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal and / or to maintain the first PDU session.

[0088] In some implementations, the first request (also called "PDU session Establishment Request") may carry SSC mode, PCO, etc.

[0089] In step S412, the AMF sends a second request to the SMF to request establishment of an SM context session.

[0090] In some implementations, the second request (also known as "Nsmf_PDU Session_CreateSM Context Request") includes one or more of the following: the first request for requesting to establish the first PDU session, the request type of the second request; the identifier of the first PDU session; S-NSSAI; DNN.

[0091] In some implementations, the request type of the second request is backhaul, to indicate that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal and / or to maintain the first PDU session.

[0092] In some implementations, SMF is selected by AMF, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0093] In step S413, the SMF sends a response message to the AMF for the second request, where the response message is also called an "Nsmf_PDU Session_CreateSM Context Response" message.

[0094] In step S414, the SMF sends an N4 session establishment request (N4 session Establishment Request) message to the UPF.

[0095] In some implementations, the N4 session establishment request message includes one or more of the following: SUPI, PDU session ID, and QoS information.

[0096] In some implementations, the SMF may select the UPF based on the S-NSSAI, DNN information.

[0097] In step S415, the UPF sends an N4 Session Establishment Response message to the SMF.

[0098] In some implementations, the N4 session establishment response message carries one or more of the following information: the IP address and TEID of the configured UPF.

[0099] In step S416, the SMF sends an N1N2 message transfer (also called "Namf_Communication_N1N2Message Transfer") to the AMF.

[0100] In some implementations, the message carries one or more of the following: N1 Message-PDU session Establishment Accept (also known as "N1Message-PDU session Establishment Accept") message, N2 Message-PDU session Establishment Request (also known as "N2Message-PDU session Establishment Request") message.

[0101] In some implementations, the N1 message-PDU session establishment accept message may carry one or more of the following: QoS flow information, S-NSSAI, and SSC mode.

[0102] In some implementations, the N2 message-PDU session establishment request message includes one or more of the following: S-NSSAI, PDU session ID, and QoS flow information.

[0103] In step S417, the AMF forwards the N2 message and the N1 message to the access network device.

[0104] In some implementations, the N2 message carries first information indicating that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal and indicating that the first PDU session is maintained.

[0105] It should be noted that the first information can be sent by AMF to the access network device, or it can be sent by SMF to the access network device via AMF.

[0106] In step S418, the access network device allocates wireless resources and forwards the N1 message to the relay terminal.

[0107] In step S419, the access network device sends an N2 PDU session establishment response (also known as N2 PDU Session Establishment Response) message to the AMF.

[0108] In some implementations, the N2 PDU session establishment response message may carry one or more of the following: the IP address and TEID of the access network device, and the location information of the relay terminal.

[0109] In step S420, the AMF sends an SM context update request (also called "Nsmf_PDU Session_UpdateSM Context Request") message to the SMF.

[0110] In some implementations, the Update SM Context Request message carries one or more of the following: an N2 PDU Session Establishment Response message (also called "N2 PDU Session Establishment Response").

[0111] In step S421, SMF sends an update SM context response message (also called "Nsmf_PDU Session_UpdateSM Context Response") to AMF.

[0112] In step S422, the SMF sends an N4 session modification request message (also called "N4 session Modification Request") to the UPF.

[0113] In some implementations, the N4 session modification request message carries the IP address and TEID of the access network device.

[0114] In step S423, the UPF sends an N4 session modification response message (also called "N4 Session Modification Response") to the SMF.

[0115] In an embodiment of the present application, the relay terminal can indicate through the first information that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal. Accordingly, the network side of the relay terminal can always retain the first PDU session connection, thereby avoiding the PDU session being released, resulting in the remote terminal being unable to communicate through the first PDU session, causing service interruption and reducing the user experience of the remote terminal.

[0116] FIG5 is a wireless communication method according to another embodiment of the present application. The method shown in FIG5 includes steps S510 to S523.

[0117] In step S510, the relay terminal initiates a registration process, during which authentication, allocation of a temporary ID, and other processes are completed.

[0118] In step S511, the relay terminal sends a first request to the AMF.

[0119] In some implementations, the relay terminal sends an uplink NAS transport message to the AMF through the access network device, where the message carries one or more of the following information: a first request, an identifier of the first PDU session, S-NSSAI, and DNN.

[0120] In some implementations, the first request (also called "PDU session Establishment Request") may carry SSC mode, PCO, etc.

[0121] In some implementations, the PCO may carry first information to indicate that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal and / or to indicate that the first PDU session is maintained.

[0122] In step S512, the AMF sends a second request to the SMF to request establishment of an SM context.

[0123] In some implementations, the second request (also called "Nsmf_PDU Session_CreateSM Context Request") includes one or more of the following: information for requesting to establish the first PDU session; an identifier of the first PDU session; S-NSSAI; and DNN.

[0124] In some implementations, the information for requesting to establish the first PDU session may include PCO. Accordingly, the PCO may carry first information to indicate that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal and / or indicate to maintain the first PDU session.

[0125] In some implementations, SMF is selected by AMF, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0126] In step S513, the SMF sends a response message to the AMF for the second request, where the response message is also called an "Nsmf_PDU Session_CreateSM Context Response" message.

[0127] In step S514, the SMF sends an N4 session establishment request (N4 session Establishment Request) message to the UPF.

[0128] In some implementations, the N4 session establishment request message includes one or more of the following: SUPI, PDU session ID, and QoS information.

[0129] In some implementations, the SMF may select the UPF based on the S-NSSAI, DNN information.

[0130] In step S515, the UPF sends an N4 Session Establishment Response message to the SMF.

[0131] In some implementations, the N4 session establishment response message carries one or more of the following information: the IP address and TEID of the configured UPF.

[0132] In step S516, the SMF sends an N1N2 message transfer message (also called "Namf_Communication_N1N2Message Transfer") to the AMF.

[0133] In some implementations, the message carries one or more of the following: N1 Message-PDU session Establishment Accept (also known as "N1Message-PDU session Establishment Accept") message, N2 Message-PDU session Establishment Request (also known as "N2Message-PDU session Establishment Request") message.

[0134] In some implementations, the N1 message-PDU session establishment accept message may carry one or more of the following: QoS flow information, S-NSSAI, and SSC mode.

[0135] In some implementations, the N2 message-PDU session establishment request message includes one or more of the following: S-NSSAI, PDU session ID, and QoS flow information.

[0136] In step S517, the AMF forwards the N2 message and the N1 message to the access network device.

[0137] In some implementations, the N2 message carries first information indicating that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal and that the first PDU session is maintained.

[0138] It should be noted that the first information can be sent by AMF to the access network device, or it can be sent by SMF to the access network device via AMF.

[0139] In step S518, the access network device allocates wireless resources and forwards the N1 message to the relay terminal.

[0140] In step S519, the access network device sends an N2 PDU session establishment response (also known as N2 PDU Session Establishment Response) message to the AMF.

[0141] In some implementations, the N2 PDU session establishment response message may carry one or more of the following: the IP address and TEID of the access network device, and the location information of the relay terminal.

[0142] In step S520, the AMF sends an SM context update request (also called "Nsmf_PDU Session_UpdateSM Context Request") message to the SMF.

[0143] In some implementations, the Update SM Context Request message carries one or more of the following: an N2 PDU Session Establishment Response message (also called "N2 PDU Session Establishment Response").

[0144] In step S521, SMF sends an update SM context response message (also called "Nsmf_PDU Session_UpdateSM Context Response") to AMF.

[0145] In step S522, the SMF sends an N4 session modification request message (also called "N4 session Modification Request") to the UPF.

[0146] In some implementations, the N4 session modification request message carries the IP address and TEID of the access network device.

[0147] In step S523, the UPF sends an N4 session modification response message (also called "N4 Session Modification Response") to the SMF.

[0148] In an embodiment of the present application, the relay terminal can indicate through the first information that the first PDU session is used for backhaul communication of the remote terminal. Accordingly, the network side of the relay terminal can always retain the first PDU session connection, thereby avoiding the PDU session being released, resulting in the remote terminal being unable to communicate through the first PDU session, causing service interruption and reducing the user experience of the remote terminal.

[0149] The method embodiment of the present application is described in detail above in conjunction with Figures 1 to 5 , and the device embodiment of the present application is described in detail below in conjunction with Figures 6 to 8 . It should be understood that the description of the method embodiment corresponds to the description of the device embodiment, and therefore, for portions not described in detail, reference can be made to the above method embodiment.

[0150] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 600 shown in FIG6 is a first device, and the communication device 600 includes a sending unit 610 .

[0151] The sending unit 610 is used to send first information to the second device, where the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the first protocol data unit PDU session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0152] In some implementations, the first information is carried in a first request, and the first request is used to request establishment of the first PDU session.

[0153] In some implementations, the first information is determined by a request type of the first request, or the first information is determined by a protocol configuration option PCO of the first request.

[0154] In some implementations, the first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is an access and mobility management function AMF.

[0155] In some implementations, the first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is a session management function SMF.

[0156] In some implementations, the first information is carried in a second request, and the second request is used to request creation of a session management (SM) context associated with the first PDU session.

[0157] In some implementations, the first device is an AMF and the second device is an SMF.

[0158] In some implementations, the first information is carried in a response message, and the response message is used to indicate whether the first PDU session is established successfully or failed.

[0159] In some implementations, the first device is an AMF, the second device is an access network device, and the access network device is used to provide services for the first terminal device.

[0160] In some implementations, the first terminal device is used to provide access services for the second terminal device.

[0161] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to another embodiment of the present application. The communication device 700 shown in FIG7 is a second device, and the communication device 700 includes a receiving unit 710 .

[0162] The receiving unit 710 is used to receive first information sent by the first device, where the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the first protocol data unit PDU session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; the first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; and the first PDU session is maintained.

[0163] In some implementations, the first information is carried in a first request, and the first request is used to request establishment of the first PDU session.

[0164] In some implementations, the first information is determined by a request type of the first request, or the first information is determined by a protocol configuration option PCO of the first request.

[0165] In some implementations, the first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is an access and mobility management function AMF.

[0166] In some implementations, the first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is a session management function SMF.

[0167] In some implementations, the first information is carried in a second request, and the second request is used to request creation of a session management (SM) context associated with the first PDU session.

[0168] In some implementations, the first device is an AMF and the second device is an SMF.

[0169] In some implementations, the first information is carried in a response message, and the response message is used to indicate whether the first PDU session is established successfully or failed.

[0170] In some implementations, the first device is an AMF, the second device is an access network device, and the access network device is used to provide services for the first terminal device.

[0171] In some implementations, the first terminal device is used to provide access services for the second terminal device.

[0172] In an optional embodiment, the sending unit 610 may be a transceiver 830. The communication device 600 may further include a transceiver 830 and a memory 820, as specifically shown in FIG8 .

[0173] In an optional embodiment, the receiving unit 710 may be a transceiver 830. The communication device 700 may further include a transceiver 830 and a memory 820, as specifically shown in FIG8 .

[0174] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application. The dashed lines in Figure 8 indicate that the unit or module is optional. The device 800 may be used to implement the method described in the above method embodiment. The device 800 may be a chip, a terminal device, or a network device.

[0175] The device 800 may include one or more processors 810. The processor 810 may support the device 800 to implement the method described in the method embodiment above. The processor 810 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor. For example, the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU). Alternatively, the processor may be another general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or the processor may be any conventional processor, etc.

[0176] The apparatus 800 may further include one or more memories 820. The memories 820 store programs that can be executed by the processor 810, causing the processor 810 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. The memories 820 may be independent of the processor 810 or integrated into the processor 810.

[0177] The apparatus 800 may further include a transceiver 830. The processor 810 may communicate with other devices or chips via the transceiver 830. For example, the processor 810 may transmit and receive data with other devices or chips via the transceiver 830.

[0178] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a program. The computer-readable storage medium can be applied to a terminal or network device provided in the present application, and the program enables a computer to execute the method performed by the terminal or network device in each embodiment of the present application.

[0179] The present application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product includes a program. The computer program product can be applied to a terminal or network device provided in the present application, and the program causes a computer to execute the method performed by the terminal or network device in each embodiment of the present application.

[0180] The embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program. The computer program can be applied to the terminal or network device provided in the embodiments of the present application, and the computer program enables a computer to execute the method performed by the terminal or network device in each embodiment of the present application.

[0181] It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" in this application can be used interchangeably. In addition, the terms used in this application are only used to explain the specific embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. The terms "first", "second", "third", and "fourth" in the specification and claims of this application and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish different objects rather than to describe a specific order. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0182] In the embodiments of this application, the term "indication" may refer to a direct indication, an indirect indication, or an indication of an association. For example, "A indicates B" may refer to a direct indication of B, e.g., B can obtain information through A; it may refer to an indirect indication of B, e.g., A indicates C, e.g., B can obtain information through C; or it may refer to an association between A and B.

[0183] In the embodiment of the present application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A and B can be determined based on A. However, it should be understood that determining B based on A does not mean determining B based solely on A, but B can also be determined based on A and / or other information.

[0184] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "corresponding" may indicate a direct or indirect correspondence between the two, or an association relationship between the two, or a relationship between indication and indication, configuration and configuration, etc.

[0185] In the embodiments of the present application, "pre-definition" or "pre-configuration" may be implemented by pre-storing corresponding codes, tables, or other methods that can be used to indicate relevant information in a device (e.g., a terminal device and a network device). The present application does not limit the specific implementation method. For example, pre-definition may refer to information defined in a protocol.

[0186] In the embodiments of the present application, the “protocol” may refer to a standard protocol in the communications field, for example, it may include an LTE protocol, an NR protocol, and related protocols used in future communication systems, and the present application does not limit this.

[0187] In the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0188] In various embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0189] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0190] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of these units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0191] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment 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.

[0192] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) method. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be read by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media integrated therein. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (eg, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (eg, a digital versatile disc (DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (eg, a solid state disk (SSD)).

[0193] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, characterized in that, Including: A first device sends first information to a second device, where the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: The first protocol data unit (PDU) session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; The first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; Maintain the first PDU session.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first information is carried in a first request, and the first request is used to request the establishment of the first PDU session.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first information is determined by the request type of the first request, or The first information is determined by the protocol configuration option (PCO) of the first request.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the access and mobility management function (AMF).

5. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the session management function (SMF).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first information is carried in a second request, and the second request is used to request the creation of a session management (SM) context associated with the first PDU session.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is the SMF.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first information is carried in a response message, and the response message is used to indicate the success or failure of the establishment of the first PDU session.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is an access network device, and the access network device is used to provide services for the first terminal device.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The first terminal device is used to provide access services for the second terminal device.

11. A method for wireless communication, characterized in that, Including: The second device receives the first information sent by the first device, where the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: The first protocol data unit (PDU) session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; The first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for backhaul communication of the second terminal device; Maintain the first PDU session.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein The first information is carried in a first request, and the first request is used to request the establishment of the first PDU session.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein The first information is determined by the request type of the first request, or The first information is determined by the protocol configuration option (PCO) of the first request.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the access and mobility management function (AMF).

15. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the session management function (SMF).

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein The first information is carried in a second request, and the second request is used to request the creation of a session management (SM) context associated with the first PDU session.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is the SMF.

18. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first information is carried in a response message, and the response message is used to indicate the success or failure of the establishment of the first PDU session.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is an access network device, and the access network device is used to provide services for the first terminal device.

20. The method according to any one of claims 11-19, characterized in that, The first terminal device is used to provide access services for the second terminal device.

21. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device is the first device, including: A sending unit, configured to send first information to a second device, where the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: The first protocol data unit (PDU) session of the first terminal device is used for relay communication of the second terminal device; The first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for the backhaul communication of the second terminal device; Maintain the first PDU session.

22. The communication device according to claim 21, wherein, The first information is carried in a first request, and the first request is used to request the establishment of the first PDU session.

23. The communication device according to claim 22, wherein, The first information is determined by the request type of the first request, or The first information is determined by the protocol configuration option (PCO) of the first request.

24. The communication device according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the access and mobility management function (AMF).

25. The communication device according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the session management function (SMF).

26. The communication device according to claim 21, characterized in that, The first information is carried in a second request, and the second request is used to request the creation of a session management (SM) context associated with the first PDU session.

27. The communication device according to claim 26, wherein, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is the SMF.

28. The communication device according to claim 21, wherein, The first information is carried in a response message, and the response message is used to indicate whether the establishment of the first PDU session is successful or failed.

29. The communication device according to claim 28, characterized in that, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is an access network device, and the access network device is used to provide services for the first terminal device.

30. The communication device according to any one of claims 21-29, characterized in that, The first terminal device is used to provide access services for the second terminal device.

31. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device is the second device, and includes: A receiving unit, configured to receive first information sent by a first device, where the first information is used to indicate one or more of the following: The first protocol data unit (PDU) session of the first terminal device is used for the relay communication of the second terminal device; The first PDU session of the first terminal device is used for the backhaul communication of the second terminal device; Maintain the first PDU session.

32. The communication device according to claim 31, characterized in that, The first information is carried in a first request, and the first request is used to request the establishment of the first PDU session.

33. The communication device according to claim 32, characterized in that, The first information is determined by the request type of the first request, or The first information is determined by the protocol configuration option (PCO) of the first request.

34. The communication device according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the access and mobility management function (AMF).

35. The communication device according to claim 32 or 33, characterized in that, The first device is the first terminal device, and the second device is the session management function (SMF).

36. The communication device according to claim 31, wherein, The first information is carried in a second request, and the second request is used to request the creation of a session management (SM) context associated with the first PDU session.

37. The communication device according to claim 36, wherein, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is the SMF.

38. The communication device according to claim 31, wherein The first information is carried in a response message, and the response message is used to indicate whether the establishment of the first PDU session is successful or failed.

39. The communication device according to claim 38, wherein, The first device is the AMF, and the second device is an access network device, and the access network device is used to provide services for the first terminal device.

40. The communication device according to any one of claims 31-39, characterized in that, The first terminal device is used to provide access services for the second terminal device.

41. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes a transceiver, a memory, and a processor. The memory is used to store programs, and the processor is used to call the programs in the memory and control the transceiver to receive or send signals, so that the terminal device executes the method according to any one of claims 1-20.

42. A device, characterized in that, Includes a processor, configured to call a program from a memory, so that the device executes the method according to any one of claims 1-20.

43. A chip, characterized in that, It includes a processor for calling a program from a memory, such that a device installed with the chip executes the method according to any one of claims 1-20.

44. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, A program is stored thereon, and the program causes a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 1-20.

45. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes a program, and the program causes a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 1-20.

46. A computer program, characterized in that, The computer program causes a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 1-20.

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