Control method and system for distributed edge network, and edge network system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of communications. Provided are a control method and system for a distributed edge network, and an edge network system. The control method comprises: receiving a bearer establishment request sent by an AP, wherein the AP sends the bearer establishment request when a user equipment moves out of the coverage range of a first edge network and has a matched second edge network, but no user plane bearer is established; using ICN addressing to query for a UDI corresponding to the user equipment; and establishing a user plane bearer on the basis of user data corresponding to the UDI, such that the user equipment uses the user plane bearer to access a service.

Description

Control method, control system and edge network system of distributed edge network

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is based on the application with CN application number 202410038093.0 and application date January 10, 2024, and claims its priority. The disclosed content of the CN application is hereby introduced as a whole into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a control method, a control system, and an edge network system for a distributed edge network. Background Art

[0004] To meet the demands of extreme performance and flexible customization, 6G networks are widely considered distributed, programmable networks. Given the increasing differentiation of networks and network functions, and the exponential expansion of the number of edge networks, previous network architectures and implementation mechanisms are no longer suitable for 6G. New management and control solutions are needed to adapt to the distributed nature of 6G networks.

[0005] For example, in the 5G network architecture of related technologies, autonomous networks offer wide coverage, and the control plane elements of the core network, which perform key control functions, are typically centrally located. Centralized control facilitates mobility management, eliminating the need to change session contexts over a wide range, thus ensuring better service continuity. However, this results in slower service response and poor customization capabilities, making it incompatible with the functional and performance requirements of numerous 6G scenarios. Furthermore, users have a clear home network, and when roaming across networks, identity authentication and subscription data must be performed or retrieved back to their home network.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control method for a distributed edge network is proposed, which is executed by a logic processing function LHF, including: receiving a bearer establishment request sent by an access point AP, wherein the AP sends a bearer establishment request when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network and there is a matching second edge network, but the user plane bearer is not established; querying the user data instance UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an information center network ICN addressing manner; and establishing a user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment uses the user plane bearer to access the service.

[0008] In some embodiments, querying the UDI corresponding to the user device by ICN addressing includes: if the UDI is not queried in the user data function UDF of the second edge network, then searching for the UDI by ICN addressing in the edge network of the same type as the second edge network.

[0009] In some embodiments, the UDI is cached at the UDF of the second edge network, or the UDI is not cached.

[0010] In some embodiments, querying the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an ICN addressing manner includes: querying the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an ICN addressing manner according to the user identifier.

[0011] In some embodiments, one user device corresponds to one or more UDIs.

[0012] In some embodiments, the UDI corresponding to the user device is encoded according to the content granularity, wherein UDIs with the same encoding store the same data.

[0013] In some embodiments, an initial registration request forwarded by an AP is received; and user data is obtained through an ICN, and a user plane bearer is established according to the user data.

[0014] In some embodiments, obtaining user data through ICN includes: querying the corresponding user data in the user data function UDF of the first edge network according to the user identifier; and if no user data is queried, obtaining user data from the user center, generating one or more UDIs in the first edge network and saving the user data.

[0015] In some embodiments, the service ranges of the APs and LHFs belonging to the same edge network system are the same, or have overlapping parts.

[0016] In some embodiments, when the user data of the UDI changes, the ICN updates other UDIs with the same code other than the UDI.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a control method for a distributed edge network is also proposed, which is executed by an access point AP, including: when a user device moves out of the coverage of a first edge network, determining whether the user device already has a matching second edge network; when it is determined that a matching second edge network already exists but a matching user plane bearer has not been established, sending a bearer establishment request to a logical processing function LHF of the second edge network, wherein the bearer establishment request is used to instruct the LHF to query the user data instance UDI corresponding to the user device in an information center network ICN addressing manner, and establish a user plane bearer based on the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user device can use the user plane bearer to access the service.

[0018] In some embodiments, if it is determined that a matching user plane bearer is not established, the routing is directed to the first edge network; and after it is determined that the user plane bearer is established, the routing is switched from the first edge network to the second edge network.

[0019] In some embodiments, determining whether the user equipment has a matching second edge network includes: determining, based on the network type requested by the user, whether there is an LHF matching the network type within the service range of the user location.

[0020] In some embodiments, an initial registration request sent by a user device is received, wherein the initial registration request includes a user identifier and a network type; if no matching edge network is found, the AP queries the network registration center for a matching edge network; and the LHF of the first edge network fed back by the network registration center is received, and the initial registration request is forwarded to the LHF to instruct the LHF to obtain user data through the ICN and establish a user plane bearer based on the user data.

[0021] In some embodiments, the service ranges of the APs and LHFs belonging to the same edge network system are the same, or have overlapping parts.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a logical processing function is also proposed, including: a first transceiver module, configured to receive a bearer establishment request sent by an access point AP, wherein the AP sends a bearer establishment request when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network and there is a matching second edge network, but the user plane bearer is not established; a query module, configured to query the user data instance UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an information center network ICN addressing manner; and a bearer establishment module, configured to establish a user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment uses the user plane bearer to access the service.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a logic processing function is also proposed, including: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the above-mentioned distributed edge network control method based on instructions stored in the memory.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an access point is also proposed, including: a judgment module, configured to determine whether the user equipment has a matching second edge network when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network; a second transceiver module, configured to send a bearer establishment request to the logical processing function LHF of the second edge network when it is determined that there is a matching second edge network but a matching user plane bearer has not been established, wherein the bearer establishment request is used to instruct the LHF to query the user data instance UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an information center network ICN addressing manner, and establish a user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can use the user plane bearer to access the service.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an access point is provided, including: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the above-mentioned distributed edge network control method based on instructions stored in the memory.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an edge network system is further proposed, including: the aforementioned logic processing function; the aforementioned access point; and a user data function (UDF) configured to store user data instances.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a control system for a distributed edge network is also proposed, comprising: a plurality of edge network systems as described above; a network registration center configured to provide registration and discovery of edge networks; and a user center configured to store user data.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is further provided, on which computer program instructions are stored. When the instructions are executed by a processor, the control method of the distributed edge network as described above is implemented.

[0029] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0031] The present disclosure can be more clearly understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] FIG1A is a flow chart of some embodiments of a distributed edge network control method disclosed herein;

[0033] FIG1B is a flow chart of some embodiments of the control method of the distributed edge network disclosed herein;

[0034] FIG2 is a flow chart of other embodiments of the distributed edge network control method disclosed herein;

[0035] FIG3 is a flow chart of other embodiments of the distributed edge network control method disclosed herein;

[0036] FIG4 is a flow chart of other embodiments of the distributed edge network control method disclosed herein;

[0037] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the logic processing function of the present disclosure;

[0038] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of other embodiments of the logic processing function of the present disclosure;

[0039] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of an access point disclosed herein;

[0040] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of an access point disclosed herein;

[0041] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of some embodiments of the edge network system of the present disclosure; and

[0042] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of the control system of the distributed edge network disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0044] At the same time, it should be understood that for the convenience of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn according to the actual proportional relationship.

[0045] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses.

[0046] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0047] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0048] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to like items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0049] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure more clearly understood, the present disclosure is further described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] The new mechanism needs to consider issues such as edge network selection, dynamic network configuration (data loading), service continuity, and mobility management, which will be described in the following specific embodiments.

[0051] FIG1A is a flow chart of some embodiments of the control method of the distributed edge network disclosed herein, which is executed by an LHF (Logical Handling Function).

[0052] In step 110, a bearer establishment request sent by an AP (Access Point) is received, wherein the AP sends the bearer establishment request when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network and has a matching second edge network, but the user plane bearer is not established.

[0053] In some embodiments, when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network, the newly accessed AP determines whether the user equipment already has a matching second edge network. If it is determined that there is a matching second edge network but a matching user plane bearer has not been established, a bearer establishment request is sent to the LHF of the second edge network.

[0054] In some embodiments, UE (User Equipment) is an access terminal of a mobile network and an object for the mobile network to implement access authentication, mobility management, and session management.

[0055] In some embodiments, an AP corresponds to a service area with a certain continuous coverage range, connects all edge networks of different types and capabilities in the area, has a fixed routing relationship with the wireless access network equipment or fixed network access gateway in the area, and has reachable routes with other APs. The AP provides a logical device for 6G distributed network access functions, performs network query, selection, and access credential verification functions, and this function is independent of the access method. For example, a UE can access the AP using 3GPP NR (New Radio) wireless access or non-3GPP access.

[0056] In some embodiments, the AP is logically located behind various heterogeneous access points and serves as a routing entry for the core network user network path.

[0057] In some embodiments, the AP may be co-located with various heterogeneous access access points.

[0058] In some embodiments, the LHF implements the logical functions of the edge network core network, directly reflecting the type and capability differences of the edge network. The LHF can customize various specific functional points such as access management, session management, user plane functions, etc. through instantiation.

[0059] In some embodiments, when a UE moves out of the original network coverage and arrives at the service area of ​​a new AP, the UE discovers the AP for specific access and then anchors to the AP. The AP discovers that there is a network that matches the network type required by the user, that is, the LHF of the second edge network. If this network does not have the user plane bearer information for the user, the AP initiates a user plane bearer establishment request for the user to the LHF.

[0060] In some embodiments, each AP and LHF has a set service range. The service ranges of APs and LHFs belonging to the same edge network system may be inconsistent, but there must be some overlap. One AP can correspond to multiple edge networks.

[0061] In step 120, the UDI (User Data Instance) corresponding to the user equipment is queried in an ICN (Information Centric Networking) addressing manner.

[0062] In some embodiments, a user device corresponds to one or more UDIs. The granularity of UDI content encoding is not limited to the entire content. UDI content encoding with different granularities can be implemented based on specific circumstances. For example, the UDI corresponding to the user device is encoded based on the content granularity, where identically encoded UDIs store the same data.

[0063] The collection of UDIs constitutes a UDF (User Data Function). The UDI corresponds to the user dimension, and the UDF corresponds to the edge network dimension. It is the local UDI collection of all users of the edge network. That is, the UDF is a data collection of the user dimension. The UDF aggregates user-related contract data, network configuration data, and context data, such as access context, session context, and policy context.

[0064] In some embodiments, ICN searches can be used to find UDIs in edge networks of the same type. The granularity of UDI addressing is not limited to all content. For example, if a user device corresponds to a single UDI, the UDI of that user device can be found in a single UDF. If a user device corresponds to multiple UDIs, and those multiple UDIs are stored in different UDFs, the UDI of that user device can be found in multiple UDFs.

[0065] In some embodiments, if the UDI is not found in the UDF of the second edge network, the UDI is searched in an edge network of the same type as the second edge network using ICN addressing.

[0066] For example, LHF queries the UDF. If the UDF does not contain the user's UDI, it uses the user data as the content of interest and queries the UDI in each edge network of the same type using ICN addressing. Since the user device moves from the first edge network to the second edge network, the user's UDI can be found in the first edge network.

[0067] In step 130, a user plane bearer is established according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can access the service by using the user plane bearer.

[0068] In this step, the UE continues to use the service on the new bearer. Since the session context is unchanged, service continuity is guaranteed when accessing DN (Data Network) applications via the AP and the new user plane bearer.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the data and processing logic are separated. When the user device moves, the LHF addresses the UDI through the ICN network. Since the UDI can be addressed and reused in time, it is possible to ensure effective access and business continuity across edge networks while the network follows the user.

[0070] FIG1B is a flowchart of some embodiments of the control method of the distributed edge network disclosed herein, which is executed by an AP.

[0071] In step 101 , when a user equipment moves out of coverage of a first edge network, it is determined whether the user equipment has a matching second edge network.

[0072] In some embodiments, when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network, the newly connected AP determines whether there is an LHF matching the network type within the service range of the user location based on the network type requested by the user.

[0073] In step 102, when it is determined that a matching second edge network exists but a matching user plane bearer has not been established, a bearer establishment request is sent to the LHF of the second edge network, wherein the bearer establishment request is used to instruct the LHF to query the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an ICN addressing manner, and establish a user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can use the user plane bearer to access the service.

[0074] In this embodiment, when the user equipment moves, the new AP sends a bearer establishment request to the LHF, so that the LHF queries the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an ICN addressing manner, and establishes a user plane bearer based on the user data corresponding to the UDI, which can effectively improve user access and service continuity across edge networks.

[0075] In some embodiments, the AP receives an initial registration request sent by a user device, wherein the initial registration request includes a user identifier and a network type; if no matching edge network is found, queries the network registration center for a matching edge network; and receives the LHF of the first edge network fed back by the network registration center, and forwards the initial registration request to the LHF to instruct the LHF to obtain user data through the ICN and establish a user plane bearer based on the user data.

[0076] FIG2 is a flow chart of other embodiments of the distributed edge network control method disclosed herein.

[0077] In step 210, when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network, the AP determines whether there is an LHF matching the network type within the service range of the user location according to the network type requested by the user.

[0078] In some embodiments, when a user switches access in a heterogeneous access network, the new AP may obtain information such as the user identifier, the user access network type and access credentials, and the original access AP.

[0079] In step 220 , when it is determined that a matching second edge network exists but a matching user plane bearer has not been established, the AP sends a bearer establishment request to the LHF of the second edge network and directs the route to the first edge network.

[0080] In some embodiments, since the second edge network temporarily does not have the user plane bearer of the user equipment, the newly connected AP temporarily directs the route to the original AP, and the new AP forwards user traffic to the original AP to ensure service continuity.

[0081] In some embodiments, the new AP may also temporarily suspend storage of service data, that is, not direct the route to the first edge network. If the user plane bearer can be established quickly, it will not have a significant impact on the service, and the implementation will be more convenient.

[0082] In step 230 , if the LHF does not find the UDI in the UDF of the second edge network, it searches for the UDI in an edge network of the same type as the second edge network using ICN addressing.

[0083] In some embodiments, the LHF searches for the UDI in an ICN addressing manner according to the user identifier.

[0084] In some embodiments, UDIs contain both static and dynamic data. All UDIs are globally encoded by user dimension, organized as specific content across edge networks using an ICN, and adhere to specific lifecycle management rules. For example, when user information changes, this supports synchronized updates of information stored at other points or triggers the deletion of old data.

[0085] For example, if the data in the user center changes, one way is that the user center notifies one or more UDIs in the form of a notification, and the ICN further performs network-wide synchronization; another way is that the user center acts as an ICN node and uniformly executes the ICN data update.

[0086] In this embodiment, when the user data of the UDI is changed, the ICN updates other UDIs with the same code other than the UDI, thereby achieving network-wide synchronization of the UDI through the ICN.

[0087] In some embodiments, UDI addressing is performed at different granularities. For example, user subscription data corresponds to a UDI, user network feature configuration data corresponds to a UDI, and access context, session context, and policy context correspond to a UDI. When performing ICN addressing, the entire UDI can be obtained from different networks.

[0088] In step 240, the LHF caches the UDI of the user equipment according to the cache policy and establishes a new user plane bearer.

[0089] In some embodiments, the LHF caches the UDI in a second edge network UDF, or does not cache the UDI. For example, the decision to store the UDI locally is based on user service needs, performance requirements, resource availability, etc. When the UDI of the neighboring network can meet the performance requirements of the interaction, the user's UDI can be stored in the local network.

[0090] In this embodiment, user data is treated as a specific content, and the ICN routes and decides whether to cache it locally, thereby ensuring both the reliability of multiple copies of the data and the performance of local access.

[0091] In some embodiments, when setting the ICN cache policy, it can also be set according to different content granularities. For example, some UDIs of the user device are cached locally, that is, local UDIs are established, while some UDIs are not cached, thus achieving flexible caching of user data.

[0092] At step 250 , routing is switched from the first edge network to the second edge network.

[0093] In this step, the switched route does not need to be transferred to the original AP.

[0094] In step 260, the user equipment uses the user plane bearer to access the service.

[0095] When the UE performs mobility handover, it can quickly access the network because the user credential carries the user's authorized access information on all edge networks with the same capabilities.

[0096] In the above embodiment, there is no clear ownership relationship between the user and the edge network. As long as data is readily and efficiently available, the network can follow the user wherever they go. In this embodiment, since user data is treated as specific content and routed by the ICN during the user's online life, and the ICN's caching strategy can be determined based on the user's business needs, reliable data acquisition and availability can be guaranteed. In addition, the user plane in this embodiment can be directly constructed within the edge network, relying on the designated routing of the bearer network, without the need for overlay on the bearer network, thus achieving the characteristic of "network follows the user wherever they go."

[0097] FIG3 is a flow chart of other embodiments of the distributed edge network control method disclosed herein.

[0098] In step 310, the AP receives an initial registration request sent by the user equipment, where the initial registration request includes a user identifier and a network type.

[0099] In some embodiments, after the UE is powered on and finds a nearby AP, it initiates an initial registration request to the AP. The initial registration request contains the user ID and the type of network that the UE wishes to access.

[0100] In step 320, if no matching edge network is found, the AP queries the network registration center for a matching edge network, receives the LHF of the first edge network fed back by the network registration center, and forwards the initial registration request to the LHF.

[0101] In some embodiments, if the AP fails to match a suitable edge network with the required functions from the stored information, it queries the network registration center for a local matching network. The network registration center receives and stores the registration information of all edge networks, that is, the registration information of LHFs, for querying and selecting suitable LHFs. The registration information includes capability information of the edge network in various dimensions, such as service area, supported network types and network capabilities, service performance, serviceable object groups, etc. The network registration center can trigger the instantiation of the edge network / function when the required function instance is not yet available in the selected edge network.

[0102] In some embodiments, the LHF performs functions supported by the edge network in which it is located, corresponding to a specific type of network. The LHF of an edge network can support networks of multiple types or capabilities, and the corresponding functions are instantiated or activated by the registration center when it is first selected.

[0103] In step 330, the LHF obtains user data through the ICN and establishes a user plane bearer according to the user data.

[0104] In some embodiments, the LHF queries the corresponding user data in the UDF of the first edge network based on the user identifier; if no user data is found, the LHF obtains the user data from the user center, generates one or more UDIs within the first edge network, and stores the user data. For example, the LHF queries the UDI of the user device using ICN addressing, and now queries the user data in the local UDF. If no user data is found locally, the LHF queries the user center. The LHF generates one or more UDIs in response to the user data fed back by the user center.

[0105] In some embodiments, the establishment of bearer routing may be based on the SDN (Software Defined Network) mechanism, and the LHF plays the role of the SDN controller.

[0106] In some embodiments, the user center stores all user initial and static data, such as user identity, security, group attributes, various contract data, etc. LHF reads user data from the user center and grants the user credentials to access the same type of network.

[0107] In step 340, the user equipment accesses the service using the user plane bearer.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the network registration center provides registration and discovery of the edge network, and the user center stores the user's initial data. For example, user data is centrally stored in the form of UDI. By separating data and processing logic, there is no clear ownership relationship between the user and the edge network. The edge network is queried from the registration center in two dimensions: network and user. UDI is organized and addressed according to ICN, which can adapt to the distributed situation of the network and realize the management and control of the distributed network.

[0109] FIG4 is a flow chart of other embodiments of the distributed edge network control method disclosed herein.

[0110] In step 410, the UE sends an initial registration request to AP1. The initial registration request carries a user ID and a desired network type.

[0111] In step 420, AP1 does not match a network with a suitable function from the stored information.

[0112] In step 430, AP1 queries the network registration center for a local matching network and obtains LHF1 information.

[0113] In step 440 , AP1 forwards the UE's registration request to LHF1 .

[0114] In step 450 , LHF1 carries the user ID and queries UDF1 for corresponding user data.

[0115] In step 460, if the corresponding user data is not found in UDF1, a request is sent to the user center to obtain the user's initial data such as user contract and authentication, etc. UDF1 generates UDI1 and saves the data.

[0116] In step 470, LHF1 completes authentication and authorization of the user based on the data of UDI1, allocates access credentials to the user, establishes contexts such as security, access management, and session, and completes establishment and configuration of user plane bearers.

[0117] In step 480, the registration success message is forwarded to the UE via AP1, carrying the user access credentials.

[0118] In step 490, the UE accesses the application of the DN via the AP1 point and the configured user plane bearer.

[0119] In step 4100, the UE moves out of the original network coverage area and arrives at the service area of ​​a new AP3. The UE finds a specific access point and then anchors to AP3. At this time, AP3 can obtain the UE's user identity, user access network type and access credentials, AP1 and other information.

[0120] In step 4110, AP3 finds that there is an LHF3 matching the network type required by the user, but the network does not have the user plane bearer information of the user, so it temporarily directs the route to the original access point AP1.

[0121] The UE continues to access services through the edge network where LHF1 is located through AP1.

[0122] In step 4120, AP3 initiates a user plane bearer request for the user to LHF3.

[0123] In step 4130, LHF3 sends a query to UDF3 (ie, ICN) with the user data as the content of interest.

[0124] In step 4140, UDF3 does not have the UDI of the user, and searches for the UDI in each edge network of the same type using ICN addressing.

[0125] In step 4150, UDF3 receives the response from UDF1 and caches the UDI according to the cache policy.

[0126] In step 4160, after LHF3 obtains the UDI returned by UDF3, it establishes a new user plane bearer according to the session context information in the UDI. After receiving the bearer establishment success information, AP3 performs route switching. The route after switching does not need to be transferred through AP1.

[0127] In step 4170, the UE continues to use the service on the new bearer. Since the session context is unchanged, service continuity is guaranteed when accessing the DN application via AP3 and the new user plane bearer.

[0128] In the above-described embodiment, the edge network is built based on a design concept that separates data and processing, resulting in high reusability of network functions. This not only solves network discovery and access issues, but also addresses cross-network collaboration between users on edge networks, enabling the network to follow the user. Furthermore, since user data, as a specific type of content, is routed and locally cached by the ICN, this ensures both the reliability of multiple data copies and the performance of local access, thus guaranteeing effective access and business continuity across edge networks.

[0129] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of the logic processing function of the present disclosure, where the logic processing function includes a first transceiver module 510 , a first processing module 520 , and a bearer establishment module 530 .

[0130] The first transceiver module 510 is configured to receive a bearer establishment request sent by an AP, wherein the AP sends the bearer establishment request when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network and has a matching second edge network, but the user plane bearer is not established.

[0131] In some embodiments, the first transceiver module 510 is further configured to receive an initial registration request forwarded by the AP, wherein the initial registration request includes a user identifier and a network type. If no matching edge network is found, the AP queries the network registration center for a matching edge network, receives the LHF of the first edge network fed back by the network registration center, and forwards the initial registration request to the LHF.

[0132] The first processing module 520 is configured to query the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an ICN addressing manner.

[0133] In some embodiments, if the first processing module 520 does not find the UDI in the UDF of the second edge network, it searches for the UDI in an edge network of the same type as the second edge network using ICN addressing.

[0134] In some embodiments, the UDI corresponding to the user equipment is queried based on the user identifier in an ICN addressing manner.

[0135] The first processing module 520 caches the UDI in the UDF of the second edge network, or does not cache the UDI.

[0136] In some embodiments, one user device corresponds to one or more UDIs.

[0137] The UDI corresponding to the user device is encoded according to the content granularity, wherein UDIs with the same encoding store the same data.

[0138] In some embodiments, the first processing module 520 is also configured to query the corresponding user data in the UDF of the first edge network based on the user identifier; and if no user data is found, obtain the user data from the user center, generate one or more UDIs in the first edge network, and save the user data.

[0139] The bearer establishment module 530 is configured to establish a user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can access the service by using the user plane bearer.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the data and processing logic are separated. When the user device moves, the LHF addresses the UDI through the ICN network. Since the UDI can be addressed and reused in time, it is possible to ensure effective access and business continuity across edge networks while the network follows the user.

[0141] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of other embodiments of the logic processing function disclosed herein. The logic processing function 600 includes a memory 610 and a processor 620. The memory 610 may be a disk, flash memory, or any other non-volatile storage medium. The memory is used to store instructions described in the above embodiments. The processor 620 is coupled to the memory 610 and may be implemented as one or more integrated circuits, such as a microprocessor or microcontroller. The processor 620 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory.

[0142] In some embodiments, the processor 620 is coupled to the memory 610 via a BUS 630. The electronic device 600 can also be connected to an external storage device 650 via a storage interface 640 to access external data, and can also be connected to a network or another computer system (not shown) via a network interface 660. Detailed descriptions are omitted here.

[0143] In this embodiment, data instructions are stored in a memory and then processed by a processor, thereby ensuring effective access and business continuity across edge networks.

[0144] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of an access point disclosed herein. The access point includes a second processing module 710 and a second transceiver module 720 .

[0145] The second processing module 710 is configured to determine whether the user equipment has a matching second edge network when the user equipment moves out of the coverage of the first edge network.

[0146] In some embodiments, the second processing module 710 is further configured to direct the routing to the first edge network if it is determined that no matching user plane bearer is established; and after determining that the user plane bearer is established, switch the routing from the first edge network to the second edge network.

[0147] In some embodiments, based on the network type requested by the user, it is determined whether there is an LHF matching the network type within the service range of the user's location.

[0148] The second transceiver module 720 is configured to send a bearer establishment request to the LHF of the second edge network when it is determined that a matching second edge network exists but a matching user plane bearer has not been established, wherein the bearer establishment request is used to instruct the LHF to query the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in an ICN addressing manner, and establish a user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can use the user plane bearer to access the service.

[0149] In some embodiments, the second transceiver module 720 is also configured to receive an initial registration request sent by a user device, wherein the initial registration request includes a user identifier and a network type; if no matching edge network is found, query the network registration center for a matching edge network; and receive the LHF of the first edge network fed back by the network registration center, and forward the initial registration request to the LHF to instruct the LHF to obtain user data through the ICN and establish a user plane bearer based on the user data.

[0150] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another embodiment of an access point according to the present disclosure. Access point 800 includes a memory 810 and a processor 820. Memory 810 may be a disk, flash memory, or any other non-volatile storage medium. The memory is used to store instructions described in the above embodiments. Processor 820 is coupled to memory 810 and may be implemented as one or more integrated circuits, such as a microprocessor or microcontroller. Processor 820 is used to execute instructions stored in the memory.

[0151] In some embodiments, the processor 820 is coupled to the memory 810 via a BUS 830. The access point 800 can also be connected to an external storage device 850 via a storage interface 840 to access external data, and can also be connected to a network or another computer system (not shown) via a network interface 860. Detailed descriptions are omitted here.

[0152] In this embodiment, the memory stores data instructions, and the processor processes the instructions, thereby achieving mobility management in which the network follows the person.

[0153] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of an edge network system of the present disclosure, where the edge network system includes an AP 910 , an LHF 920 , and a UDF 930 .

[0154] The AP 910 is capable of performing network query, selection, and access credential verification functions, and serves as a routing entry for the core network user plane path. The AP 910 can connect to multiple edge networks. The AP 910 has been described in detail in the above embodiments and will not be further elaborated here.

[0155] The LHF 920 is data-independent and performs various functions of the edge network. The LHF of an edge network can support networks of multiple types or capabilities, and the corresponding functions are instantiated or activated by the registration center when it is first selected. For initial access, the LHF 920 reads user data from the user center and grants the user credentials to access the same type of network; for switching due to mobility, the LHF 920 addresses the UDI through the ICN network and decides whether to store it locally based on performance requirements, resource conditions, etc. For switching due to mobility, since the user credentials carry the user's authorized access information on all edge networks with the same capabilities, quick access is possible.

[0156] The UDF 930 is configured to store UDIs, acting as an ICN node. It can store user-related subscription data, network configuration data, access context, session context, and policy context. All UDIs are globally encoded by user dimension and organized as specific content across edge networks in an ICN manner, subject to specific lifecycle management rules.

[0157] In the above embodiment, the processing logic data of the edge network is separated, and the user plane can be directly built within the edge network relying on the specified routing of the bearer network, realizing the network following people. Since the UDI can be addressed and reused in time, effective access and business continuity across the edge network can be guaranteed.

[0158] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of other embodiments of the control system of the distributed edge network disclosed herein. The control system includes multiple edge network systems 1010 , a network registration center 1020 , and a user center 1030 .

[0159] The edge network system 1010 has been described in detail in the above embodiments. The network registration center 1020 is configured to provide registration and discovery of edge networks. For example, all edge networks are registered in the network registration center, and the network registration center provides network query, selection and instantiation. The registration information includes capability information of various dimensions of the edge network, such as service area, supported network types and network capabilities, service performance, serviceable object groups, etc. The network registration center can trigger the instantiation of the edge network / function when the required function instance does not yet exist in the selected edge network. When a user initially or mobile accesses the edge network, if the access point AP does not have the selection information of the corresponding network type, the network registration center is queried to select the edge network and LHF.

[0160] The user center 1030 is configured to store user data. For example, the user center stores all users' initial and static data, such as identity, security, and various user contract data.

[0161] In the above embodiment, the network registration center provides registration and discovery of edge networks; the user center stores initial user data (excluding dynamic context); there is no clear ownership relationship between users and edge networks. As long as data is available efficiently at any time, the network can be realized as it moves with users. The control system of this distributed edge network changes the traditional centralized network architecture to a distributed one, providing a new set of network management and control mechanisms, enabling each edge network in the distributed network to better coordinate with each other, greatly improving network capabilities and flexibility, making the network more inclusive of new services, and realizing the management and control of 6G distributed networks.

[0162] In other embodiments, a computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the method in the above-described embodiment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided as methods, devices, or computer program products. Therefore, the present disclosure may take the form of a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable non-transient storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0163] In some embodiments, a computer program product is protected, including a computer program or instructions that implement the above-mentioned method when executed by a processor. The computer program product includes a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, and the computer program contains program code for executing the method shown in the flowchart. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device, or installed from a storage device, or installed from a ROM. When the computer program is executed by a CPU, the above-mentioned functions defined in the method of the embodiment of the present disclosure are performed.

[0164] In some embodiments, a computer program is further provided, comprising: instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute the aforementioned distributed edge network control method.

[0165] The present disclosure is described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices (systems) and computer program products according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each process and / or box in the flowchart and / or block diagram and the combination of the processes and / or boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate a device for implementing the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0166] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce a product including an instruction device that implements the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0167] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more processes in the flowchart and / or one or more boxes in the block diagram.

[0168] The present disclosure has been described in detail so far. To avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein.

[0169] The methods and apparatus of the present disclosure may be implemented in many ways. For example, the methods and apparatus of the present disclosure may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above order of steps for the method is for illustration only, and the steps of the method of the present disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above, unless otherwise specifically stated. In addition, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may also be implemented as programs recorded in a recording medium, which include machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure also covers recording media that store programs for executing the methods according to the present disclosure.

[0170] Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a distributed edge network, executed by a logical processing function LHF, includes: Receiving an bearer establishment request sent by an access point AP, where the AP sends the bearer establishment request when the user equipment moves out of the coverage range of the first edge network and there is a matching second edge network, but the user plane bearer has not been established; Querying a user data instance UDI corresponding to the user equipment in a manner of Information-Centric Networking ICN addressing; and Establishing the user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can use the user plane bearer to access services.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, Querying the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in a manner of ICN addressing includes: If the UDI is not found in the user data function UDF of the second edge network, then in an edge network of the same type as the second edge network, find the UDI in a manner of ICN addressing.

3. The control method according to claim 2, further includes: Caching the UDI in the UDF of the second edge network, or not caching the UDI.

4. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, Querying the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in a manner of ICN addressing includes: Querying the UDI corresponding to the user equipment in a manner of ICN addressing according to the user identifier.

5. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, One user equipment corresponds to one or more UDIs.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein, The UDI corresponding to the user equipment is encoded according to the content granularity, where UDIs with the same encoding store the same data.

7. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further includes: Receiving an initial registration request forwarded by the AP; And Obtaining user data through the ICN and establishing a user plane bearer according to the user data.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein, Obtaining user data through the ICN includes: Querying corresponding user data in the user data function UDF of the first edge network according to the user identifier; and In the case where the user data is not found, obtaining the user data from the user center and generating and saving the one or more UDIs in the first edge network.

9. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The service ranges of the AP and the LHF belonging to the same edge network system are the same, or have an overlapping part.

10. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, In the case where the user data of the UDI changes, the ICN updates other UDIs with the same encoding except the UDI.

11. A control method for a distributed edge network, executed by an access point AP, includes: Determining whether the user equipment has a matching second edge network when the user equipment moves out of the coverage range of the first edge network; In the case where a second edge network with a match has been determined, but a user plane bearer has not been established, a bearer establishment request is sent to the logical processing function (LHF) of the second edge network. The bearer establishment request is used to instruct the LHF to query the user data instance (UDI) corresponding to the user equipment in a manner of Information-Centric Networking (ICN) addressing, and establish the user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can use the user plane bearer to access services.

12. The control method according to claim 11 further includes: In the case where it is determined that no matching user plane bearer has been established, route the traffic to the first edge network; And After it is determined that the user plane bearer has been established, switch the route from the first edge network to the second edge network.

13. The control method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein, Determining whether the user equipment has a matching second edge network includes: According to the network type requested by the user, determine whether there is an LHF matching the network type within the service range where the user location belongs.

14. The control method according to any one of claims 11 to 13 further includes: Receive an initial registration request sent by the user equipment, where the initial registration request includes a user identifier and a network type; In the case where the access point (AP) does not find a matching edge network, query the network registration center for a matching edge network; and Receive the LHF of the first edge network fed back by the network registration center, and forward the initial registration request to the LHF to instruct the LHF to obtain user data through the ICN and establish a user plane bearer according to the user data.

15. The control method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein The service ranges of the AP and the LHF belonging to the same edge network system are the same or have an overlapping part.

16. A logical processing function includes: A first transceiver module configured to receive a bearer establishment request sent by an access point (AP). The AP sends the bearer establishment request when the user equipment moves out of the coverage range of the first edge network and there is a matching second edge network, but the user plane bearer has not been established; A first processing module configured to query the user data instance (UDI) corresponding to the user equipment in a manner of Information-Centric Networking (ICN) addressing; and A bearer establishment module configured to establish the user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can use the user plane bearer to access services.

17. A logical processing function includes: A memory; And A processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the control method of the distributed edge network according to any one of claims 1 to 10 based on instructions stored in the memory.

18. An access point includes: A second processing module configured to determine whether the user equipment has a matching second edge network when the user equipment moves out of the coverage range of the first edge network; A second transceiver module, configured to send a bearer establishment request to a logical processing function (LHF) of the second edge network when it is determined that there is a matching second edge network but a matching user plane bearer has not been established, where the bearer establishment request is used to instruct the LHF to query a user data instance (UDI) corresponding to the user equipment in a manner of Information-Centric Networking (ICN) addressing, and establish the user plane bearer according to the user data corresponding to the UDI, so that the user equipment can access services by using the user plane bearer.

19. An access point, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the control method of the distributed edge network according to any one of claims 11 to 15 based on instructions stored in the memory.

20. An edge network system, comprising: the logical processing function according to claim 16 or 17; the access point according to claim 18 or 19; and a user data function (UDF), configured to store user data instances.

21. A control system of a distributed edge network, comprising: a plurality of edge network systems according to claim 20; a network registration center, configured to provide registration and discovery of edge networks; and a user center, configured to store user data.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, on which computer program instructions are stored, and when the instructions are executed by a processor, the control method of the distributed edge network according to any one of claims 1 to 15 is implemented.

23. A computer program product, comprising a computer program or instructions, and when the computer program or instructions are executed by a processor, the control method of the distributed edge network according to any one of claims 1 to 15 is implemented.

24. A computer program, comprising: instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to execute the control method of the distributed edge network according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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