Information transmission method, handover method, management network element, service node, system, and medium

Abstract

The present application provides an information transmission method, a handover method, a management network element, a service node, a system, and a medium. The information transmission method comprises: acquiring closed group information of a user equipment in a second network; and sending the closed group information of the second network to a service node of a first network.

Description

Information transmission, switching method, management network element, service node, system and medium Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, for example, to an information transmission and switching method, a management network element, a service node, a system and a medium. Background Art

[0002] In wireless communication systems, different networks can provide different access control capabilities. Combining the access control capabilities of different networks can achieve better access control effects. For example, if 4G and 5G network coverage are provided in a certain area at the same time, for user equipment (UE) accessing both 4G and 5G networks, the corresponding information and mechanism of the 4G network can be used to control the access of the UE when accessing the 4G network, and the corresponding information and mechanism of the 5G network can be used to control the access of the UE when accessing the 5G network. However, due to the differences in information and mechanisms of different networks, in scenarios involving access control of different networks, there is often a problem of being unable to access correctly. For example, when the UE is in the 4G network, the base station of the 4G network does not know which cells the UE can access in the 5G network, causing the UE to blindly switch / redirect to the 5G network, resulting in service interruption and reduced communication reliability and continuity. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present application provides an information transmission and switching method, a management network element, a service node, a system and a medium.

[0004] An embodiment of the present application provides an information transmission method, which is applied to a management network element of a first network, including:

[0005] Obtaining closed group information of the user equipment in the second network;

[0006] The closed group information of the second network is sent to the service node of the first network.

[0007] The embodiment of the present application further provides a handover method, which is applied to a service node of a first network, including:

[0008] receiving closed group information of the user equipment in the second network sent by the management network element of the first network;

[0009] A target cell for handover in the second network is determined according to the closed group information of the second network.

[0010] The embodiment of the present application further provides an information transmission method, which is applied to a management network element of a first network, including:

[0011] Acquire closed group information of a user equipment, where the closed group information includes at least one of closed access group (CAG) information and closed subscriber group (CSG) information;

[0012] When the user equipment is switched from the first network to the second network, the closed group information is sent to a management network element of the second network.

[0013] The embodiment of the present application further provides an information transmission method, which is applied to a management network element of a second network, including:

[0014] Receiving closed group information of a user equipment sent by a management network element of the first network, where the closed group information includes at least one of CAG information and CSG information;

[0015] The closed group information is sent to a service node of the second network.

[0016] The embodiment of the present application further provides a management network element, comprising: a memory, and one or more processors;

[0017] The memory is configured to store one or more programs;

[0018] When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the above-mentioned information transmission method for managing network elements of the first network.

[0019] The embodiment of the present application further provides a service node, comprising: a memory, and one or more processors;

[0020] The memory is configured to store one or more programs;

[0021] When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the above-mentioned switching method for the service node of the second network.

[0022] The embodiment of the present application further provides a management network element, comprising: a memory, and one or more processors;

[0023] The memory is configured to store one or more programs;

[0024] When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the above-mentioned information transmission method for managing network elements of the first network.

[0025] The embodiment of the present application further provides a management network element, comprising: a memory, and one or more processors;

[0026] The memory is configured to store one or more programs;

[0027] When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the above-mentioned information transmission method for managing network elements of the second network.

[0028] An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, including: user equipment, a first network, and a second network, wherein the first network includes a management network element, and the second network includes a service node.

[0029] An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, including: user equipment, a first network, and a second network, wherein the first network includes a management network element, and the second network also includes a management network element.

[0030] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the program is executed by a processor, the above-mentioned information transmission method or switching method is implemented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture for bidirectional interoperability between 4G and 5G provided by an embodiment;

[0032] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of moving from a 4G CSG cell to a 5G CAG cell according to an embodiment;

[0033] FIG3 is a flow chart of an information transmission method provided by an embodiment;

[0034] FIG4 is a flow chart of a switching method provided by an embodiment;

[0035] FIG5 is a flowchart of another information transmission method provided by an embodiment;

[0036] FIG6 is a flowchart of another information transmission method provided by an embodiment;

[0037] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment;

[0038] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment;

[0039] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment;

[0040] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment;

[0041] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment;

[0042] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment;

[0043] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of an information transmission device provided by an embodiment;

[0044] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of a switching device provided by an embodiment;

[0045] FIG15 is a schematic structural diagram of another information transmission device provided by an embodiment;

[0046] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of another information transmission device provided by an embodiment;

[0047] FIG17 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a management network element provided by an embodiment;

[0048] FIG18 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a service node provided by an embodiment;

[0049] FIG19 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of another management network element provided by an embodiment;

[0050] FIG20 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of another management network element provided by an embodiment;

[0051] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication system provided by an embodiment.

[0052] FIG22 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication system provided by an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The present application is described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It will be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely intended to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. It should be noted that, unless there is a conflict, the embodiments and features within the embodiments of the present application may be combined with each other in any manner. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings only illustrate portions relevant to the present application, not all structures.

[0054] In wireless communication systems, different networks can provide different access control capabilities. Due to differences in information and mechanisms between different networks, scenarios involving access control of different networks often result in issues such as incorrect access. This application provides a solution for access control scenarios involving different networks.

[0055] In the embodiments of the present application, the fourth generation mobile communication (4G) network and the next generation mobile communication (5G) network are mainly used as examples for illustration. 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) has been developing the fourth generation mobile communication system (4G) since R8, also known as EPS (Evolved Packet System), and its air interface technology is called Long Term Evolution (LTE). 3GPP has been studying the next generation communication system (NextGen System) since R14, and formally formulated the 5G system specification in R15. After 5G is deployed, the 4G system will not disappear soon. In a large number of areas where the 5G system is not covered, 4G still provides access. After the UE accesses the 5G system, as the user moves out of the coverage of the 5G system, the UE will access the 4G system (by switching to idle state movement or network redirection, etc.), and vice versa. At this time, it is necessary to ensure the continuity of the UE when moving between the 4G and 5G systems, that is, access continuity (no initial access required) and service continuity (the user UE IP address needs to remain unchanged).

[0056] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture for bidirectional interoperability between 4G and 5G provided by an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, in this architecture compatible with both 4G and 5G, the core features are the integration of the Packet Data Network Gateway Control plane (PGW-C) and the Session Management Function (SMF), the integration of the Packet Data Network Gateway-User Plane (PGW-U) and the User Plane function (UPF), the integration of the Policy Control Function (PCF) and the Policy and Charging Control Function (PCRF), and the UE's User Plan is always anchored on the UPF / PGW-U. Between the AMF and the MME, the N26 interface may or may not be deployed. The system will have different processes for the deployment of the N26 interface and the non-deployment of the N26 interface.

[0057] The main network elements, communication nodes, or entities involved in the embodiments of this application are as follows:

[0058] User equipment (UE) mainly accesses the 4G network or 5G network through the wireless air interface and obtains services. The UE exchanges information with the base station through the air interface, and exchanges information with the management entity of the core network (the mobility management entity MME when accessing 4G, the mobility management function AMF and the session control plane function SMF when accessing 5G) through non-access stratum signaling (NAS).

[0059] 4G base stations (RAN, Radio Access Network, eNB) are responsible for air interface resource scheduling and air interface connection management for UEs to access the network.

[0060] 5G base stations (NG-RAN, Radio Access Network) are responsible for air interface resource scheduling and air interface connection management for UEs accessing the network. Next-generation base stations may use new radio access technologies (gNB) or enhanced LTE (eLTE).

[0061] Mobility Management Entity (MME): A 4G core network control plane entity responsible for user authentication, authorization, and contract checking, user mobility management, PDN connection and bearer maintenance, and triggering paging in the user IDLE state.

[0062] Serving Gateway (Serving GW): A user plane functional entity in the 4G core network, responsible for interaction with the PDN GW in roaming situations.

[0063] Packet Data Gateway (PDN GW): A user-plane functional entity in the 4G core network. It serves as the access point for UEs to the PDN network. It is responsible for allocating user IP addresses, establishing, modifying, and deleting network-triggered bearers, and performing QoS control and billing. It serves as the user's anchor point within the 3GPP system, ensuring IP address stability and service continuity. In a control-forwarding separation architecture, the P-GW is divided into two parts: the control entity (PGW-C) and the user-plane entity (PGW-U). The PGW-C is responsible for signaling control, while the PGW-U is responsible for IP forwarding.

[0064] Home Subscription Server (HSS): stores user subscription information

[0065] The Policy Control and Charging Function (PCRF) is responsible for policy decisions and charging rule formulation. The PCRF provides network control rules based on service data flows, including flow detection, gating control, Quality of Service (QoS) control, and data flow-based charging rules. The PCRF sends its formulated policies and charging rules to the P-GW for execution.

[0066] The following are the control functions in 5G networks:

[0067] Session Control Plane Function (SMF): interacts with the UE and is mainly responsible for processing user packet data unit (PDU) session establishment, modification and deletion requests, selecting the user plane function (UPF); establishing the user plane connection between the UE and the UPF; and determining the quality of service (QoS) parameters of the session together with the policy control function (PCF).

[0068] Access and Mobility Control Function (AMF): A common control plane function within the core network. Each user has only one AMF, which is responsible for user authentication, authorization, and subscription verification to ensure the user is legitimate. It also manages user mobility, including location registration and temporary identity allocation. It selects the appropriate SMF when a user initiates a PDU session establishment request. It also forwards Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling between the UE and SMF, and forwards Access Stratum (AS) signaling between the base station and the SMF.

[0069] User Plane Function (UPF): Provides user plane processing functions, including data forwarding and QoS enforcement. The UPF also provides a user plane anchor point during user mobility to ensure service continuity.

[0070] Policy Control Function (PCF): Provides resource authorization functions, which is very similar to the PCRF in the 4G era.

[0071] Unified Data Management (UDM): stores user subscription data and is very similar to the HSS in the 4G era.

[0072] This combined network element and inter-system interface (N26) mechanism ensures user UE continuity when moving between 4G and 5G systems. When a UE moves from 4G to 5G, the 5G system converts the received UE 4G context into a 5G context. When a UE moves from 5G to 4G, the 5G system converts the UE 5G context into a 4G context and then sends it to the 4G system. This minimizes the impact on the 4G system.

[0073] 4G defines a specific access control method: the Closed Subscriber Group (CSG). Each CSG is identified by a CSG ID. Each CSG has multiple UE members, and each UE can belong to multiple CSGs. Each 4G CSG cell supports only one CSG group, which is broadcast over the air interface. All members of the CSG identified by this CSG ID can access the cell.

[0074] The UE maintains a local list of CSGs to which it belongs. The UE can access cells that broadcast the CSG IDs in this list. CSG cells corresponding to other CSG IDs outside this list are inaccessible to the UE. The user's subscription information contains the list of CSG IDs that the UE can access.

[0075] In 4G, CSG is used in home networks or specific area network deployments.

[0076] In the 5G private network (non public network, NPN) standard, there is a private network access management method: closed access group (CAG). Each CAG is identified by a CAG ID. Each cell that supports CAG will broadcast the list of CAG IDs it supports. The UE will also be configured with a list of CAGs that it can access. When the UE finds that its configured CAG ID list matches the CAG ID list broadcast by the network, that is, at least one CAG ID is the same, the UE can access the cell. The UE's subscription also includes a list of CAG IDs that it can access. When the UE registers, the base station will report the CAG ID list supported by the UE's current cell. The AMF will obtain the CAG list subscribed by the UE from the UDM. The AMF will determine whether the UE can access the cell based on these two lists. That is, if at least one CAG ID in the CAG ID list supported by the cell and the CAG ID list subscribed by the UE is the same, the UE can access the cell, otherwise it will be rejected.

[0077] 4G CSG and 5G CAG share similarities, but also have significant differences. 1) 4G CSG cells support only one CSG ID, while 5G CAG cells can broadcast multiple CAGs. 2) 4G CSG supports roaming, while 5G CAG does not. 3) 4G CSG is associated with UE services; for example, a certain APN can only be used in certain CSG cells. 5G CAG is decoupled from services.

[0078] In certain scenarios, CSG and CAG technologies can be combined to achieve effective access control. For example, in an area with simultaneous 4G and 5G coverage, only certain UEs can access these networks. CSG technology can be used to control UE access in 4G, while CAG can be used in 5G. However, this related technology suffers from issues with proper access control.

[0079] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a mobile process from a 4G CSG cell to a 5G CAG cell. A UE accesses a 4G CSG cell, assuming its 5G subscription includes CAGs 6 and 7. When the UE moves to the edge of the 4G cell, there are two 5G base stations, NR1 and NR2, which support CAGs 1 / 2 / 3 and 4 / 5 / 6, respectively. However, the 4G base station eNB typically determines the target cell based solely on signal strength. In this example, the eNB selects the NR1 cell. The UE is handed over or redirected to the NR1 base station on the 5G network. The UE then performs mobility registration. The AMF discovers that the UE's subscription (CAG 6 and 7) does not match the CAGs (1, 2, 3) of the current base station cell, resulting in a registration failure. The UE then reselects the NR2 cell and successfully registers. However, the UE's PDU session is released after the registration failure, forcing the UE to reestablish the PDU session. However, the IP address of the PDU session changes, causing application layer service interruption.

[0080] FIG2 takes the example of a UE moving from a CSG cell to a CAG cell. The mobility problem from a CAG cell to a CSG cell is similar.

[0081] It can be seen that the core of the above problem is that when the UE accesses the source network (4G or 5G), the base station of the source network does not know the CAG or CSG information that the UE can access in the target network (5G or 4G), resulting in blind switching / redirection and interruption of service continuity.

[0082] FIG3 is a flow chart of an information transmission method provided by an embodiment, which can be applied to a management network element of a first network. As shown in FIG3 , the method provided by this embodiment includes steps 110 and 120 .

[0083] In step 110, closed group information of the user equipment in the second network is obtained.

[0084] In step 120, the closed group information of the second network is sent to the service node of the first network.

[0085] In this embodiment, the first network and the second network are different networks. The first network may be the network currently accessed by the UE, or the source network before switching; the second network may be the network that the UE will or may access in the future, or the target network after the UE switches.

[0086] For example, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is MME, and the service node is eNB; the second network is a 5G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. MME can send CAG information to eMB.

[0087] For example, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is AMF, and the service node is NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. AMF can send the CSG information to NG-RAN.

[0088] In an embodiment of the present application, the CAG information may be a CAG ID list, and the CSG information may be a CSG ID list.

[0089] On this basis, the service node of the first network can obtain the closed group information of the second network, which can provide a reliable basis for the UE's ongoing or future handover to the second network, so that the UE can switch to the correct cell, thereby improving communication reliability and service continuity.

[0090] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network is a mobility management network element MME; the closed group information of the second network includes CAG information; the closed group information of the second network is obtained by at least one of the following methods: obtaining from the subscription data of the HSS of the first network; obtaining from the source management network element of the first network; obtaining from the access and mobility control function AMF of the second network.

[0091] In this embodiment, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is the MME, and the serving node is the eNB; the second network is a 5G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The MME can send the CAG information to the eNB. The CAG information can be obtained from the subscription data of the HSS, from the source management network element of the 4G (i.e., the historical MME that the UE accessed before accessing the current MME), or from the AMF of the 5G.

[0092] In one embodiment, when a management network element of a first network receives a NAS message from a user equipment, it obtains the closed group information of the second network from the subscription data of the HSS. In this embodiment, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is an MME, and the serving node is an eNB; the second network is a 5G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The MME can send the CAG information to the eNB.

[0093] CAG information can be obtained from the subscription data of the HSS. For example, when a UE accesses a 4G network, it sends an NAS message to the MME. The NAS message is sent to the MME via the eNB (encapsulated in an access stratum (AS) message). The NAS message can be an Initial Attach message, a Tracking Area Update (TAU) message, or a Service Request (SR) message. The MME sends an Update Location Request to the HSS to obtain the UE's subscription data, which includes the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription.

[0094] In one embodiment, when the UE is handed over from the second network to the first network, the closed group information of the second network is obtained from the AMF of the second network. In this embodiment, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is the MME, and the serving node is the eNB; the second network is a 5G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The MME can send the CAG information to the eNB.

[0095] CAG information can be obtained from the AMF of the 5G network. For example, the UE is currently accessing a 5G CAG cell. Based on the UE's measurement report, NG-RAN determines that it needs to switch to the 4G target cell. NG-RAN can send a handover request (Handover Require) message to the AMF, which carries the target network and cell information, and can also carry the UE's CSG information; AMF selects the MME based on the target network and cell information, and sends a forward relocation request (Forward Relocation Request) message, which carries the CAG information of the UE's 5G contract, and can also carry 4G CSG information. The MME or eNB can use the 4G CSG information to determine whether the UE can switch to the eNB, which can also be understood as an access control check.

[0096] In one embodiment, obtaining closed group information of a user equipment in a second network includes: obtaining the closed group information of the second network from the source management network element of the first network when the user equipment is handed over from a source management network element in the first network to a management network element in the first network. In this embodiment, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is a target MME, and the serving node is an eNB; the second network is a 5G network, the closed group information of the second network is CAG information, and the target MME can send the CAG information to the eNB.

[0097] CAG information can be obtained from the source MME of the 4G network. For example, if a UE undergoes an internal handover in the 4G network, such as an S1 handover, and the MME changes during the handover, the source MME sends a Forward Relocation Request message to the target MME, which carries the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription.

[0098] For example, when a UE accesses a 4G network, it sends a NAS message to the network. The NAS message is sent to the target MME via the eNB (encapsulated in an AS message). The target MME can obtain the UE context from the source MME based on the UE identifier (GUTI) in the NAS message, which includes the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription.

[0099] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network is AMF; the closed group information of the second network includes CSG information; the closed group information of the second network is obtained by at least one of the following methods: obtaining from the subscription data of the UDM of the first network; obtaining from the source management network element of the first network; obtaining from the MME of the second network.

[0100] In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is the AMF, and the service node is the NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. The AMF can send the CSG information to the NG-RAN. The CSG information can be obtained from the subscription data of the UDM, from the source management network element of the 5G (i.e., the historical AMF that the UE accessed before accessing the current AMF), or from the MME of the 4G.

[0101] In one embodiment, when the management network element of the first network receives a NAS message from the user equipment, the closed group information of the second network is obtained from the subscription data of the UDM. In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is the AMF, and the serving node is the NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. The AMF can send the CSG information to the NG-RAN.

[0102] CSG information can be obtained from the subscription data of the UDM. For example, when a UE accesses a 5G network, it sends an NAS message to the AMF. The NAS message is sent to the AMF via the NG-RAN (encapsulated in an AS message). The NAS message can be a Registration message or an SR message. The AMF obtains the UE's subscription data from the UDM, which contains the CSG information of the UE's 4G subscription.

[0103] In one embodiment, when a user equipment switches from a second network to a first network, closed group information of the second network is obtained from the MME of the second network. In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is the AMF, and the serving node is the NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. The AMF can send the CSG information to the NG-RAN.

[0104] CAG information can be obtained from the MME of the 4G network. For example, the UE is currently accessing a 4G CSG cell. The eNB determines that it needs to switch to the 5G target cell based on the UE's measurement report. The eNB can send a handover request (Handover Require) message to the MME, which carries the target network and cell information, and can also carry the UE's CAG information; the MME selects the AMF based on the target network and cell information and sends a Forward Relocation Request message to the AMF, which carries the CSG information of the UE's 4G contract, and can also carry CAG information. The AMF or NG-RAN can use the CAG information to determine whether the UE can switch to the NG-RAN, which can also be understood as an access control check.

[0105] In one embodiment, when a user equipment is handed over from a source management network element in a first network to a management network element in a first network, closed group information of the second network is obtained from the source management network element of the first network. In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is a target AMF, and the serving node is an NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. The target AMF can send the CSG information to the NG-RAN.

[0106] CSG information can be obtained from the source AMF of the 5G network. For example, if a UE undergoes an internal handover in the 5G network, such as N2 handover, and the AMF changes during the handover, the source AMF sends a Create UE Context Request (Namf_Communication_CreateUEContext Request) message to the target AMF, which carries the CSG information of the UE in the 4G subscription.

[0107] For example, when the UE accesses the 5G network, it sends a NAS message to the network. The NAS message is sent to the target AMF via NG-RAN (encapsulated in an AS message). The target AMF can obtain the UE context from the source AMF based on the UE identifier (5G-GUTI) in the NAS message, which includes the CSG information of the UE subscribed to in 4G.

[0108] In one embodiment, the closed group information of the second network is sent to the service node of the first network via one of the following messages: an Initial Context Setup Request message; a Downlink NAS Transport Message; a Handover Request message; or a Path Switch ACK message.

[0109] For example, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is MME, and the service node is eNB; the second network is a 5G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The MME can send an S1-AP message to the eNB, such as Initial Context Setup Request or Downlink NAS transport message, which carries the CAG information of the UE signed in 5G, and the information can be included in the Handover Restriction List information element (Information Element, IE).

[0110] For example, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is the target MME, and the service node is the eNB; the second network is a 5G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The target MME sends the CAG information of the UE signed in 5G to the target eNB through a Handover Request or Path Switch ACK message.

[0111] For example, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is AMF, and the service node is NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. AMF sends an NGAP (Protocol for NG Interface) message to NG-RAN, such as Initial Context Setup Request or Downlink NAS transport message, which carries the CSG information of the UE subscribed to 4G, which can be included in the Handover Restriction List information element.

[0112] For example, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is the target AMF, and the service node is NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. The target AMF sends the CSG information of the UE subscribed to 4G to the target NG-RAN through a Handover Request or Path Switch ACK message.

[0113] For example, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is AMF, the service node is NG-RAN, and the closed group information of the first network is CAG information; the second network is a 4G network, the management network element in the second network is MME, the service node is eNB, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. AMF sends the UE's CAG (CSG) information to the target base station NG-RAN through Handover Request, and NG-RAN determines whether the UE can access the 5G network through the CAG information.

[0114] For example, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is MME, the service node is eNB, and the closed group information of the first network is CSG information; the second network is a 5G network, the management network element in the second network is AMF, the service node is NG-RAN, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The MME sends the UE's CSG (and CAG) information to the target base station eNB through Handover Request, and the eNB determines whether the UE can access the 4G network through the CSG information.

[0115] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a handover method provided in one embodiment, which can be applied to a service node of a first network. As shown in Figure 4, the method provided in this embodiment includes steps 210 and 220. It should be noted that technical details not fully described in this embodiment can be referred to in any of the above embodiments.

[0116] In step 210, closed group information of user equipment in the second network sent by a management network element of the first network is received.

[0117] In step 220, a target cell for handover in the second network is determined according to the closed group information of the second network.

[0118] In this embodiment, the first network and the second network are different networks. The first network may be the network currently accessed by the UE, or the source network before switching; the second network may be the network that the UE will or may access in the future, or the target network after the UE switches.

[0119] For example, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is MME, and the service node is eNB; the second network is a 5G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. MME can send CAG information to eNB, and eNB determines the target cell in the 5G network based on the CAG information.

[0120] For example, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is AMF, and the service node is NG-RAN; the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. AMF can send the CSG information to NG-RAN, and NG-RAN determines the target cell in the 4G network based on the CSG information.

[0121] In an embodiment of the present application, the CAG information may be a CAG ID list, and the CSG information may be a CSG ID list.

[0122] On this basis, the service node of the first network can obtain the closed group information of the second network and determine the target cell in the second network based on the closed group information of the second network. The terminal can switch to the target cell by requesting switching or redirecting, which can provide a reliable basis for the UE's ongoing or possible future switching to the second network, so that the UE can switch to the correct cell, thereby improving communication reliability and service continuity.

[0123] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network is an MME; the closed group information of the second network includes CAG information; or, the management network element of the first network is an AMF; and the closed group information of the second network includes CSG information.

[0124] In one embodiment, the closed group information of the second network is received through one of the following messages: an initialization context request message; a downlink non-access layer transmission message; a handover request message; or a path switch confirmation message.

[0125] In one embodiment, the method further comprises:

[0126] The closed group information of the target cell is sent to the user equipment through an RRC release message, and the user equipment is used to redirect to the target cell.

[0127] In one embodiment, the method further includes: receiving closed group information of the user equipment in the first network sent by a management network element of the first network.

[0128] For example, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is AMF, the service node is NG-RAN, and the closed group information of the first network is CAG information; the second network is a 4G network, the management network element in the second network is MME, the service node is eNB, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. AMF can send the UE's CAG (and CSG) information to the target base station NG-RAN through Handover Request.

[0129] For example, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is MME, the service node is eNB, and the closed group information of the first network is CSG information; the second network is a 5G network, the management network element in the second network is AMF, the service node is NG-RAN, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The MME can send the UE's CSG (and CAG) information to the target base station eNB through Handover Request.

[0130] FIG5 is a flow chart of another information transmission method provided by an embodiment, which can be applied to the management network element of the first network. As shown in FIG5 , the method provided by this embodiment includes steps 310 and 320 .

[0131] In step 310, closed group information of the user equipment is acquired, where the closed group information includes at least one of CAG information and CSG information.

[0132] In step 320, when the user equipment is handed over from the first network to the second network, the closed group information is sent to a management network element of the second network.

[0133] In this embodiment, the first network and the second network are different networks. The first network may be a source network before switching; and the second network may be a target network after the UE switches.

[0134] For example, the first network is a 4G network, the management network element in the first network is MME, the service node is eNB, and the closed group information of the first network is CSG information; the second network is a 5G network, the management network element in the second network is AMF, the service node is NG-RAN, and the closed group information of the second network is CAG information. The MME can send CAG information and / or CSG information to the AMF, and the AMF sends the CAG information and / or CSG information to the NG-RAN.

[0135] For example, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is AMF, the service node is NG-RAN, and the closed group information of the first network is CAG information; the second network is a 4G network, the management network element in the second network is MME, the service node is eNB, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. The AMF can send CAG information and / or CSG information to the MME, and the MME sends the CAG information and / or CSG information to the eNB.

[0136] In an embodiment of the present application, the CAG information may be a CAG ID list, and the CSG information may be a CSG ID list.

[0137] On this basis, the service node of the second network can obtain the closed group information, providing a reliable basis for the UE's ongoing handover to the second network, so that the UE can be handed over to the correct cell, improving communication reliability and service continuity.

[0138] In one embodiment, the closed group information is obtained from a handover request message from a service node of the first network.

[0139] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network determines the closed group information of the second network according to at least one of the following:

[0140] Determine the second network closed group information provided by the service node in the first network;

[0141] Closed group subscription data of the second network;

[0142] The closed group information of the first network is mapped according to the local configuration to obtain the closed group information corresponding to the second network.

[0143] In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network, the management network element in the first network is the AMF, the service node is the NG-RAN, the second network is a 4G network, and the closed group information of the second network is CSG information. The AMF may obtain the closed group information from the handover request message of the service node of the first network. The closed group information includes the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription and / or the CSG information of the 4G subscription. The AMF selects the MME and sends a Forward Relocation Request carrying the CAG information and / or CSG information. If the CSG information obtained by the AMF includes multiple CSG IDs, the AMF may determine a target CSG ID and send it to the MME. The target CSG ID may be sent by the NG-RAN to the AMF, determined by the AMF based on the UE's 4G CSG subscription data, or obtained by mapping the 5G CAG to the 4G CSG according to the AMF configuration. For example, CAG-A1, CAG-A2, and CAG-A3 may be mapped to CSG-B1, CSG-B2, and CSG-B3, respectively.

[0144] In one embodiment, the closed group information is sent to the management network element of the second network via a forward relocation request message.

[0145] Figure 6 is a flowchart of another information transmission method provided in one embodiment, which can be applied to a management network element of a second network. As shown in Figure 6, the method provided in this embodiment includes steps 410 and 420. It should be noted that any technical details not fully described in this embodiment can be referred to in any of the above embodiments.

[0146] In step 410, closed group information of a user equipment sent by a management network element of a first network is received, where the closed group information includes at least one of CAG information and CSG information.

[0147] In step 420, the closed group information is sent to a service node of the second network.

[0148] In this embodiment, the first network and the second network are different networks. The first network may be a source network before handover; the second network may be a target network after handover of the UE. The CAG information may be a CAG ID list, and the CSG information may be a CSG ID list.

[0149] On this basis, the service node of the second network can obtain the closed group information, providing a reliable basis for the UE's ongoing handover to the second network, so that the UE can be handed over to the correct cell, improving communication reliability and service continuity.

[0150] The information transmission method or switching method of the present application is exemplified below through some embodiments.

[0151] Example 1

[0152] In this embodiment, the first network is a 4G network and the second network is a 5G network.

[0153] When a UE accesses 4G, the MME sends the UE's 5G CAG information to the eNB. The 5G CAG information on the MME may be obtained from the HSS or the source MME (old MME). The 5G CAG information may be a list of CAG IDs.

[0154] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG7 , the closed group information interaction process includes:

[0155] In step 301, the UE accesses the 4G network and sends a NAS message to the network. The NAS message is sent to the MME via the eNB (encapsulated in an AS message). The NAS message can be an Initial Attach, Tracking Area Update (TAU), or Service Request (SR) message.

[0156] In step 302, the MME may obtain the UE's context from the old MME based on the UE's identifier in the NAS message, such as the Globally Unique Temporary Identifier (GUTI), which may include the UE's 5G CAG information. The MME sends an Identification Request or Context Request message to the source MME to obtain the context. This step is optional and does not necessarily occur.

[0157] In step 303, the MME sends an Update Location Request message to the HSS to obtain the UE subscription data, which includes the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription.

[0158] In step 304, the MME sends an S1-AP message to the eNB, such as an Initial Context Setup Request message or a Downlink NAS transport message, which carries the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription. This information can be included in the Handover Restriction List information element.

[0159] Step 305: If the S1-AP message includes a NAS container, the eNB sends a NAS message to the UE, such as an Attach Accept or TAU Accept message.

[0160] Example 2

[0161] In this embodiment, the first network is a 4G network and the second network is a 5G network.

[0162] When the UE switches in 4G, the MME sends the CAG information of the UE's subscription in 5G to the eNB; the CAG information of the UE's subscription in 5G on the MME may be obtained from the source MME.

[0163] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG8 , the closed group information interaction process includes:

[0164] Step 401: UE switches within 4G, such as Xn switching or S1 switching.

[0165] In step 402, if the MME changes during the handover process, the source MME sends a Forward Relocation Request to the target MME, which carries the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription. If the MME does not change, the source MME and target MME are one network element in the figure, and step 402 can be skipped.

[0166] In step 403, the target MME sends the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription to the target base station. The message may be a Handover Request or a Path Switch ACK message.

[0167] Example 3

[0168] In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network and the second network is a 4G network.

[0169] When a UE accesses 5G, the AMF sends the CSG information of the UE's 4G subscription to the NG-RAN. The CSG information of the UE's 4G subscription on the AMF may be obtained from the UDM or the source AMF (old AMF). Hereinafter, the CSG information of the 4G subscription refers to the CSG ID list.

[0170] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG9 , the closed group information interaction process includes:

[0171] In step 501, the UE accesses 5G and sends a NAS message to the network. The message is sent to the AMF via the NG-RAN (encapsulated in an AS message). The NAS message can be a Registration or Service Request (SR) message.

[0172] In step 502, the AMF can obtain the UE context from the old AMF based on the UE identifier (5G-GUTI) in the NAS message, which may include the CSG information of the UE's 4G subscription. The AMF can send a UE context transfer request (Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer Service Operation) message to the source AMF to obtain the context. This step is optional and does not necessarily occur.

[0173] Step 503: AMF obtains the UE subscription data from UDM, which includes the CSG information of the UE in 4G subscription.

[0174] In step 504, the AMF sends an NGAP message to the NG-RAN, such as an Initial Context Setup Request message or a Downlink NAS transport message, which carries the CSG information of the UE's 4G subscription. This information may be included in the Handover Restriction List information element.

[0175] In step 505, if the NGAP message includes a NAS container, the NG-RAN sends the NAS message to the UE, such as a Registration Accept message.

[0176] Example 4

[0177] In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network and the second network is a 4G network.

[0178] When the UE switches to 5G, the AMF sends the CSG information of the UE's subscription in 4G to the NG-RAN; the CSG information of the UE's subscription in 4G on the AMF may be obtained from the source (source AMF).

[0179] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG10 , the closed group information interaction process includes:

[0180] In step 601, the UE performs a 5G internal handover within the 5G network, such as an Xn handover or an N2 handover.

[0181] In step 602, if the AMF changes during the handover process, the source AMF sends a Namf_Communication_CreateUEContext Request to the target AMF, which carries the CSG information of the UE's 4G subscription. If no AMF changes, the source AMF and target AMF in the figure are one network element, and step 602 can be skipped.

[0182] In step 603, the target AMF sends the CSG information of the UE in 4G subscription to the target base station NG-RAN. The message can be a Handover Request or a Path Switch ACK message.

[0183] Example 5

[0184] In this embodiment, the first network is a 4G network and the second network is a 5G network.

[0185] When a UE switches from 4G to 5G, the eNB needs to select a target cell based on the UE's 5G CAG information and initiate a handover / redirection.

[0186] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG11 , the closed group information interaction process includes:

[0187] In step 701, the UE is currently connected to a 4G CSG cell. Based on the UE's measurement report, the eNB determines that the UE needs to switch to a 5G cell. Based on the UE's 5G CAG subscription, the eNB determines the target 5G cell for the UE.

[0188] The eNB switches the UE to the 5G CAG cell in two ways: the handover method in steps 702 to 704, and the redirection method in step 705. The eNB only executes one of the two methods.

[0189] In step 702, the eNB sends a handover request (Handover Require) message to the MME, which carries the target network and cell information, and optionally, the UE's 5G CAG information.

[0190] In step 703, based on the target information, the MME selects the AMF and sends a Forward Relocation Request, which carries the CAG information of the UE's 5G subscription and / or the UE's 4G CSG subscription information.

[0191] In step 704, the AMF sends the UE's 4G CSG and / or 5G CAG information to the target base station NG-RAN through a Handover Request. The NG-RAN determines whether the UE can access based on the 5G CAG information and performs access control checks based on the 4G CSG information.

[0192] In step 705, the eNB sends an RRC release message (RRC Release with Redirection) to the UE, which contains information about the target cell (5G cell) being redirected, including the CAG information of the target cell. The UE selects the cell and accesses the 5G system. The process is described in Example 3 (Figure 9).

[0193] Step 706: Perform the UE registration process.

[0194] Example 6

[0195] In this embodiment, the first network is a 5G network and the second network is a 4G network.

[0196] When a UE switches from 5G to 4G, the NG-RAN needs to select the target cell based on the UE's 4G CSG information and initiate handover / redirection.

[0197] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of another closed group information interaction process provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG12 , the closed group information interaction process includes:

[0198] In step 801, the UE is currently connected to a 5G CAG cell. Based on the UE's measurement report, the NG-RAN determines that the UE needs to be handed over to a 4G cell. Based on the UE's 4G CSG subscription, the NG-RAN determines the target 4G cell for the UE.

[0199] NG-RAN switches the UE to the 4G CSG cell in two ways: the handover method in steps 802 to 804, and the redirection method in step 805. NG-RAN only executes one of these methods.

[0200] In step 802, the NG-RAN sends a handover request (Handover Require) message to the AMF, which carries the target network and cell information, and optionally, the UE's 4G CSG information.

[0201] In step 803, the AMF selects an MME based on the target information and sends a Forward Relocation Request, which carries the UE's 5G CAG information and / or target 4G CSG information. The 4G CSG information may be sent to the AMF by the NG-RAN in step 802, or the AMF may determine it based on the UE's 4G CSG subscription, or map the 5G CAG to the 4G CSG based on the AMF's configuration.

[0202] In step 804, the MME sends the UE's 4G CSG and / or 5G CAG information to the target base station eNB via a Handover Request. The eNB determines whether the UE can access based on the 4G CSG information and performs access control checks based on the 5G CAG information.

[0203] Step 805: NG-RAN sends an RRC release message (RRC Release with Redirection) to the UE, which contains the redirected target cell (4G cell) information, which may include the CSG information of the target cell. The UE selects the cell and accesses the 4G system.

[0204] Step 806: After the handover is completed or after the redirection, the UE initiates a TAU process to the 4G network. This step can be referred to in Example 1 (FIG. 7).

[0205] The present application also provides an information transmission device. FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an information transmission device provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG13, the information transmission device includes:

[0206] An acquisition module 510 is configured to acquire closed group information of a user equipment in a second network;

[0207] The sending module 520 is configured to send the closed group information of the second network to the service node of the first network.

[0208] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network is a mobility management network element MME; the closed group information of the second network includes CAG information;

[0209] The closed group information of the second network is obtained by at least one of the following methods:

[0210] Obtaining from the subscription data of the HSS of the first network;

[0211] Acquire from a source management network element of the first network;

[0212] Obtained from the access and mobility function AMF of the second network.

[0213] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network is an AMF; the closed group information of the second network includes CSG information;

[0214] The closed group information of the second network is obtained by at least one of the following methods:

[0215] Obtaining from the contract data of the unified data management function UDM of the first network;

[0216] Acquire from a source management network element of the first network;

[0217] Obtained from the MME of the second network.

[0218] In one embodiment, the closed group information of the second network is sent to the service node of the first network via one of the following messages: an initialization context request message; a downlink non-access layer transmission message; a handover request message; or a path switch confirmation message.

[0219] In one embodiment, the acquisition module 510 is configured to: acquire the closed group information of the second network from the subscription data of the HSS when the management network element of the first network receives the NAS message of the user equipment.

[0220] In one embodiment, the obtaining module 510 is configured to: when the user equipment is switched from the second network to the first network, obtain the closed group information of the second network from the AMF of the second network.

[0221] In one embodiment, the acquisition module 510 is configured to: acquire the closed group information of the second network from the subscription data of the UDM when the management network element of the first network receives the NAS message of the user equipment.

[0222] In one embodiment, the acquisition module 510 is configured to: acquire the closed group information of the second network from the MME of the second network when the user equipment is handed over from the second network to the first network.

[0223] In one embodiment, the acquisition module 510 is configured to: when the user equipment is switched from a source management network element in the first network to a management network element in the first network, acquire the closed group information of the second network from the source management network element in the first network.

[0224] The information transmission device proposed in this embodiment and the information transmission method for managing network elements of the first network proposed in the above embodiment belong to the same inventive concept. Technical details not fully described in this embodiment can be referred to any of the above embodiments, and this embodiment has the same beneficial effects as executing the information transmission method.

[0225] The present application also provides a switching device. FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a switching device provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG14 , the switching device includes:

[0226] A first receiving module 610 is configured to receive closed group information of a user equipment in a second network sent by a management network element of the first network;

[0227] The determination module 620 is configured to determine a target cell for handover in the second network according to the closed group information of the second network.

[0228] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network is an MME; the closed group information of the second network includes CAG information; or, the management network element of the first network is an AMF; and the closed group information of the second network includes CSG information.

[0229] In one embodiment, the closed group information of the second network is received through one of the following messages: an initialization context request message; a downlink non-access layer transmission message; a handover request message; or a path switch confirmation message.

[0230] In one embodiment, it further includes:

[0231] The closed group information of the target cell is sent to the user equipment through an RRC release message, and the user equipment is used to redirect to the target cell.

[0232] In one embodiment, the apparatus further comprises:

[0233] The second receiving module is configured to receive closed group information of the user equipment in the first network sent by the management network element of the first network.

[0234] The switching device proposed in this embodiment and the switching method applied to the service node of the first network proposed in the above embodiment belong to the same inventive concept. For technical details not fully described in this embodiment, please refer to any of the above embodiments, and this embodiment has the same beneficial effects as executing the switching method.

[0235] The present application also provides an information transmission device. FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an information transmission device provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG15 , the information transmission device includes:

[0236] An acquisition module 710 is configured to acquire closed group information of a user equipment, where the closed group information includes at least one of CAG information and CSG information;

[0237] The sending module 720 is configured to send the closed group information to a management network element of the second network when the user equipment is switched from the first network to the second network.

[0238] In one embodiment, the closed group information is obtained from a handover request message from a service node of the first network.

[0239] In one embodiment, the management network element of the first network determines the closed group information of the second network according to at least one of the following:

[0240] Determining the second network closed group information provided by the service node in the first network;

[0241] closed group subscription data of the second network;

[0242] The closed group information of the first network is mapped according to the local configuration to obtain the closed group information corresponding to the second network.

[0243] In one embodiment, the closed group information is sent to the management network element of the second network via a forward relocation request message.

[0244] The information transmission device proposed in this embodiment and the information transmission method for managing network elements of the first network proposed in the above embodiment belong to the same inventive concept. Technical details not fully described in this embodiment can be referred to any of the above embodiments, and this embodiment has the same beneficial effects as executing the information transmission method.

[0245] The present application also provides an information transmission device. FIG16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an information transmission device provided by an embodiment. As shown in FIG16, the information transmission device includes:

[0246] A receiving module 810 is configured to receive closed group information of a user equipment sent by a management network element of a first network, where the closed group information includes at least one of CAG information and CSG information;

[0247] The sending module 820 is configured to send the closed group information to the service node of the second network.

[0248] The information transmission device proposed in this embodiment and the information transmission method for managing network elements of the second network proposed in the above embodiment belong to the same inventive concept. Technical details not fully described in this embodiment can be referred to any of the above embodiments, and this embodiment has the same beneficial effects as executing the information transmission method.

[0249] An embodiment of the present application also provides a management network element. Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a management network element provided by an embodiment. As shown in Figure 17, the management network element provided by the present application includes a processor 910 and a memory 911; the processor 910 in the management network element can be one or more, and Figure 17 takes one processor 910 as an example; the memory 911 is configured to store one or more programs; the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors 910, so that the one or more processors 910 implement the information transmission method applied to the management network element of the first network as described in the embodiment of the present application.

[0250] The management network element further includes: a communication device 912 , an input device 913 and an output device 914 .

[0251] The processor 910, memory 911, communication device 912, input device 913 and output device 914 in the management network element can be connected via a bus or other means. FIG17 takes the bus connection as an example.

[0252] The input device 913 may be used to receive input digital or character information and generate key signal input related to user settings and function control of the management network element. The output device 914 may include a display device such as a display screen.

[0253] The communication device 912 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The communication device 912 is configured to perform information transmission and reception communication according to the control of the processor 910.

[0254] The memory 911, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be configured to store software programs, computer-executable programs, and modules, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the information transmission method for the management network element of the first network as described in the embodiments of the present application. The memory 911 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system and at least one application required for a function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the management network element. Furthermore, the memory 911 may include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state memory device. In some instances, the memory 911 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 910, and such remote memory may be connected to the management network element via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0255] An embodiment of the present application also provides a service node. Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a service node provided by an embodiment. As shown in Figure 18, the service node provided by the present application includes a processor 920 and a memory 921; the processor 920 in the service node can be one or more, and Figure 18 takes one processor 920 as an example; the memory 921 is configured to store one or more programs; the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors 920, so that the one or more processors 920 implement the information transmission method applied to the service node of the first network as described in the embodiment of the present application.

[0256] The service node further includes: a communication device 922 , an input device 923 and an output device 924 .

[0257] The processor 920, memory 921, communication device 922, input device 923 and output device 924 in the service node may be connected via a bus or other means. FIG18 takes the bus connection as an example.

[0258] The input device 923 may be used to receive input digital or character information and generate key signal input related to user settings and function control of the service node. The output device 924 may include a display device such as a display screen.

[0259] The communication device 922 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The communication device 922 is configured to perform information transmission and reception communication according to the control of the processor 920.

[0260] Memory 921, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be configured to store software programs, computer-executable programs, and modules, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the switching method for the service node of the first network as described in the embodiments of the present application. Memory 921 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system and at least one application required for a function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the service node, etc. In addition, memory 921 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state memory device. In some instances, memory 921 may further include memory remotely located relative to processor 920, and these remote memories may be connected to the service node via a network. Examples of the aforementioned networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0261] An embodiment of the present application also provides a management network element. Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of another management network element provided by an embodiment. As shown in Figure 19, the management network element provided by the present application includes a processor 930 and a memory 931; the processor 930 in the management network element can be one or more, and Figure 19 takes one processor 930 as an example; the memory 931 is configured to store one or more programs; the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors 930, so that the one or more processors 930 implement the information transmission method applied to the management network element of the first network as described in the embodiment of the present application.

[0262] The management network element further includes: a communication device 932 , an input device 933 and an output device 934 .

[0263] The processor 930, memory 931, communication device 932, input device 933 and output device 934 in the management network element can be connected via a bus or other means. FIG19 takes the bus connection as an example.

[0264] The input device 933 may be used to receive input digital or character information and generate key signal input related to user settings and function control of the management network element. The output device 934 may include a display device such as a display screen.

[0265] The communication device 932 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The communication device 932 is configured to perform information transmission and reception communication according to the control of the processor 930.

[0266] The memory 931, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be configured to store software programs, computer-executable programs, and modules, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the information transmission method for the management network element of the first network as described in the embodiments of the present application. The memory 931 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system and at least one application required for a function; the data storage area may store data generated based on the use of the management network element. Furthermore, the memory 931 may include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state memory device. In some instances, the memory 931 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 930, and such remote memory may be connected to the management network element via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0267] An embodiment of the present application also provides a management network element. Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of another management network element provided by an embodiment. As shown in Figure 20, the management network element provided by the present application includes a processor 940 and a memory 941; the processor 940 in the management network element can be one or more, and Figure 20 takes one processor 940 as an example; the memory 941 is configured to store one or more programs; the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors 940, so that the one or more processors 940 implement the information transmission method for the management network element applied to the second network as described in the embodiment of the present application.

[0268] The management network element further includes: a communication device 942 , an input device 943 and an output device 944 .

[0269] The processor 940, memory 941, communication device 942, input device 943 and output device 944 in the management network element can be connected via a bus or other means. FIG20 takes the bus connection as an example.

[0270] The input device 943 may be used to receive input digital or character information and generate key signal input related to user settings and function control of the management network element. The output device 944 may include a display device such as a display screen.

[0271] The communication device 942 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The communication device 942 is configured to perform information transmission and reception communication according to the control of the processor 940.

[0272] The memory 941, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be configured to store software programs, computer-executable programs, and modules, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the information transmission method for the management network element of the second network as described in the embodiments of the present application. The memory 941 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system and at least one application required for a function; the data storage area may store data generated based on the use of the management network element. Furthermore, the memory 941 may include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state memory device. In some instances, the memory 941 may further include memory remotely located from the processor 940, and such remote memory may be connected to the management network element via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0273] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system. Figure 21 is a structural diagram of a communication system provided by one embodiment. As shown in Figure 21, the system includes: a user device 10, a first network 20 and a second network 30, the first network 20 includes a management network element 21, and the second network 30 includes a service node 31.

[0274] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system. Figure 22 is a structural diagram of another communication system provided by one embodiment. As shown in Figure 22, the system includes: a user device 10, a first network 40 and a second network 50, the first network 40 includes a management network element 41, and the second network 50 includes a service node 51.

[0275] An embodiment of the present application further provides a storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the information transmission method or switching method described in any one of the embodiments of the present application is implemented.

[0276] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program / instruction, which, when executed by a processor, implements any of the information transmission methods or switching methods described in the embodiments of the present application.

[0277] The computer storage medium of the embodiment of the present application can adopt any combination of one or more computer-readable media.Computer-readable media can be computer-readable signal media or computer-readable storage media.Computer-readable storage media can be, for example, but not limited to: electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices or devices, or any combination of the above.More specific examples (non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: electrical connections with one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memories (RAM), read-only memories (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROM), flash memories, optical fibers, portable CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the above.Computer-readable storage media can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program, which can be used by an instruction execution system, device or device or used in combination with it.

[0278] A computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such a propagated data signal may take a variety of forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium may also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium that can transmit, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0279] The program code contained on the computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wire, optical cable, radio frequency (RF), etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0280] The computer program code for performing the operations of the present application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, and also conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as an independent software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., using an Internet service provider to connect via the Internet).

[0281] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program / instruction, which, when executed by a processor, implements the video encoding method as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0282] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0283] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the term user terminal covers any suitable type of wireless user equipment, such as a mobile phone, a portable data processor, a portable web browser or a vehicle-mounted mobile station.

[0284] In general, various embodiments of the present application may be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software that can be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device, although the present application is not limited thereto.

[0285] Embodiments of the present application may be implemented by executing computer program instructions by a data processor of a mobile device, for example, in a processor entity, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. The computer program instructions may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages.

[0286] The block diagram of any logic flow in the drawings of this application may represent program steps, or may represent interconnected logic circuits, modules and functions, or may represent a combination of program steps and logic circuits, modules and functions. A computer program may be stored on a memory. The memory may be of any type suitable for the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), optical storage devices and systems (digital versatile discs (DVD) or compact disks (CD), etc.). Computer-readable media may include non-transitory storage media. The data processor may be of any type suitable for the local technical environment, such as but not limited to a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture.

[0287] The above description of exemplary embodiments of the present application has been provided by way of exemplary and non-limiting examples. However, various modifications and adaptations of the above embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims, without departing from the scope of the present application. Therefore, the proper scope of the present application will be determined by reference to the appended claims.

Claims

1. An information transmission method, applied to a management network element of a first network, comprising: Obtaining closed group information of the user equipment in the second network; The closed group information of the second network is sent to the service node of the first network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The management network element of the first network is a mobility management network element MME; the closed group information of the second network includes closed access group CAG information; The closed group information of the second network is obtained by at least one of the following methods: Obtaining from the subscription data of the home subscription server HSS of the first network; Acquire from a source management network element of the first network; Obtained from the access and mobility function AMF of the second network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The management network element of the first network is an AMF; the closed group information of the second network includes closed subscriber group CSG information; The closed group information of the second network is obtained by at least one of the following methods: Obtaining from the contract data of the unified data management function UDM of the first network; Acquire from a source management network element of the first network; Obtained from the MME of the second network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The closed group information of the second network is sent to the service node of the first network via one of the following messages: Initialization context request message; downlink non-access layer transmission message; handover request message; path switch confirmation message.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein: Obtaining closed group information of the user equipment in the second network includes: In response to the management network element of the first network receiving a non-access stratum (NAS) message from the user equipment, the closed group information of the second network is acquired from subscription data of the HSS of the first network.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein: Obtaining closed group information of the user equipment in the second network includes: In response to the user equipment being switched from the second network to the first network, obtaining the closed group information of the second network from the AMF of the second network.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Obtaining closed group information of the user equipment in the second network includes: In response to the management network element of the first network receiving the NAS message of the user equipment, the closed group information of the second network is acquired from the subscription data of the UDM of the first network.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein: Obtaining closed group information of the user equipment in the second network includes: In response to the user equipment being handed over from the second network to the first network, closed group information of the second network is obtained from the MME of the second network.

9. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: Obtaining closed group information of the user equipment in the second network includes: In response to the user equipment being handed over from the source management network element in the first network to the management network element in the first network, the closed group information of the second network is obtained from the source management network element in the first network.

10. A handover method, applied to a service node of a first network, comprising: receiving closed group information of the user equipment in the second network sent by the management network element of the first network; A target cell for handover in the second network is determined according to the closed group information of the second network.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The management network element of the first network is an MME; the closed group information of the second network includes closed access group CAG information; or, The management network element of the first network is AMF; the closed group information of the second network includes closed user group CSG information.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The closed group information of the second network is received via one of the following messages: Initialization context request message; downlink non-access layer transmission message; handover request message; path switch confirmation message.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: The closed group information of the target cell is sent to the user equipment through a radio resource control RRC release message, and the user equipment is used to redirect to the target cell.

14. An information transmission method, applied to a management network element of a first network, comprising: Acquire closed group information of a user equipment, where the closed group information includes at least one of closed access group (CAG) information and closed subscriber group (CSG) information; In response to the user equipment being handed over from the first network to the second network, the closed group information is sent to a management network element of the second network.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein The closed group information is obtained from a handover request message of a service node of the first network.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein The management network element of the first network determines the closed group information of the second network according to at least one of the following: Second network closed group information provided by the service node in the first network; closed group subscription data of the second network; The closed group information of the first network is mapped according to the local configuration to obtain the closed group information corresponding to the second network.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The closed group information is sent to the management network element of the second network via a forward relocation request message.

18. An information transmission method, applied to a management network element of a second network, comprising: Receiving closed group information of a user equipment sent by a management network element of the first network, where the closed group information includes at least one of CAG information and closed subscriber group CSG information; The closed group information is sent to a service node of the second network.

19. A management network element, comprising: memory, and at least one processor; The memory is configured to store at least one program; When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor implements the information transmission method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

20. A service node, comprising: memory, and at least one processor; The memory is configured to store at least one program; When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor implements the switching method according to any one of claims 10 to 13.

21. A management network element, comprising: memory, and at least one processor; The memory is configured to store at least one program; When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor implements the information transmission method according to any one of claims 14 to 17.

22. A management network element, comprising: memory, and at least one processor; The memory is configured to store at least one program; When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor implements the information transmission method according to claim 18.

23. A communication system comprising: User equipment, a first network and a second network, wherein the first network includes the management network element according to claim 19, and the second network includes the service node according to claim 20.

24. A communication system comprising: User equipment, a first network and a second network, wherein the first network includes the management network element according to claim 21, and the second network includes the management network element according to claim 22.

25. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the information transmission method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or 14 to 17 or the switching method according to any one of claims 10 to 13 is implemented.

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