Communication method, apparatus, and system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of communications, and provide a communication method, an apparatus, and a system. The method comprises: a first apparatus receives a first data packet; the first apparatus determines a first protocol data unit set to which the first data packet belongs; and, on the basis of the level of protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, the first apparatus determines a differentiated services code point of the first data packet. In the present application, after determining the first protocol data unit set to which the first data packet belongs, the first apparatus determines, on the basis of the level of protocol unit set importance of the protocol data unit set, the differentiated services code point of the first data packet. The level of protocol data unit set importance is information of the protocol data unit set, and the numerical value of the differentiated services code point can represent the priority of transmission. Hence, according to the present application, the numerical value of the differentiated services code point can be determined during quality of service processing based on the protocol data unit set.

Description

Communication method, device and system

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on February 8, 2024, with application number 202410179380.3 and application name “A communication method, device and system”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

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

[0003] With the development of communication technology, protocol data unit sets (PDU Sets) have been introduced into some communication systems to meet the needs of new media services such as ultra-high-definition video and extended reality (XR).

[0004] When using PDU Sets to transmit data packets (such as those for video services), PDU Set information includes PDU Set importance (PSI). Different PSIs indicate different PDU Set importances. Therefore, it is necessary to set a transmission priority for the PDU Set to enable transmission between PDU Sets with different PSIs. However, it is currently unclear how to set the priority of a PDU Set. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a communication method, apparatus, and system for determining a value of a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) corresponding to a protocol data unit set in a scenario of quality of service processing based on a protocol data unit set.

[0006] The technical solution is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, including: a first device receives a first data packet. The first device determines a first protocol data unit set to which the first data packet belongs. The first device determines a differential services code point of the first data packet based on the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set. Alternatively, the first device receives a first protocol data unit set. The first device determines a differential services code point of the first protocol data unit set based on the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set. This specification takes the first scenario as an example. The description of the second scenario is the same as the first scenario, except that "" is replaced with the first protocol data unit set.

[0008] In a possible implementation manner, the protocol data unit set importance information indicated by the first protocol data unit set is the same as the protocol data unit set importance information indicated by the first data packet in the first protocol data unit set.

[0009] In the present application, after determining the first protocol data unit set to which the first data packet belongs, the first device determines the differential services code point of the first data packet of the first protocol data unit set according to the protocol data unit set importance of the protocol data unit set. The protocol data unit set importance can be indicated by the protocol data unit set importance information in the protocol data unit set information, can be indicated by the payload information of the first data packet, can be indicated by the data type (media type, payload type) of the first data packet in the protocol data unit set, and can also be indicated by other information such as the priority or sending order of the first data packet in the protocol data unit set. Since the value of the differential services code point can represent the priority of transmission, the first device can implement the priority setting of the protocol data unit set after determining the differential services code point of the first data packet of the first protocol data unit set.

[0010] In a possible implementation, a differentiated services code point is used to determine a priority for transmitting a first set of protocol data units between the first apparatus and the access network device.

[0011] In one possible implementation, a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) is used to determine the priority of data packets within a first protocol data unit set transmitted between a first device and an access network device. Generally speaking, the last packet within the first protocol data unit set has a higher priority than other data packets within the first protocol data unit set. The first device determines the priorities of different data packets within the first protocol data unit set, and the first device determines the priorities of the last packet of the first protocol data unit set and other data packets within the first protocol data unit set. The first device carries different DSCPs on the packet headers of different data packets within the first protocol data unit set.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application further includes: a first device receiving first information, the first information being used to determine a correspondence between importance levels of a protocol data unit set and differentiated services code points. Alternatively, the first information is used to determine a correspondence between different data packets within the protocol data unit set and differentiated services code points. Alternatively, the first information is used to determine a range of differentiated services code points for a protocol data unit set in a data stream.

[0013] The first apparatus determining the differentiated services code points of the first protocol data unit set based on the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set includes: the first apparatus determining the differentiated services code points of the first protocol data unit set based on the protocol data unit set importance and a corresponding relationship; or the first apparatus determining the differentiated services code points of the first protocol data unit set based on the protocol data unit set importance and a set range of differentiated services code points of the protocol data unit set.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the correspondence is related to a priority of a quality of service flow to which the first set of protocol data units belongs. The priority of a quality of service flow refers to a priority of forwarding data packets of the quality of service flow, and can be determined by a differentiated services code point corresponding to the quality of service flow. For example, a larger differentiated services code point indicates a higher priority of the corresponding quality of service flow.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the first information includes a first differentiated services code point (DSCP). The first differentiated services code point corresponds to a first mapping relationship, where the first mapping relationship indicates a correspondence between importance of a protocol data unit set and a differentiated services code point. Alternatively, the first mapping relationship indicates a correspondence between different data packets within the protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the first differentiated services code point is a differentiated services code point of the quality of service flow to which the first set of protocol data units belongs. The first differentiated services code point is determined by a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, or by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and a priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow. A possible form of the quality of service identifier is a 5G quality of service identifier (5G QoS Identifier, 5QI).

[0017] In one possible implementation, the method provided by an embodiment of the present application includes: a first device identifies protocol data unit set information corresponding to a first protocol data unit set, the protocol data unit set information including one or more of a protocol data unit set sequence number, an end protocol data unit indication of the protocol data unit set, a protocol data unit sequence number in a protocol data unit set, a protocol data unit set byte size, and a protocol data unit set importance.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the first information includes a second mapping relationship, wherein the second mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between importance of a protocol data unit set and a differentiated services code point in a quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow. Alternatively, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the effective data / payload of the first data packet of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

[0020] For example, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the effective data / load of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the data type of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the first information includes a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs. The method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first device determines a corresponding relationship according to the quality of service identifier.

[0022] In a possible implementation manner, the first information further includes a priority of the quality of service flow and / or an allocation and reservation priority.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the first information includes a third mapping relationship. The third mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between a protocol data unit set importance and a differentiated services code point in a quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs. The third mapping relationship is determined by the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set or a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the first device determines a differentiated services code point of a first protocol data unit set, including: the first device marks the differentiated services code point on an IP data packet header of a data packet of the first protocol data unit set, and sends the data packet of the first protocol data unit set to an access network device.

[0025] In a possible implementation, the method provided by the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first device receives indication information, where the indication information is used to instruct the first device to perform differentiated services code point marking on the first protocol data unit set at the granularity of the protocol data unit set.

[0026] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, including: a second device sending indication information, a quality of service indicator, and / or a correspondence between protocol data unit set importance and a differentiated services code point to a first device. The indication information is used to instruct the first device to mark the protocol data unit set with a differentiated services code point at the protocol data unit set granularity. Alternatively, the second device sends indication information to the first device, indicating a differentiated services code point range for the protocol data unit set in a data stream. The indication information is used to instruct the first device to mark the protocol data unit set with a differentiated services code point at the protocol data unit set granularity.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: a second device obtaining a policy and charging control rule, where the policy and charging control rule is used to indicate that a protocol data unit set is marked with a Differentiated Services Code Point at a protocol data unit set granularity. Optionally, the policy and charging control rule is further used to indicate a correspondence between a quality of service indicator and / or a protocol data unit set importance and a Differentiated Services Code Point.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: a second device sending a differentiated services code point range of a protocol data unit set to a first device. The first device determines the differentiated services code point of the protocol data unit set based on the differentiated services code point range of the sent protocol data unit set and the importance of the protocol data unit set.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the second device determines the differentiated services code point range of the protocol data unit set based on the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the importance of the protocol data unit set; or, the second mapping relationship determines the differentiated services code point range of the protocol data unit set based on the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow; or, the second device determines the differentiated services code point range of the protocol data unit set based on the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: a second device sending a first Differentiated Services Code Point (DSSCP) to a first device. The first DSSCP corresponds to a first mapping relationship. The first mapping relationship indicates a correspondence between importance of a protocol data unit set and a DSSCP. Alternatively, the second device sends a range of the first DSSCP to the first device, where the range of the first DSSCP is a range of the first DSSCPs within which the protocol data unit set in the data stream is located.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the first Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) is a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) of a quality of service (QoS) flow, and the first Differentiated Services Code Point is determined by a quality of service (QoS) identifier of the QoS flow, or by a priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the QoS flow.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: the second device sending a second mapping relationship to the first device. The second mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between importance of a protocol data unit set in a quality of service flow and a differentiated services code point.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the importance of the protocol data unit set, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow. Or, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the valid data of the first protocol data unit set, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, the valid data of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

[0034] In a possible implementation, the method provided by the embodiment of the present application further includes: the second device obtains a protocol data unit set identification method, and the protocol data unit set identification method is used to identify the first protocol data unit set.

[0035] Among them, the protocol data unit set identification method can be indicated by the protocol information indicated by the protocol description information. For example, in one possible way, the protocol information is RTP (real-time transport protocol). Indicating that the protocol data unit set corresponds to the use of RTP, the protocol data unit set information can be identified by at least one of the following information: information indicated by the RTP extension header, the payload type of the RTP header, the timestamp of the RTP header, etc. The protocol data unit set information includes but is not limited to one or more of the following parameters: protocol data unit set sequence number, end protocol data unit indication of the protocol data unit set, protocol data unit sequence number in a protocol data unit set, protocol data unit set byte size, and protocol data unit set importance information.

[0036] In one embodiment, the second device obtains a protocol description, and the method for identifying the protocol data unit set can be indicated by the protocol description information, or can be indicated by the identification method indicated by the UPF, such as the UPF instructing the SMF through the N4 interface that the UPF uses the RTP protocol header or the RTP protocol extension header for identification. In one possible implementation, the second device obtains the importance value or the range of importance values ​​of the protocol data unit set in the data stream. In one possible implementation, the second device can obtain the importance value or the range of importance values ​​of the protocol data unit set in the data stream from any one or more of the information including the method for identifying the protocol data unit set provided by the application function network element, the type of the protocol data unit set, and the load of the protocol data unit set.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: a second device sending a third mapping relationship to a first device. The third mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between protocol data unit set importances and differentiated services code points in a quality of service flow. The third mapping relationship is determined by the protocol data unit set importances of the first protocol data unit set, or by a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow.

[0038] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application further includes: a second apparatus sending quality of service configuration information to an access network device, where the quality of service configuration information is used to instruct the access network device to provide feedback on whether the access network device supports service processing of a protocol data unit set. For example, the quality of service configuration information may include quality of service parameters.

[0039] After the second device sends the service quality configuration information to the access network device, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes: the second device receives feedback information from the access network device, and the feedback information is used to indicate that the access network device supports service processing of the protocol data unit set.

[0040] The access network device may support transmission based on a protocol data unit set, or may not support transmission based on a protocol data unit set.

[0041] In one embodiment, when the access network device receives the quality of service configuration information from the second device and determines that it does not support transmission based on the protocol data unit set, the access network device does not provide feedback, and the second device determines that the first device determines the differentiated services code point based on the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow.

[0042] In another embodiment, when the access network device determines that it supports transmission based on a protocol data unit set, the access network device sends feedback information to the second device, and the feedback information is a support indication. The second device then determines, based on the feedback information, the differentiated services code point corresponding to the protocol data unit set importance determined by the first device based on the correspondence between the protocol data unit set importance and the differentiated services code point.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the method provided in an embodiment of the present application further includes: the second device sends indication information to the first device, where the indication information is used to instruct the first device to mark the data packet with a differentiated services code point at the granularity of a protocol data unit set.

[0044] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device that can implement the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects of the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. The communication device can be a first device, or a module that supports the first device in implementing the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, such as a chip used in the first device. The communication device can implement the above method through software, hardware, or by executing corresponding software through hardware.

[0045] As an example, the communication device may include a processing unit and a communication unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to perform the receiving / sending related steps performed by the first device in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. The processing unit is configured to perform the processing related steps performed by the first device in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0046] Exemplarily, when the communication device is a chip or chip system within the first device, the processing unit may be a processor, and the communication unit may be a communication interface. For example, the communication interface may be an input / output interface, a pin, or a circuit, etc. The processing unit executes the instructions stored in the storage unit to enable the first device to implement a communication method described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. The storage unit may be a storage unit within the chip (for example, a register, a cache, etc.), or a storage unit within the first device that is located outside the chip (for example, a read-only memory, a random access memory, etc.).

[0047] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device that can implement the method in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, and thus can also achieve the beneficial effects in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. The communication device can be a second device, or a module that supports the second device in implementing the method in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, such as a chip used in the second device. The communication device can implement the above method through software, hardware, or by executing corresponding software through hardware.

[0048] As an example, the communication device may include a processing unit and a communication unit, wherein the communication unit is configured to perform the receiving / sending related steps performed by the second device in the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. The processing unit is configured to perform the processing related steps performed by the second device in the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0049] Exemplarily, when the communication device is a chip or chip system within the second device, the processing unit may be a processor, and the communication unit may be a communication interface. For example, the communication interface may be an input / output interface, a pin, or a circuit, etc. The processing unit executes the instructions stored in the storage unit to enable the second device to implement a communication method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. The storage unit may be a storage unit within the chip (e.g., a register, a cache, etc.), or a storage unit within the second device that is located outside the chip (e.g., a read-only memory, a random access memory, etc.).

[0050] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a first device comprising a processor connected to a memory. The processor reads instructions stored in the memory, causing the first device to execute the method of the first aspect or any optional design of the first aspect. The first device may also include a memory. Optionally, the first device may also include a communication interface.

[0051] In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a second device comprising a processor connected to a memory. The processor reads instructions stored in the memory, causing the second device to execute the method of the second aspect or any optional design of the second aspect. The second device may also include a memory. Optionally, the second device may also include a communication interface.

[0052] In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a communications system, comprising: a first apparatus, a second apparatus, an access network device, and an application server. The first apparatus is configured to execute the method of the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and the second apparatus is configured to execute the method of the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect. The access network device is configured to receive a data packet generated by the first apparatus, and the application server is configured to send the data packet to the first apparatus.

[0053] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program or instruction is stored. When the computer program or instruction is run on a computer, the computer executes the communication method described in the first aspect or various possible implementations of the first aspect.

[0054] In the ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a computer program or instruction is stored. When the computer program or instruction is run on a computer, the computer executes the communication method described in the second aspect or various possible implementations of the second aspect.

[0055] In the tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product comprising instructions, including a computer program, which, when the program runs on a computer, enables the computer to execute the communication method in the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0056] In the eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product comprising instructions, including a computer program, which, when the program runs on a computer, enables the computer to execute the communication method in the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0057] In the twelfth aspect, the present application provides a chip for use in a first device, the chip comprising at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface being coupled to at least one processor, the processor being used to run a computer program or instruction to execute the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and the communication interface being used to communicate with other modules outside the chip.

[0058] In the thirteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip for use in a second device, the chip comprising at least one processor and a communication interface, the communication interface being coupled to at least one processor, the processor being used to run a computer program or instruction to execute the method in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, and the communication interface being used to communicate with other modules outside the chip.

[0059] Specifically, the chip provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes a memory for storing computer programs or instructions.

[0060] Any of the devices, computer storage media, computer program products, chips, or communication systems provided above are used to execute the corresponding methods provided above. Therefore, the beneficial effects that can be achieved can refer to the beneficial effects of the corresponding schemes in the corresponding methods provided above, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a layered structure in an application processor provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] FIG4 is a layered schematic diagram of a communication protocol provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0065] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0066] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a QoS processing flow based on PDU Set provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0067] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0068] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a protocol header and an RTP extension header of an RTP protocol provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] FIG9 is a flowchart of a specific implementation method of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0070] FIG10 is a second flow chart of a specific implementation method of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0071] FIG11 is a flow chart showing a specific implementation method of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0072] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0073] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a hardware structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0074] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a chip structure provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. For example, the first information and the second information are merely used to distinguish different information and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and words such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily limit differences.

[0076] It should be noted that, in this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described in this application as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0077] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following items" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0078] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as the fourth generation (4G) system, various systems based on the evolution of the 4G system, the 5G system, and various systems based on the evolution of the 5G system. Among them, the 4G system can also be called an evolved packet system (EPS). The core network of the 4G system can be called an evolved packet core (EPC), and the access network can be called long term evolution (LTE). The core network of the 5G system can be called 5GC (5G core), and the access network can be called new radio (NR). The technical solutions provided by the present application can also be applied to future communication systems, such as the sixth generation mobile communication system. The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to device to device (D2D) communication, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine to machine (M2M) communication, machine type communication (MTC), and Internet of Things (IoT) communication systems or other communication systems.

[0079] The system architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are equally applicable to similar technical problems. In the embodiments of this application, the method provided is described as being applied to a fifth-generation mobile network (5th-generation mobile networks or 5th-generation wireless systems, 5th-Generation, 5G) network as an example.

[0080] As an exemplary illustration, FIG1 shows an architectural diagram of a 5G system applicable to an embodiment of the present application. FIG1 exemplarily shows a schematic diagram of a network architecture of a 5G system. The network architecture may also include but is not limited to the following network elements: terminal equipment, access network (AN) equipment, user plane function (UPF) network element, data network (DN), authentication server function (AUSF) network element, access and mobility management function (AMF) network element, session management function (SMF) network element, service control point (SCP) network element, network data analysis function (NWDAF) network element, network exposure function (NEF) network element, network storage function (NRF) network element, policy control function (PCF) network element, unified data management (UDM) network element, application function (AF) network element, etc.

[0081] It should be noted that the access network equipment, UPF network element, AMF network element, SMF network element, NEF network element, NRF network element, PCF network element, UDM network element and AF network element in Figure 1 are just names, and the names do not limit the network elements themselves. In 5G networks and other future networks, the entities or devices corresponding to these network elements may also have other names, and this embodiment of the application does not specifically limit this.

[0082] For example, the UDM network element may also be replaced by a home subscriber server (HSS) or a user subscription database (USD) or a database network element, etc., which are uniformly explained here and will not be repeated below.

[0083] The functions of some network elements in Figure 1 are as follows:

[0084] Among them, the UPF network element is the gateway provided by the operator. It is the gateway for communication between the operator network and the DN. It mainly includes the following functions: data packet routing and transmission, packet detection, service usage reporting, quality of service (QoS) processing, legal monitoring, uplink packet detection, downlink data packet storage and other user-side related functions.

[0085] The term "data network" refers to the operator network that provides data transmission services to terminal devices, such as the internet and the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). For example, a data network (DN) is the private network of a smart factory. Sensors installed in the workshop of the smart factory can be terminal devices. The DN is deployed with a control server for the sensors, which can provide services to the sensors. The sensors can communicate with the control server, receive instructions from the control server, and transmit collected sensor data to the control server according to the instructions.

[0086] The application server is primarily used to run at least one application to process business data for extended reality (XR) services. Applications running on an application server are also called "application instances," specifically server applications, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), running on edge data networks.

[0087] Among them, the AUSF network element is mainly used to receive the request from the AMF network element to authenticate the terminal device, request the key from the UDM network element, and then forward the key issued by the UDM network element to the AMF network element for authentication processing.

[0088] Among them, the AMF network element mainly includes the following functions: connection management, mobility management, registration management, access authentication and authorization, reachability management, security context management and other access and mobility related functions.

[0089] Among them, SMF network elements are mainly used for session management, Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation and management of terminal equipment, selection of manageable user plane functions, termination points of policy control and charging function interfaces, and downlink data notification.

[0090] It should be noted that Figure 2 only exemplarily shows one SMF network element. Of course, it may include multiple SMF network elements, such as SMF network element 1 and SMF network element 2, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0091] Among them, the SCP network element is mainly used to separate network switching from service control.

[0092] Among them, the NWDAF network element is mainly used to undertake intelligent analysis of network data.

[0093] Among them, the NEF network element mainly includes the following functions: services and capabilities provided by secure and open 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) network functions; conversion or translation of information interacting with AF network elements and information interacting with internal network functions, such as the service identifier of AF network elements and internal 5G core network information such as data network name (DNN), single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), etc.

[0094] Among them, the NRF network element mainly includes the following functions: service discovery function, maintaining the NF context of available network function (NF) instances and the services they support.

[0095] Among them, the PCF network element is a unified policy framework used to guide network behavior and provide policy rule information to control plane function network elements such as AMF network elements and SMF network elements.

[0096] Among them, the UDM network element mainly includes the following functions: unified data management, support for authentication credentials processing in 3GPP authentication and key negotiation mechanism, user identity processing, access authorization, registration and mobility management, contract management, or short message management, etc.

[0097] Among them, the AF network element is used to provide application layer information for application data routing, and can interact with the policy framework through the NEF network element or directly interact with the policy framework to perform policy decision request control, etc.

[0098] In the network architecture shown in Figure 1, network elements can communicate with each other through the interfaces shown in the figure. Some interfaces can be implemented as non-service interfaces. As shown in Figure 1, terminal devices and AMF network elements can interact through the N1 interface. The interaction messages can be called N1 messages, for example. Access network devices and AMF network elements can interact through the N2 interface. The N2 interface can be used to send non-access stratum (NAS) information, etc. Access network devices and UPF network elements can interact through the N3 interface. The N3 interface can be used to transmit user plane data, etc. SMF network elements and UPF network elements can interact through the N4 interface. The N4 interface can be used to transmit information such as tunnel identification information of N3 connections, data cache indication information, and downlink data notification messages. UPF network elements and application servers can interact through the N6 interface. The N6 interface can be used to transmit user plane data, etc. UPF network elements can interact with each other through the N9 interface.

[0099] In addition, the various network elements of the control plane functions in Figure 1 can also communicate through service-oriented interfaces. For example, the AUSF network element accesses the service-oriented architecture through the Nausf interface to provide corresponding services; the AMF network element accesses the service-oriented architecture through the Namf interface to provide corresponding services; the SMF network element accesses the service-oriented architecture through the Nsmf interface to provide corresponding services; similarly, the NWDAF network element, NEF network element, NRF network element, PCF network element, UDM network element and AF network element access the service-oriented architecture through their respective corresponding interfaces to provide corresponding services, which will not be repeated here. The relationship between other interfaces and each network element is shown in Figure 1. For the sake of brevity, they are not described in detail here.

[0100] It should be understood that the network architecture to which the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application can be applied is merely an illustrative illustration, and the network architecture applicable to the embodiments of the present application is not limited thereto. Any network architecture that can implement the functions of the above-mentioned network elements is applicable to the embodiments of the present application.

[0101] It should also be understood that the AMF network element, SMF network element, UPF network element, PCF network element, etc. shown in Figure 1 can be understood as network elements for implementing different functions, for example, they can be combined into network slices as needed. These network elements can be independent devices, or they can be integrated into the same device to implement different functions, or they can be network elements in hardware devices, or they can be software functions running on dedicated hardware, or they can be virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (for example, a cloud platform). This application does not limit the specific form of the above network elements.

[0102] It should also be understood that the above naming is defined only to facilitate the distinction between different functions and should not constitute any limitation to this application. This application does not exclude the possibility of adopting other naming in 5G networks and other future networks. For example, in a 6G network, some or all of the above network elements may continue to use the terminology used in 5G, or may adopt other names.

[0103] It should also be understood that the interface names between the various network elements in Figure 1 are merely examples, and in specific implementations, the interface names may be other names, which are not specifically limited in this application. In addition, the names of the messages (or signaling) transmitted between the various network elements are merely examples and do not constitute any limitation on the functions of the messages themselves.

[0104] Access network equipment, also known as radio access network (RAN) equipment, provides network access for authorized terminal devices in a specific area and enables the use of transmission tunnels with varying quality of service (QoS) based on the device's level and service requirements. Access network equipment manages wireless resources, provides access services to terminal devices, and forwards control information and user data between terminal devices and the core network. Access network equipment can also be understood as a base station in traditional networks.

[0105] Exemplarily, the access network device in the embodiment of the present application can be any communication device with wireless transceiver function for communicating with a terminal device. The access network device includes but is not limited to an evolved NodeB (eNB), or a next generation NodeB (gNB) in an NR system, or a transmission reception point (TRP), one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G network, or a network node constituting a gNB or TRP, such as a baseband unit (BBU), or a distributed unit (DU).

[0106] In some deployments, a gNB may include a centralized unit (CU) and a DU. The gNB may also include an active antenna unit (AAU). The CU implements some gNB functions, while the DU implements some gNB functions. For example, the CU is responsible for processing non-real-time protocols and services, implementing the functions of the radio resource control (RRC) and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layers. The DU is responsible for processing physical (PHY) layer protocols and real-time services, implementing the functions of the radio link control (RLC), media access control (MAC), and PHY layers. The AAU implements some PHY layer processing functions, RF processing, and active antenna-related functions. Because RRC layer information ultimately becomes PHY layer information, or is converted from PHY layer information, in this architecture, higher-layer signaling, such as RRC layer signaling, can also be considered to be sent by the DU. It is understood that an access network device can include one or more of the CU, DU, and AAU. In addition, the CU may be divided into an access network device in an access network, or may be divided into an access network device in a core network (CN), which is not limited in this application.

[0107] It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present application, UPF network elements, application servers, AMF network elements, SMF network elements, NEF network elements, NRF network elements, PCF network elements, UDM network elements, and AF network elements are all core network devices. Core network devices and access network devices can be referred to as network devices.

[0108] The terminal device may also be referred to as user equipment, terminal device, access terminal, subscriber unit, subscriber station, mobile station, mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent or user device, etc. The terminal device may be a device that provides voice / data connectivity to users, such as a handheld device or vehicle-mounted device with wireless connection function. At present, some examples of terminal devices may include: mobile phones, tablet computers, computers with wireless transceiver functions (such as laptops, PDAs, etc.), mobile internet devices (MIDs), virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication functions, computing devices or other processing devices connected to wireless modems, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks or future evolved public land mobile communication networks (PLMNs), etc. terminal equipment in network, PLMN, etc.

[0109] Furthermore, terminal devices can also be end devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) system. IoT is a crucial component of future information technology development. Its primary technical feature is connecting objects to the Internet through communications technology, thereby enabling intelligent networks that interconnect humans and machines, and objects and things. IoT technology, for example, utilizes narrowband (NB) technology to achieve massive connectivity, deep coverage, and power-saving end devices.

[0110] In addition, terminal devices can also include smart printers, train detectors, etc. Their main functions include collecting data, receiving control information and downlink data from access network devices, and sending electromagnetic waves to transmit uplink data to access network devices.

[0111] It should be understood that the terminal device can be any device that can access the network. The terminal device and the access network device can communicate with each other using a certain air interface technology.

[0112] Alternatively, a terminal device can function as an access network device. For example, a terminal device can act as a dispatching entity, providing sidelink signals between terminal devices in V2X or D2D scenarios. For example, a cell phone and a car can communicate with each other using sidelink signals. A cell phone and a smart home device can also communicate without going through an access network device.

[0113] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a hardware architecture of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. For ease of illustration, FIG2 only shows the main components of the terminal device. As shown in FIG2 , the terminal device may include a processor 210, a memory 220, and a communication interface 230.

[0114] The processor 210 is mainly used to process the communication protocol and communication data, control the entire terminal device, execute software programs, and process the data of the software programs.

[0115] The processor 210 may include one or more processors, for example: the processor 210 may include an application processor (AP) 210A and a modem (modem) 210B. In addition, the processor 210 may also include a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a controller, a video codec, a digital signal processor (DSP), a baseband processor, and / or a neural-network processing unit (NPU), etc. Among them, the application processor 210A may include an operating system, and an application (APP) program running on the operating system. The operating system includes but is not limited to the Android operating system or the Hongmeng operating system. The application program can be simply referred to as an application. The application can be a native application (native application), such as settings, desktop, file management, etc., or it can be a third-party application, such as WeChat, games, taxi applications, XR applications, etc. Generally, the application processor 210A can support the installation of applications with different functions to meet the different needs of users. For example, applications such as drawing, presentation, word processing, games, phone, video player, music player, email, instant messaging, photo management, camera, browser, calendar, clock, payment, application market, desktop and health management.

[0116] For example, taking XR media services as an example, a layered diagram of the AP side is shown in Figure 3. Specifically, the AP side includes a media layer, a real-time transport protocol (RTP) layer, and an IP layer.

[0117] The media layer is used to process media data of XR services, such as encoding and coding of video media data. Exemplarily, the media layer is used to encode media data to obtain a protocol data unit set (PDU Set). Among them, a PDU Set may include a frame of data frame, and may also include other business data, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application. It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the data frame may also have other names, such as video frame. The embodiment of the present application takes the data frame as an example for introduction, which should not be understood as a limitation on the embodiment of the present application.

[0118] The RTP layer is mainly used to transmit audio streams and / or video streams.

[0119] The IP layer is mainly used for process management, file network management, system security permission management, and the communication basis between the system and hardware devices.

[0120] In an embodiment of the present application, a PDU Set may be split into at least one packet. Specifically, a PDU Set may be split into at least one packet at the RTP layer, or a PDU Set may be split into at least one packet at the IP layer, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0121] Among them, the modem 210B may include a modulator and a demodulator. The modulator is used to modulate the low-frequency baseband signal to be sent into a medium-high frequency signal. The demodulator is used to demodulate the received electromagnetic wave signal into a low-frequency baseband signal. The demodulator then transmits the demodulated low-frequency baseband signal to the baseband processor for processing. After being processed by the baseband processor, the low-frequency baseband signal is passed to the application processor 210A. The application processor 210A outputs a sound signal through an audio device (not limited to a speaker, a receiver, etc.) or displays an image or video through a display screen. In some embodiments, the modem 210B may be an independent device. In some embodiments, the modem 210B may be independent of the processor and be set in the same device as the radio frequency module or other functional modules.

[0122] It should be noted that the modem 210B performs modulation and demodulation based on the protocol specified by the supported communication technology. The protocol specified by the communication technology in the embodiment of the present application can also be referred to as a communication protocol. The communication protocol stack is the sum of the communication protocols at each layer. For example, referring to Figure 4, the communication protocol stack of the modem 210B can be divided into a vertically arranged control plane and a user plane. Among them, the control plane is used to transmit control signaling, mainly including the non-access stratum (NAS) layer, the radio resource control (RRC) layer, the service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer, the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, the radio link control (RLC) layer, the media access control (MAC) layer and the physical (PHY) layer. The user plane is used to transmit data information, mainly including the SDAP layer, the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer and the PHY layer. It should be understood that under different communication technologies, the division method of the protocol layers of the control plane and the user plane can be different or the same. Among them, the RRC layer, SDAP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer and PHY layer all belong to the access stratum (AS) layer.

[0123] For example, referring to Figure 5 , for a terminal device, within the AP of the terminal device, the media layer generates a PDU Set and provides it to the lower layer (e.g., the RTP layer). Within the RTP layer or IP layer, the PDU Set is split into at least one message, and the at least one message after splitting is transmitted to the modem. Within the terminal device's modem, the at least one message is processed by the SDAP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer before being sent to the network device for uplink transmission, as indicated by the broken line with an arrow in Figure 5 .

[0124] The memory 220 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage communication device capable of storing static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage communication device capable of storing information and instructions, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, an optical disc storage (including a compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage communication device, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 220 may exist independently or be integrated with the processor 210.

[0125] The memory 220 is used to store the software program for executing the solution of the present application, and is controlled to execute by the processor 210. The above specific implementation can refer to the following method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0126] The communication interface 230 is used to communicate with other devices or communication networks. Exemplarily, the communication interface 230 may include a module, circuit, transceiver, or any other device capable of communication. Alternatively, the communication interface 230 may be an input / output interface within the processor 210, used to implement signal input and output to the processor.

[0127] Optionally, the terminal device may further include a bus 240. The processor 210, memory 220, and communication interface 230 may be interconnected via the bus 240; the bus 240 may be a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus or an extended industry standard architecture (EISA) bus. The bus 240 may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like. For ease of illustration, FIG2 shows only one thick line, but this does not imply that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0128] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms involved in the present application are explained below.

[0129] 1. Protocol Data Unit Set (PDU Set): Consists of one or more protocol data units (PDUs), which carry application layer payloads, such as video frames or video slices. A PDU refers to a data unit transmitted between peer layers. For example, a PDU at the physical layer is a data bit, a PDU at the data link layer is a data frame, a PDU at the network layer is a data packet, a PDU at the transport layer is a data segment, and PDUs at other higher layers are data. In the following embodiments of this application, it is referred to as a PDU Set for short.

[0130] 2. Quality of service (QoS): refers to a mechanism and technology for allocating and managing network resources in computer networks and communication systems to meet specific performance requirements. It aims to ensure that different applications, services or traffic in the network can obtain appropriate bandwidth, latency, packet loss rate and other performance indicators according to their needs and priorities.

[0131] 3. Quality of Service Flow (QoS Flow): QoS flow is the finest granularity of QoS differentiation within a PDU session. The difference between two PDU sessions lies in their different QoS flows. In the 5G system, a QoS flow ID (QFI) is used to identify a QoS flow. User plane data with the same QFI in a PDU session receives the same forwarding treatment.

[0132] 4. Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP): This is an implementation of the Type of Service (ToS) in Internet Protocol (IP) datagrams. Within the ToS identifier byte in the IP header of each packet, the DSCP value is used to differentiate traffic priorities. A higher DSCP value indicates a higher priority. For example, when routing packets, routers prioritize forwarding based on the DSCP value of each packet.

[0133] The development of 5G has also driven the rapid growth of media services. New media services such as ultra-high-definition video and extended reality (XR) have emerged within video services. For example, XR services, which primarily include virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), use auxiliary devices to enable the coexistence and interaction of physical objects in the real world and digital objects in the virtual world, ultimately achieving a perfect fusion of virtual and real. These new media services pose significant challenges to network transmission bandwidth. For example, a single-channel XR service requires a bandwidth of 80 megabits per second (Mbps). When 4K network TV and Internet services are enabled, the recommended bandwidth is 230 Mbps or higher. Therefore, network transmission efficiency needs to be improved to meet the rapidly evolving network requirements of new media services. To this end, the concept of PDU Sets has been proposed for data stream transmission.

[0134] Currently, RAN or UPF network elements support QoS-granular packet identification. QoS flows are scheduled independently. For example, if there are two QoS flows, QoS flow 1 and QoS flow 2, when sending packets for QoS flow 1, packets for QoS flow 2 are not considered. Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a PDU Set-based QoS processing flow provided by this application, specifically applied to the network architecture shown in Figure 1.

[0135] The AF network element sends the protocol description of the flow characteristic information related to the PDU Set and the QoS parameters to the PCF network element.

[0136] As an example, the AF network element may be an application server (AS). For example, the AS sends a request to the PCF network element, including a protocol description and QoS parameters.

[0137] The PCF network element generates a policy and charging control rule (PCC rule) based on the protocol description and QoS parameters associated with the PDU Set and sends it to the SMF network element. The SMF network element generates QoS parameters and packet detection rules based on the PCC rule. The SMF sends a QoS profile, including QoS parameters, to the access network device. The SMF sends N4 rules, including packet detection rules, to the UPF.

[0138] The UPF network element identifies the PDU Set according to N4 rules.

[0139] As an example, the UPF network element identifies data packets belonging to the same PDU Set, carries PDU Set information in the general packet radio service tunneling protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) header at the user level, and sends the corresponding data packets to the RAN.

[0140] Among them, PDU Set information includes but is not limited to: protocol data unit set sequence number (PDU Set sequence number), protocol data unit set end protocol data unit indication (indication of end PDU of the PDU Set), protocol data unit sequence number within a protocol data unit set (PDU sequence number within a PDU Set), protocol data unit set byte size (PDU Set size in bytes), protocol data unit set importance (PDU Set importance, PSI).

[0141] Regarding PSI, it can be used to characterize the varying importance of different PDU Sets. For example, consider video transmitted using a PDU Set. Video frames include three types: I-frames, P-frames, and B-frames. An I-frame represents a keyframe, which can be understood as a complete representation of a frame. Decoding requires only the data for this frame. A P-frame represents a forward difference frame, representing the difference between the current frame and the previous keyframe (or P-frame). Decoding requires superimposing the previously cached image with the difference defined by the current frame to generate the final image. In other words, a P-frame does not contain complete image data, only the difference between the current frame and the previous frame. A B-frame represents a bidirectional difference frame, recording the difference between the current frame and the preceding and following frames. Decoding a B-frame requires not only the previously cached image but also the following image. The final image is obtained by superimposing the preceding and following images with the current frame's data. As can be seen from the above description, I-frames are relatively important. The PDU Set containing packets transmitting I-frames can have a higher priority than the PDU Set containing packets transmitting P- and B-frames.

[0142] The SMF network element sends the QoS profile to the access network device. The QoS profile includes PDU Set QoS parameters. The access network device performs PDU Set-based QoS processing according to the PDU Set QoS parameters.

[0143] Among them, PDU Set QoS parameters include but are not limited to: protocol data unit set delay budget (PDU Set delay budget, PSDB), protocol data unit set error rate (PDU Set error rate, PSER), and protocol data unit set integrated handling information (PDU Set integrated handling information, PSIHI).

[0144] For the transmission priority of different QoS flows, one implementation is based on DSCP. For example, the SMF network element determines the DSCP value of the QoS flow based on the 5G QoS Identifier (5QI). Optionally, the SMF network element can also determine the DSCP value of the QoS flow based on the priority level and / or allocation and retention priority (ARP), and include the transport level packet marking value (for example, the DSCP value of the outer Internet Protocol header) in the packet marking information provided to the UPF network element. The UPF network element then marks the DSCP value in the IP header of the data packet in the corresponding QoS flow.

[0145] For example, as shown in Table 1, which is an example of the correspondence between a portion of the standardized 5QI and DSCP provided in this application, the 5QI of QoS flow 1 is 2, and the DSCP value corresponding to QoS flow 1 is 36. The specific meaning of DSCP is guaranteed forwarding 42. The remaining correspondences are referred to in Table 1 and are not described here one by one.

[0146] Table 1

[0147] During transmission, PDU Sets also need to be prioritized to achieve differentiated transmission for various service types. However, it is currently unclear how to prioritize PDU Sets. Prioritization can be determined by determining the DSCP value of a PDU Set, which is a key issue in current technology. However, determining the DSCP value of a PDU Set remains a challenge.

[0148] To address the above issues, the present application proposes a communication method, apparatus, and system. The method utilizes PDU Set parameters to mark the DSCP value of N3 / N9 (see Figure 1) in the transmission network, thereby determining the DSCP values ​​of different PDU Sets in the same QoS flow. The priority of the PDU Set is determined based on the DSCP values ​​corresponding to the different PDU Sets.

[0149] In the embodiments of the present application, the specific structure of the execution subject of a communication method is not particularly limited in the embodiments of the present application, as long as it is possible to communicate according to a communication method of the embodiments of the present application by running a program that records the code of a communication method of the embodiments of the present application. For example, the execution subject of a communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application can be a functional module in the first device that can call and execute a program, or a communication module applied to the first device, such as a chip, a chip system, an integrated circuit, etc. These chips, chip systems, and integrated circuits can be set inside the first device or can be independent of the first device, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions.

[0150] Referring to FIG7 , an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the method comprising the following steps:

[0151] Step 701: A first device receives a first protocol data unit set.

[0152] The first protocol data unit set may be sent by the application server to the first device, including downlink data, such as service data of a video frame.

[0153] For example, taking the first device as a UPF network element, the UPF network element obtains a data packet from the AS.

[0154] Step 702: The first device determines a first protocol data unit set.

[0155] The first protocol data unit set may include multiple data packets. For example, a protocol data unit set may include the service data of a video frame, or may include other content, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. For ease of description, in this embodiment of the present application, the protocol data unit set to which at least one first data packet belongs is referred to as the first protocol data unit set.

[0156] Step 703: The first apparatus determines a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) of the first Protocol Data Unit (PDU) set according to the importance of the PDU set and / or the Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) range of the data stream in which the PDU set is located.

[0157] Among them, the protocol data unit set importance can be the protocol data unit set importance information (PDU Set importance, PSI) in the protocol data unit set information (PDU Set information) (referred to as PSI in the following embodiments), or it can be the effective data / load (payload) of the first protocol data unit set, or it can be the data type (payload type / media type) of the first protocol data unit set. For example, taking the protocol data unit set importance as PSI as an example, the PSI in the protocol data unit set (referred to as PDU Set in the following embodiments) information is used to characterize the importance of different PDU Sets. When the network is congested and the sender cannot transmit all data packets, the PDU set with a low PSI level can be discarded first.

[0158] As an example, PSI can be expressed in the form of PSI parameters, which can be indicated by the UPF network element to the access network device (such as a base station).

[0159] For example, the UPF network element sends two PDU Sets in the downlink to the base station: PDU Set 1 and PDU Set 2. Each PDU Set includes multiple PDUs. The PSI parameter for PDU Set 1 is 2, and the PSI parameter for PDU Set 2 is 3. When the radio interface is congested or the radio interface quality is poor, the base station determines which PDU Set to transmit based on the PSI parameters. Assuming that larger PSI values ​​are more important, when the base station is congested, it can transmit only PDU Set 2 and discard PDU Set 1.

[0160] In a possible embodiment of the present application, a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP for short in the following embodiment) is used to determine the priority of a protocol data unit transmitted between the first apparatus and the access network device.

[0161] For example, taking the first device as a UPF network element and the access network device as a base station, refer to Figure 1. The two PDU Sets sent by the UPF network element to the base station are PDU Set 1 and PDU Set 2. Based on the PSI of PDU Set 1 and the PSI of PDU Set 2, the DSCP 1 of the data packets in PDU Set 1 and the DSCP 2 of the data packets in PDU Set 2 can be determined. Assuming that the larger the DSCP value, the higher the priority, when DSCP 1 is greater than DSCP 2, the router between the UPF network element and the base station will give priority to transmitting PDU set 1. Similarly, when DSCP 1 is less than DSCP 2, the router will give priority to transmitting PDU set 2.

[0162] In the present application, after determining the first protocol data unit set, the first device determines the differentiated services code point of the first protocol data unit set based on the protocol data unit set importance of the protocol data unit set. The protocol data unit set importance can be protocol data unit set importance information (PSI) in the protocol data unit set information, or can be the effective data / payload of the first protocol data unit set, or can be the data type (payload type / media type) of the first protocol data unit set. Since the value of the differentiated services code point can represent the priority of transmission, after the first device determines the differentiated services code point of the first protocol data unit set, it can implement priority setting of the protocol data unit set.

[0163] In a possible embodiment of the present application, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first device receiving the first information. Correspondingly, the second device sending the first information to the first device.

[0164] The first information is used to determine a correspondence between a protocol data unit set importance and a differentiated services code point. The first apparatus determining the differentiated services code point of the first protocol data unit set based on the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set includes: the first apparatus determining the differentiated services code point of the protocol data unit set based on the protocol data unit set importance and the correspondence.

[0165] In this case, taking the PDU set importance of the first PDU set as the PSI in the first PDU set information as an example, the correspondence between the PSI and the DSCP can be represented in the form of a mapping table. For example, the correspondence between the PSI and the DSCP can be configured in the first device, such as a UPF network element, in the form of a mapping table.

[0166] For example, the UPF network element determines three PDU Sets, namely PDU Set a, PDU Set b, and PDU Set c. The PSIs of the three PDU Sets are PSI a, PSI b, and PSI c, respectively. As shown in Table 2, Table 2 is a corresponding relationship mapping table provided in an embodiment of the present application, where PSI a corresponds to a DSCP value of 10, PSI b corresponds to a DSCP value of 15, and PSI c corresponds to a DSCP value of 30.

[0167] Table 2

[0168] It is worth noting that the correspondence between PSI and DSCP can also be expressed in other forms, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0169] In a possible embodiment of the present application, the corresponding relationship is related to the priority of the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs.

[0170] The priority of a quality of service flow (hereinafter referred to as QoS flow) refers to the priority of forwarding data packets of the QoS flow, which can be determined by the DSCP corresponding to the QoS flow. For example, the larger the DSCP, the higher the priority of the corresponding QoS flow.

[0171] Each QoS flow includes one or more PDU Sets. For example, there are two QoS flows, namely QoS flow1 and QoS flow 2. QoS flow 1 includes two PDU Sets, namely PDU Set 1 and PDU Set 2; QoS flow 2 includes two PDU Sets, namely PDU Set 3 and PDU Set 4. For a QoS flow, the DSCP of the QoS flow is determined by the 5QI corresponding to the QoS flow. For example, the DSCP corresponding to QoS flow 1 is 36, and the DSCP corresponding to QoS flow 2 is 46. Therefore, when PDU Set 1 is the first PDU Set, the correspondence between the PSI and DSCP in PDU Set 1 is related to the QoS flow to which PDU Set 1 belongs, that is, QoS flow 1.

[0172] As an example, the DSCP corresponding to the QoS flow is the maximum value of the DSCPs of the PSIs corresponding to multiple PDU Sets in the QoS flow.

[0173] For example, the DSCP corresponding to QoS flow 1 is 36. QoS flow 1 includes PDU Set 1 and PDU Set 2, whose corresponding PSIs are PSI 1 and PSI 2, respectively. The DSCP corresponding to PSI 1 is 36, and the DSCP corresponding to PSI 2 is 34. The DSCP corresponding to QoS flow 2 is 46. QoS flow 2 includes PDU Set 3 and PDU Set 4, whose corresponding PSIs are PSI 3 and PSI 4, respectively. The DSCP corresponding to PSI 3 is 46, and the DSCP corresponding to PSI 4 is 42.

[0174] As an example, the DSCP corresponding to the QoS flow is the minimum value among the DSCPs of the PSIs corresponding to multiple PDU Sets in the QoS flow.

[0175] For example, the DSCP corresponding to QoS flow 1 is 36. QoS flow 1 includes PDU Set 1 and PDU Set 2, whose corresponding PSIs are PSI 1 and PSI 2, respectively. The DSCP corresponding to PSI 1 is 36, and the DSCP corresponding to PSI 2 is 40. The DSCP corresponding to QoS flow 2 is 46. QoS flow 2 includes PDU Set 3 and PDU Set 4, whose corresponding PSIs are PSI 3 and PSI 4, respectively. The DSCP corresponding to PSI 3 is 46, and the DSCP corresponding to PSI 4 is 56.

[0176] It is worth noting that the DSCP value range of the PSIs corresponding to multiple PDU Sets in a QoS flow is within a preset range based on the DSCP value of the QoS flow. For example, if the DSCP value corresponding to QoS flow 1 is 36 as the minimum value and the preset range is 10, the DSCP value of the PSIs corresponding to multiple PDU Sets in QoS flow 1 will not exceed 46. Alternatively, if the DSCP value corresponding to QoS flow 1 is 36 as the maximum value and the preset range is 10, the DSCP value of the PSIs corresponding to multiple PDU Sets in QoS flow 1 will not be less than 26.

[0177] It can be understood that the correspondence between PSI and DSCP is related to the priority of the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs, and can also be other forms of correlation, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0178] In a possible implementation of an embodiment of the present application, the first device may be the UPF network element shown in Figure 1, the second device may be the SMF network element shown in Figure 1, and the first information is N4 information (such as N4 rules) from the SMF network element.

[0179] In an embodiment of the present application, taking the importance of the protocol data unit set as PSI as an example, the first information can indicate the correspondence between PSI and DSCP in multiple forms. For example, if the first information is the DSCP of the QoS flow, the first device obtains the DSCP corresponding to the QoS flow, and the index corresponding to the DSCP of the QoS flow includes the correspondence between PSI and DSCP. Therefore, the first device can determine the correspondence between PSI and DSCP according to the index corresponding to the DSCP of the QoS flow. For another example, if the first information is directly the correspondence between PSI and DSCP, the first device can directly determine the correspondence between PSI and DSCP. For another example, if the first information includes the service quality identifier corresponding to the service quality flow, the first device can determine the QoS flow by obtaining the service quality identifier corresponding to the service quality flow, and determine the correspondence between PSI and DSCP corresponding to different PDU Sets in combination with PSI.

[0180] In a possible embodiment of the present application, the first information includes a first differentiated services code point.

[0181] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes: a first device receiving a first differential services code point, and correspondingly, a second device sending the first differential services code point to the first device.

[0182] The first differentiated services code point corresponds to a first mapping relationship, and the first mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between the importance of a protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point.

[0183] The first differentiated services code point is a differentiated services code point of a quality of service flow (QoS flow) to which the first set of protocol data units belongs. The first differentiated services code point is determined by a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, or by a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, a priority of the quality of service flow, and / or an allocation and reservation priority.

[0184] In one possible implementation of the present application, the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow is a 5G quality of service identifier (5QI), and the first differential service code point is determined by the 5QI, or by the 5QI, the priority level and / or the allocation and retention priority (ARP). The quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow may also be other identifiers, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0185] For example, taking the second device as an SMF network element, the SMF network element determines that the DSCP1 (first differentiated service code point) of QoS flow 1 is 36 based on the 5QI being 2. The first mapping relationship corresponding to DSCP1 includes the correspondence between PSIs and DSCPs corresponding to multiple PDU Sets in QoS flow 1, for example, QoS flow 1 includes PDU Set 1 and PDU Set 2, and the correspondence between PSI 1 and PSI 2 and DSCP respectively.

[0186] In one possible implementation of the present application, the first differential service code point is determined by 5QI. When priority and / or allocation and reservation priority are provided, it can be determined by 5QI, priority, or by 5QI, allocation and reservation priority, or by 5QI, priority and allocation and reservation priority.

[0187] In one embodiment of the present application, the method provided by the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0188] The first device identifies protocol data unit set information corresponding to the first protocol data unit set.

[0189] Among them, the protocol data unit set information corresponding to the protocol data unit set includes but is not limited to one or more of the following parameters: protocol data unit set sequence number (PDU Set sequence number), end protocol data unit indication of the protocol data unit set (indication of end PDU of the PDU Set), protocol data unit sequence number within a protocol data unit set (PDU sequence number within a PDU Set), protocol data unit set byte size (PDU Set size in bytes), protocol data unit set importance information (PDU Set importance, PSI).

[0190] As an example, the first device identifies the PDU Set based on a protocol description, in other words, the first device identifies which PDUs are PDU Sets, wherein the protocol description indicates the protocol used by the data packet.

[0191] In one possible implementation, data packets can be transmitted using the real-time transport protocol (RTP). The protocol header of the RTP protocol is shown in Figure 8 (a), including the V (Version) field, the P (padding) field, the X (eXtension) field, the CC (CSRC Count) field, the M (Marker) field, the PayloadType (PT), the Sequence Number, the timestamp field, the synchronization source (SSRC) identifier, and the contributing source (CCRS) identifier. Among them, the V field occupies 2 bits and indicates the RTP version number; the P field occupies 1 bit and indicates whether the RTP packet has a padding value; the X field occupies 1 bit and indicates whether there is an extension header; the CC field occupies 4 bits and records the number of CSRS identifiers; the meaning of the M field is determined by the configuration file and is generally used to identify boundaries; the Payload Type is used to distinguish between audio and video types; the Sequence Number is used to quickly locate lost data packets; the timestamp occupies 4 bytes and is used to record the time when the packet was generated; the SSRC identifier is used to distinguish data from different sources;

[0192] The CCRC identifier is used to indicate which sources contribute to the data in the RTP packet.

[0193] In another possible implementation, it can be indicated by the information in the RTP extension header. As shown in Figure 8 (b), the RTP extension header consists of three parts: profile, length, and header extension. The profile field is used to distinguish different configurations, such as 0xBE, 0xDE. The length field indicates the number of header extensions carried by the extension header. If the length is 4, it means there are 4 header extensions. The header extension field is the extension header information, in units of 4 bytes. Its specific meaning is determined by the profile, such as the protocol data unit set sequence number (PDU Set sequence number), the end protocol data unit indication of the protocol data unit set (indication of end PDU of the PDU Set), the protocol data unit sequence number within a protocol data unit set (PDU sequence number within a PDU Set), the protocol data unit set size in bytes (PDU Set size in bytes), and the protocol data unit set importance (PDU Set importance, PSI).

[0194] In one embodiment of the present application, the first information includes a second mapping relationship.

[0195] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes: a first device receiving a second mapping relationship, and correspondingly, a second device sending the second mapping relationship to the first device.

[0196] The second mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between the importance of a protocol data unit set and a differentiated services code point in the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs.

[0197] The second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set. Alternatively, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

[0198] The protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set may be PSI, effective data / payload, or data type (payload type / media type). For example, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier and PSI of the quality of service flow, or by the quality of service identifier and effective data / payload of the quality of service flow, or by the quality of service identifier and data type of the quality of service flow.

[0199] Optionally, factors for determining the second mapping relationship may further include priority of quality of service flow and / or allocation and reservation priority determination.

[0200] Taking the protocol data unit set importance as PSI as an example, in a possible implementation of the present application, the second mapping relationship is determined by 5QI and PSI; or, the second mapping relationship is determined by 5QI, PSI, and priority and / or allocation and reservation priority.

[0201] For example, taking the second device as an SMF network element, the SMF network element determines the transmission priority of the QoS flow based on the 5QI, and determines the corresponding relationship between the PSI and the DSCP in the QoS flow. For example, the SMF network element determines the transmission priority of QoS flow 1 based on the 5QI being 2, and determines the corresponding relationship between multiple PSIs and DSCPs in QoS flow 1. For example, QoS flow 1 includes PSI 1, PSI 2, PSI 3, and PSI 4, which correspond to DSCP 1, DSCP 2, DSCP 3, and DSCP 4, respectively.

[0202] Taking the importance of the protocol data unit set as valid data as an example, in another possible implementation of the present application, the second mapping relationship is determined by 5QI and valid data / load; or, the second mapping relationship is determined by 5QI, valid data / load, and priority and / or allocation and reservation priority.

[0203] Taking the protocol data unit set importance as the data type as an example, in another possible implementation of the present application, the second mapping relationship is determined by 5QI and data type; or, the second mapping relationship is determined by 5QI, data type, and priority and / or allocation and reservation priority.

[0204] In one embodiment of the present application, the first information includes a quality of service identifier of a quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs.

[0205] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes: a first device receiving a quality of service identifier of a quality of service flow to which a first protocol data unit set belongs. Accordingly, a second device sending a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs to the first device.

[0206] Among them, the method provided by the embodiment of the present application also includes: the first device determines the corresponding relationship according to the service quality identifier.

[0207] It is understood that in the aforementioned implementation in which the first apparatus receives the second mapping relationship, the second apparatus determines the correspondence between the protocol data unit set importance and the differentiated services code point based on the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the protocol data unit set importance. Furthermore, in an embodiment in which the first information includes the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs, the first apparatus determines the correspondence between the protocol data unit set importance and the differentiated services code point based on the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the protocol data unit set importance.

[0208] Optionally, the first information also includes priority and / or allocation and reservation priority.

[0209] In one possible implementation of the present application, the first information includes 5QI. When priority and / or allocation and reservation priority are provided, the first information includes 5QI and priority; or the first information includes 5QI, allocation and reservation priority; or the first information includes 5QI, priority and allocation and reservation priority.

[0210] In one embodiment of the present application, the first information includes a third mapping relationship.

[0211] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes: a first device receives a third mapping relationship, and correspondingly, a second device sends the third mapping relationship to the first device.

[0212] The third mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the protocol data unit set importance and the differentiated services code point in the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs. The third mapping relationship is determined by the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set and / or the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow.

[0213] For example, the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow may be 5QI.

[0214] In one embodiment of the present application, the first device determines the differentiated services code point of the first protocol data unit set, further comprising: the first device marks the differentiated services code point on the IP header of the data packet of the first protocol data unit set, and sends the first protocol data unit set to the access network device.

[0215] For example, taking the first device as a UPF network element and the access network device as a base station, the DSCP of the first protocol data unit set is determined in the UPF network element, which also includes the UPF network element marking the DSCP on the IP data packet header of the data packet of the first protocol data unit set received from the AS, and sending it to the base station through the router. The router determines the transmission priority of the data packet based on the DSCP value.

[0216] In one embodiment of the present application, the first information is determined by a policy and charging control rule.

[0217] The policy and charging control rule (PCC rule) is generated by the PCF network element. The PCC rule includes information of sending protocol description and indication information, that is, indication information based on the DSCP marking of the PDU Set.

[0218] The method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the first device receiving instruction information, wherein the instruction information is used to instruct the first device to perform differentiated services code point marking at the granularity of a protocol data unit set.

[0219] In a possible embodiment, the first information includes a first differentiated services code point and indication information; or, the first information includes a second mapping relationship and indication information; or, the first information includes a quality of service identifier and indication information of a quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs; or, the first information includes a third mapping relationship and indication information.

[0220] An embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, comprising: a second device sending indication information and a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) of a quality of service flow to a first device; or sending indication information and a correspondence between a quality of service indicator or a protocol data unit set importance and a DSCP. The indication information is used to instruct the first device to mark data packets with a DSCP at the protocol data unit set granularity.

[0221] In one possible implementation of the present application, the second device sends indication information and a first Differentiated Services Code Point to the first device. The first Differentiated Services Code Point corresponds to a first mapping relationship, which indicates a correspondence between protocol data unit set importance and the Differentiated Services Code Point. The specific implementation method is described in the above embodiment and is not further described here.

[0222] In another possible implementation of the present application, the second device sends indication information and a second mapping relationship to the first device. The second mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between the importance of a protocol data unit set and a differentiated services code point in the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs. The specific implementation method is referenced above and will not be repeated here.

[0223] In another possible implementation of the present application, the second device sends indication information and a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow to the first device. For example, the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow is 5QI.

[0224] In one embodiment of the present application, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: the second device obtaining a policy and charging control rule. The policy and charging control rule is used to determine the correspondence between the indication information, the quality of service indicator and / or the importance of the protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point.

[0225] In one embodiment of the present application, when the second device sends the second mapping relationship to the first device, the method provided in this embodiment of the present application further includes: the second device obtaining a protocol data unit set identification method. The protocol data unit set identification method is used to identify the first protocol data unit set. In one possible implementation, the second device obtains a protocol description.

[0226] The method for identifying the protocol data unit set is referred to the above embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0227] In one embodiment of the present application, when the second device sends the third mapping relationship to the first device, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

[0228] The second device sends quality of service configuration information (QoS profile) to the access network device. Correspondingly, the access network device receives the quality of service configuration information from the second device.

[0229] The quality of service configuration information is used to indicate quality of service parameters (QoS parameters).

[0230] In one embodiment of the present application, after the second apparatus sends the quality of service configuration information to the access network device, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

[0231] The second device receives feedback information from the access network device. In response, the access network device sends feedback information to the second device. The feedback information is used to indicate that the access network device supports service processing of the protocol data unit set.

[0232] As an example, taking the protocol data unit set importance as PSI, the second device first determines the DSCP corresponding to PSI based on the correspondence between PSI and DSCP, and sends the correspondence between PSI and DSCP to the first device, and sends service quality configuration information to the access network device.

[0233] The access network device may or may not support transmission based on PDU Set. When the access network device receives the quality of service configuration information from the second device and determines that it does not support transmission based on PDU Set, the access network device does not provide feedback, and the second device determines that the first device determines the DSCP based on the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow. When the access network device determines that it supports transmission based on PDU Set, the access network device sends feedback information to the second device, and the feedback information is a support indication. The second device then determines, based on the feedback information, that the first device determines the DSCP corresponding to the PSI based on the correspondence between PSI and DSCP.

[0234] For example, taking the second device as an SMF network element and the access network device as a base station, the SMF network element sends a QoS profile to the base station. When the base station supports PDU Set-based transmission, after receiving the QoS profile, the base station sends a support indication to the SMF network element. The SMF network element then determines that the UPF network element determines the DSCP corresponding to the PSI based on the correspondence between PSI and DSCP. When the base station does not support PDU Set-based transmission, the base station does not respond after receiving the QoS profile. The SMF network element then determines that the UPF network element determines the DSCP based on the 5QI.

[0235] The following describes the process of determining the DSCP corresponding to different PDU Sets, taking the first device as a UPF network element, the second device as an SMF network element, and the protocol data unit set importance as PSI as an example. FIG9 is a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, which includes:

[0236] Step 901: The AS sends a request message to the NEF network element. Correspondingly, the NEF network element obtains the request message from the AS, wherein the request message includes a protocol description.

[0237] As an example, the AF network element initiates a request for specific QoS for an AF session (Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS) service to the NEF network element. For example, the Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS_Create service operation within the Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS service allows the AS to request that the network provide specific QoS for the AS session. The AS may provide the AS identifier, the terminal IP address, the application data flow description, the QoS reference number, and other information, to which the NEF network element responds.

[0238] For example, the AS sends a request message to the NEF network element through the Nnef_AFsessionWithQoS_Create request.

[0239] Step 902: The NEF network element authenticates (authorizes) the request information.

[0240] Step 903: The NEF network element sends a request message to the PCF network element. Correspondingly, the PCF network element obtains the request message from the PCF network element.

[0241] As an example, after the NEF network element authenticates the request information, it initiates a policy authorization (Npcf_PolicyAuthorization) service to the PCF network element. For example, in the Create Policy Authorization (Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create) service operation within the Npcf_PolicyAuthorization service, the NEF network element calls the Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create service operation on the PCF network element, allowing the PCF network element to authorize the request based on the information provided by the NEF network element, create an application session, and possibly install the policy corresponding to the NEF network element's request. The PCF network element responds with information on whether the policy was successfully authorized. If so, the PCF network element includes an application session ID, which is used to identify the service information that can be authorized for subsequent service operations in the same application session.

[0242] For example, the NEF network element sends an authentication request message to the PCF network element through Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create request.

[0243] Step 904: The PCF network element generates response information based on the request information and sends the response information to the NEF network element. Correspondingly, the NEF network element obtains the response information from the PCF network element.

[0244] For example, the PCF network element sends a response message to the NEF network element through Npcf_PolicyAuthorization_Create resp.

[0245] Step 905: The NEF network element sends a response message to the AS. Correspondingly, the AS obtains the response message from the NEF network element.

[0246] Step 906: The PCF network element sends a response message to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element obtains the response message from the PCF network element.

[0247] The response information is a PCC rule, which includes protocol description information.

[0248] Optionally, the PCC rule further includes indication information, where the indication information is indication information based on the DSCP marking of the PDU Set.

[0249] In one implementation, the PCF network element selects the SMF network element that serves the PDU session. The PCF network element initiates an SM Policy Association Establishment process to the SMF network element, establishes an SM Policy Association, and downloads the PCC rule.

[0250] Step 907: The SMF network element sends an N4 message to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element obtains the N4 message from the SMF network element.

[0251] The N4 message includes a first differential service code point, which is determined by a 5G quality of service indicator (5QI).

[0252] Optionally, the N4 message also includes indication information for instructing the UPF network element to perform differentiated service code point marking according to the granularity of the PDU Set.

[0253] Optionally, the first differential service code point is determined by a 5G quality of service indicator (5QI), a priority level and / or an allocation and retention priority.

[0254] Step 908: The SMF network element sends the configuration information (QoS profile) to the RAN. Correspondingly, the RAN obtains the configuration information (QoS profile) from the SMF network element.

[0255] For example, the SMF network element sends N2 SM messages to the RAN, including the QoS profile.

[0256] Step 909: The AS sends a data packet to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the data packet from the AS.

[0257] For example, the UPF network element receives a downlink data packet from the AS.

[0258] Step 910: The UPF network element identifies the PDU Set and the PSI corresponding to the PDU Set based on the N4 message. The UPF network element then determines the DSCP corresponding to different PDU Sets based on the first Differentiated Services Code Point and marks it in the IP packet header of the data packet.

[0259] Among them, in a possible implementation method, the relationship between PSI and DSCP corresponding to different PDU Sets is configured on the UPF network element in the form of a mapping table.

[0260] Step 911: The UPF network element sends a data packet to the RAN. Correspondingly, the RAN obtains the data packet from the UPF network element.

[0261] For example, a data packet with a DSCP corresponding to a PSI corresponding to a different PDU Set is sent to a base station through a router, wherein the router determines the transmission priority of the data packet based on the DSCP.

[0262] The following takes the first device as a UPF network element, the second device as an SMF network element, and the protocol data unit set importance as PSI as an example. FIG10 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The difference between this method and the embodiment shown in FIG9 is that, in the embodiment shown in FIG9, the UPF network element determines the DSCP of the PSI corresponding to different PDU Sets between different quality of service flows based on the mapping relationship of the SMF network element and the mapping relationship of the UPF network element. In the embodiment shown in FIG10, only one layer of mapping relationship is required, that is, the DSCP value of the PSI corresponding to the PDU Set needs to be determined according to the quality of service identifier and the PSI. The method includes:

[0263] In the embodiment provided in this application, steps 1001 to 1005 are the same as steps 901 to 905 described in the above embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0264] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present application, the method includes:

[0265] Step 1006a: The PCF network element sends a response message to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element obtains the response message from the PCF network element.

[0266] The response information is a PCC rule, which differs from step 906 in the above embodiment in that the PCC rule includes not only information about the sending protocol description but also a method for identifying a PDU Set.

[0267] Among them, the method of PDU Set identification can be indicated by protocol description information, or it can be identified by other implementation methods, which is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0268] Optionally, the PCC rule also includes indication information.

[0269] For example, the PDU Set can be identified by the information corresponding to the PDU Set, and the information corresponding to the PDU Set is not limited to one or more of the following: PDU Set sequence number, indication of end PDU of the PDU Set, PDU sequence number within a PDU Set, PDU Set size in bytes, and PDU Set importance (PSI).

[0270] For example, the PCF network element initiates the SM Policy Association Establishment process to the SMF network element to establish an SM policy association.

[0271] Step 1007a: The SMF network element sends an N4 message to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element obtains the N4 message from the SMF network element.

[0272] Among them, the N4 message includes the correspondence between different PSIs and DSCPs in the service quality flow determined by the SMF network element based on 5QI and PSI.

[0273] Optionally, PSI may also be valid data (payload) or data type (payload type / media type). For example, the N4 message includes the correspondence between different valid data and DSCP in the quality of service flow determined by the SMF network element based on 5QI and valid data, or the N4 message includes the correspondence between different data types and DSCP in the quality of service flow determined by the SMF network element based on 5QI and data type.

[0274] Optionally, the N4 message also includes indication information.

[0275] Optionally, the correspondence between different PSIs and DSCPs in the quality of service flow included in the N4 message may also be determined by 5QI, PSI, priority and / or allocation and reservation priority.

[0276] For example, the correspondence between different PSIs and DSCPs in the quality of service flow included in the N4 message can also be determined by 5QI, PSI, priority, allocation and reservation priority; or by 5QI, PSI, priority; or by 5QI, PSI, allocation and reservation priority.

[0277] Optionally, the correspondence between different valid data and DSCP in the quality of service flow included in the N4 message may be determined by 5QI, valid data, priority, allocation and reservation priority; or by 5QI, valid data, priority; or by 5QI, valid data, allocation and reservation priority. Alternatively, the correspondence between different data types and DSCP in the quality of service flow included in the N4 message may be determined by 5QI, data type, priority, allocation and reservation priority; or by 5QI, data type, priority; or by 5QI, data type, allocation and reservation priority.

[0278] In the embodiment provided in this application, steps 1008a to 1009a are the same as steps 908 to 909 described in the above embodiment and are not described again here.

[0279] Step 1010a: The UPF network element determines the DSCP of the data packets with different PSIs in the QoS flow according to the correspondence between different PSIs and DSCPs, and marks the DSCP in the IP data packet header of the data packet.

[0280] Step 1011a: The UPF network element sends a data packet to the RAN. Correspondingly, the RAN obtains the data packet from the UPF network element.

[0281] In another implementation of the embodiment of the present application, the method includes:

[0282] Step 1006b: The PCF network element sends a response message to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element obtains the response message from the PCF network element.

[0283] The response information is a PCC rule, and the PCC rule includes information of a sending protocol description.

[0284] Optionally, the PCC rule further includes indication information, where the indication information is indication information based on the DSCP marking of the PDU Set.

[0285] Step 1007b: The SMF network element sends an N4 message to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element obtains the N4 message from the SMF network element.

[0286] Among them, the N4 message includes 5QI.

[0287] Optionally, the N4 message also includes indication information.

[0288] In the embodiment provided in this application, steps 1008b to 1009b are the same as steps 908 to 909 described in the above embodiment and are not described again here.

[0289] Step 1010b: The UPF network element determines the DSCP of the PSI based on the 5QI and PSI, and marks it in the IP data packet header of the data packet.

[0290] PSI can also be valid data or data type.

[0291] Step 1010b: The UPF network element sends a data packet to the RAN. Correspondingly, the RAN obtains the data packet from the UPF network element.

[0292] The following takes the first device as a UPF network element, the second device as an SMF network element, and the protocol data unit set importance as PSI as an example. FIG11 is a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment shown in FIG11, the SMF network element determines or instructs the UPF network element to determine the DSCP value in combination with the type of QoS processing. The method includes:

[0293] In the embodiment provided in this application, steps 1101 to 1106 are the same as steps 901 to 906 described in the above embodiment and are not repeated here.

[0294] Step 1107: The SMF network element sends N4 information to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element obtains the N4 message from the SMF network element.

[0295] The N4 message includes the correspondence between the PSI and DSCP corresponding to different PDU Sets in the QoS flow. In other words, the SMF network element instructs the UPF network element to determine the DSCP based on the correspondence between the PSI and DSCP.

[0296] Step 1108: The SMF network element sends configuration information (QoS profile) to the RAN. Correspondingly, the RAN obtains the configuration information (QoS profile) from the SMF network element.

[0297] For example, the SMF network element sends N2 SM messages to the RAN, including the QoS profile.

[0298] Optionally, in step 1109, the RAN sends feedback information to the SMF network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element obtains the feedback information from the RAN.

[0299] The feedback information is used to provide feedback indicating support for the PDU Set, such as support indication. The SMF network element can determine that the UPF network element determines the DSCP of the PSI based on the correspondence between the PSI and the DSCP, or it can determine the DSCP based on the 5QI. When the RAN supports the transmission of the PDU Set, the SMF network element receives feedback information from the RAN. At this time, the SMF network element determines that the UPF network element determines the DSCP of the PSI based on the correspondence between the PSI and the DSCP. When the RAN supports the transmission of the PDU Set, the SMF network element does not receive feedback information from the RAN. At this time, the SMF network element determines that the UPF network element determines the DSCP based on the 5QI.

[0300] After the SMF network element obtains the feedback information from the RAN, the method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes:

[0301] Step 1110: The SMF network element sends an N4 update message to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element obtains the N4 update message from the SMF network element.

[0302] Among them, the N4 update message is used to determine whether the UPF network element determines the DSCP of the PSI based on the correspondence between the PSI and the DSCP.

[0303] Step 1111: The AS sends a data packet to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the data packet from the AS.

[0304] For example, the UPF network element receives a downlink data packet from the application server.

[0305] Step 1112: The UPF network element determines the DSCP of data packets with different PSIs in the same QoS flow based on the 5QI of the quality of service flow sent by the SMF network element, and marks it in the IP data packet header of the data packet.

[0306] Step 1113: The UPF network element sends a data packet to the RAN. Correspondingly, the RAN obtains the data packet from the UPF network element.

[0307] The above mainly introduces the scheme of the embodiment of the present application from the perspective of the interaction between various network elements. It can be understood that, in order to realize the above functions, each network element, such as the first device and the second device, includes a structure and / or software module corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that, in combination with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or in a computer software-driven hardware manner depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0308] In the embodiment of the present application, the first device and the second device can be divided into functional units according to the above-mentioned method examples. For example, each functional unit can be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional unit. It should be noted that the division of the units in the embodiment of the present application is schematic and is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation.

[0309] The method of the embodiment of the present application is described above in conjunction with Figure 7. The communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application for executing the above method is described below. Those skilled in the art will understand that the method and device can be combined and referenced with each other. The communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application can execute the steps performed by the first device and the second device in the communication method shown in Figure 7.

[0310] The method of the embodiment of the present application is described above in conjunction with Figure 7. The communication device for executing the above method provided in the embodiment of the present application is described below. Those skilled in the art will understand that the method and device can be combined and referenced with each other. The communication device provided in the embodiment of the present application includes one or more units for implementing the above communication method.

[0311] In the case of adopting an integrated unit, as shown in FIG12 , which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application, the communication device may include: a communication module 1202 and a processing module 1201 .

[0312] In an optional implementation, the communication device may further include a storage module 1203 for storing program codes and data of the communication device.

[0313] In one example, the communication device is a first device, or a chip used in the first device. In this case, the processing module 1201 is used to support the communication device in performing the steps in the above embodiment. The communication module 1202 is used to support the communication device in performing the sending action performed by the first device in the steps in the above embodiment.

[0314] In another example, the communication device is a second device, or a chip used in a second device. In this case, processing module 1201 is used to support the communication device in executing the steps in the above embodiment. Communication module 1202 is used to support the communication device in executing the sending action performed by the second device in the steps in the above embodiment.

[0315] The processing module 1201 may be a processor or controller, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor (GPOR), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device (PLD), a transistor logic device (TLD), a hardware component, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. A processor may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, and the like. The communication module may be a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, or a communication interface. The storage module may be a memory.

[0316] When the processing module 1201 is the processor 1301 or the processor 1305, the communication module 1202 is the communication interface 1303, and the storage module 1203 is the memory 1302, the communication apparatus involved in this application may be the communication device shown in FIG. 13 .

[0317] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The hardware structure of the terminal device and the network device in the embodiment of the present application can refer to the structure shown in Figure 13. The communication device includes a processor 1301, a communication line 1304, and at least one transceiver (Figure 13 is merely illustrative and uses the transceiver 1303 as an example for illustration).

[0318] The processor 1301 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the program of the present application.

[0319] Communication link 1304 may include a pathway for transmitting information between the aforementioned components.

[0320] The transceiver 1303 may be any transceiver-like device for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, radio access networks (RAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), and the like.

[0321] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory 1302 .

[0322] The memory 1302 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, an optical disc storage (including a compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 1302 may exist independently and be connected to the processor 1301 via a communication line 1304. The memory 1302 may also be integrated with the processor 1301.

[0323] The memory 1302 is used to store computer-executable instructions for executing the solution of the present application, and the execution is controlled by the processor 1301. The processor 1301 is used to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 1302, thereby implementing the policy control method provided in the following embodiments of the present application.

[0324] Optionally, the computer-executable instructions in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as application code, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0325] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the processor 1301 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in FIG13 .

[0326] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, a communication device may include multiple processors, such as processor 1301 and processor 1305 in Figure 13. Each of these processors may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. The processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0327] 14 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip 140 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The chip 140 includes one or more (including two) processors 1410 and a communication interface 1430.

[0328] Optionally, the chip 1400 further includes a memory 1440, which may include a read-only memory and a random access memory, and provides operation instructions and data to the processor 1410. A portion of the memory 1440 may also include a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM).

[0329] In some embodiments, the memory 1440 stores the following elements, execution modules or data structures, or a subset thereof, or an extended set thereof.

[0330] In the embodiment of the present application, the corresponding operation is performed by calling the operation instruction stored in the memory 1440 (the operation instruction may be stored in the operating system).

[0331] The processor 1410 controls processing operations of either the first terminal or the base station. The processor 1410 may also be referred to as a central processing unit (CPU).

[0332] Memory 1440 may include read-only memory and random access memory, and provides instructions and data to processor 1410. A portion of memory 1440 may also include NVRAM. For example, in an application, memory 1440, communication interface 1430, and memory 1440 are coupled together via bus system 1420. Bus system 1420 may include not only a data bus but also a power bus, a control bus, and a status signal bus. However, for clarity, various buses are collectively labeled as bus system 1420 in FIG. 14 .

[0333] The methods disclosed in the above embodiments of the present application can be applied to or implemented by processor 1410. Processor 1410 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During implementation, each step of the above method can be completed by hardware integrated logic circuits or software instructions in processor 1410. The above processor 1410 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component. The methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented or executed. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be directly implemented and executed by a hardware decoding processor, or by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can be located in a storage medium mature in the art, such as random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, etc. The storage medium is located in the memory 1440 , and the processor 1410 reads the information in the memory 1440 and completes the steps of the above method in combination with its hardware.

[0334] The above communication unit may be a communication interface of the device, used to receive signals from other devices. For example, when the device is implemented as a chip, the communication unit is a communication interface of the chip used to receive or send signals from other chips or devices.

[0335] In one possible implementation, the communication interface 1430 is configured to execute the receiving and sending steps of the first apparatus in the embodiment shown in Figure 7. The processor 1410 is configured to execute the processing steps of the first apparatus in the embodiment shown in Figure 7.

[0336] In another possible implementation, the communication interface 1430 is configured to execute the steps of receiving and sending by the second device in the embodiment shown in Figure 7. The processor 1410 is configured to execute the steps of processing by the second device in the embodiment shown in Figure 7.

[0337] In one aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein instructions are stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When the instructions are executed, the functions performed by the second device in FIG. 7 are implemented.

[0338] In one aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein instructions are stored in the computer-readable storage medium. When the instructions are executed, the functions performed by the first device in FIG. 7 are implemented.

[0339] In one aspect, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided. The computer program product comprises instructions that, when executed, implement the functions performed by the second apparatus in FIG. 7 .

[0340] In one aspect, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided. The computer program product comprises instructions that, when executed, implement the functions performed by the first device in FIG. 7 .

[0341] On the one hand, a chip is provided, which is applied to a first device. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the at least one processor, and the processor is used to run instructions to implement the functions performed by the first device as shown in Figure 7.

[0342] On the one hand, a chip is provided, which is used in a data analysis network element. The chip includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to at least one processor, and the processor is used to run instructions to implement the functions performed by the second device as shown in Figure 7.

[0343] The present application provides a communication system, which includes: a first device and a target device, the target device being a first terminal or a second device. The first device is configured to perform the function performed by the first device in FIG7 , and the second device is configured to perform the function performed by the data analysis network element in FIG7 .

[0344] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon. When the computer program is executed by a computer, the computer is enabled to implement the above method embodiment.

[0345] The embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed by a computer, enables the computer to implement the above method embodiment.

[0346] The explanation of the relevant contents and beneficial effects of any of the communication devices provided above can be referred to the corresponding method embodiments provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0347] In an embodiment of the present application, a terminal device or a network device includes a hardware layer, an operating system layer running on the hardware layer, and an application layer running on the operating system layer. The hardware layer includes hardware such as a central processing unit (CPU), a memory management unit (MMU), and memory (also called main memory). The operating system can be any one or more computer operating systems that implement business processing through processes, such as a Linux operating system, a Unix operating system, an Android operating system, an iOS operating system, or a Windows operating system. The application layer includes applications such as browsers, address books, word processing software, and instant messaging software. In addition, the embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit the specific structure of the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application. As long as it is possible to communicate according to the method provided in the embodiment of the present application by running a program that records the code of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application, for example, the execution subject of the method provided in the embodiment of the present application can be a terminal device or a network device, or a functional module in the terminal device or the network device that can call a program and execute the program.

[0348] In addition, various aspects or features of the present application can be implemented as methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture using standard programming and / or engineering techniques. The term "article of manufacture" as used in this application encompasses a computer program that can be accessed from any computer-readable device, carrier, or medium. For example, computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, or magnetic tapes, etc.), optical disks (e.g., compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), cards, sticks, or key drives, etc.). In addition, the various storage media described herein may represent one or more devices and / or other machine-readable media for storing information. The term "machine-readable medium" may include, but is not limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and / or carrying instructions and / or data.

[0349] It should be understood that the processor mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc.

[0350] It should also be understood that the memory mentioned in the embodiments of the present application may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct RAMbus RAM (DR RAM).

[0351] It should be noted that when the processor is a general-purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, the memory (storage module) is integrated into the processor.

[0352] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiments of the present application is performed in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device or other programmable device. The computer program or instruction can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer program or instruction can be transmitted from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video disc (DVD); it can also be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid state drive (SSD).

[0353] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the modules is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple modules or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or modules, which can be electrical or other forms.

[0354] Although the present application is described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, in the process of implementing the claimed application, those skilled in the art may understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments by reviewing the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple situations. A single processor or other unit may implement several functions listed in the claims. Certain measures are recorded in different dependent claims, but this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0355] Although the present application has been described with reference to specific features and embodiments thereof, it is apparent that various modifications and combinations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Accordingly, this specification and the drawings are merely illustrative of the present application as defined by the appended claims and are deemed to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents within the scope of the present application. Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Thus, the present application is intended to include such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: The first device receives a first data packet; Determining, by the first device, a first protocol data unit set to which the first data packet belongs; The first device determines a differentiated services code point of the first data packet according to a protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The differentiated services code point is used to determine a priority for transmitting the first set of protocol data units between the first apparatus and an access network device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The method further comprises: The first device receives first information, where the first information is used to determine a correspondence between protocol data unit set importances and differentiated services code points; The first apparatus determines the differentiated services code point of the first data packet according to the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, including: The first device determines a differentiated services code point of the first data packet according to the importance of the protocol data unit set and the corresponding relationship.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The corresponding relationship is related to the priority of the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The first information includes a first differentiated services code point, The first differentiated services code point corresponds to a first mapping relationship, and the first mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the importance of a protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The first differentiated services code point is a differentiated services code point of the quality of service flow to which the first set of protocol data units belongs. The first differentiated services code point is determined by a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, or by a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and a priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The method comprises: The first device identifies the protocol data unit set information corresponding to the first protocol data unit set, and the protocol data unit set information includes one or more of the protocol data unit set sequence number, the end protocol data unit indication of the protocol data unit set, the protocol data unit sequence number in a protocol data unit set, the protocol data unit set size bytes, and the protocol data unit set importance.

8. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The first information includes a second mapping relationship, The second mapping relationship is used to indicate a correspondence between a protocol data unit set importance and a differentiated services code point in a quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow; Or, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the valid data of the first data packet, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, the valid data of the first data packet, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

10. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The first information includes a quality of service identifier of a quality of service flow to which the first set of protocol data units belongs; The method further comprises: The first device determines the corresponding relationship according to the service quality identifier.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The first information further includes the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

12. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The first information includes a third mapping relationship, The third mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the importance of the protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point in the quality of service flow to which the first protocol data unit set belongs, The third mapping relationship is determined by the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, or the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The first device determines a differentiated services code point of the first data packet, further comprising: The first device marks the differentiated services code point on the IP header of the first data packet and sends the first data packet to the access network device.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The first device receives indication information, where the indication information is used to instruct the first device to perform differentiated services code point marking on the first data packet at a granularity of a protocol data unit set.

15. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: The second device sends the indication information, the quality of service indicator and / or the correspondence between the importance of the protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point to the first device; The instruction information is used to instruct the first device to perform differentiated services code point marking on the data packet at a protocol data unit set granularity.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The method comprises: The second device obtains a policy and charging control rule, where the policy and charging control rule is used to determine the correspondence between the indication information, the quality of service identifier and / or protocol data unit set importance and the differentiated services code point.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The method comprises: The second device sends a first differentiated services code point to the first device, The first differentiated services code point corresponds to a first mapping relationship, and the first mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the importance of a protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that The first differentiated services code point is a differentiated services code point of a quality of service flow, and the first differentiated services code point is determined by a quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, or, It is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

19. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The method comprises: The second device sends a second mapping relationship to the first device, The second mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the importance of a protocol data unit set and a differentiated services code point in a quality of service flow.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein The second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow and the importance of the protocol data unit set, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow; Or, the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, and the valid data of the first data packet, or the second mapping relationship is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow, the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, the valid data of the first data packet, and the priority and / or allocation and reservation priority of the quality of service flow.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that The method further comprises: The second device obtains a protocol data unit set identification method, where the protocol data unit set identification method is used to identify the first protocol data unit set.

22. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The method comprises: The second device sends a third mapping relationship to the first device, The third mapping relationship is used to indicate the correspondence between the importance of the protocol data unit set and the differentiated services code point in the quality of service flow, The third mapping relationship is determined by the protocol data unit set importance of the first protocol data unit set, or is determined by the quality of service identifier of the quality of service flow.

23. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that The method further comprises: The second device sends quality of service configuration information to the access network device, where the quality of service configuration information is used to indicate a quality of service parameter; After the second apparatus sends the quality of service configuration information to the access network device, the method further includes: The second device receives feedback information from the access network device, where the feedback information is used to indicate that the access network device supports service processing of a protocol data unit set.

24. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 23, characterized in that The method further comprises: The second device sends the indication information to the first device, where the indication information is used to instruct the first device to perform differentiated services code point marking on the data packet at a granularity of a protocol data unit set.

25. A communication device, characterized in that: The device includes: a communication module and a processing module, wherein the processing module is used to perform the processing action performed by the first device in the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, and the communication module is used to perform the receiving or sending action performed by the first device in the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 14; or, The processing module is used to execute the processing action performed by the second device in the communication method according to any one of claims 15 to 24, and the communication module is used to execute the receiving or sending action performed by the second device in the communication method according to any one of claims 15 to 24.

26. A communication system, characterized in that: The system includes: a first device, a second device, an access network device, and an application server; The first device is used to implement the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, and the second device is used to implement the communication method according to any one of claims 15 to 24. The access network device is used to receive the data packet generated by the first apparatus, and the application server is used to send the data packet to the first apparatus.

27. A chip, characterized in that: include: at least one processor, and a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; The memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, or the communication method according to any one of claims 15 to 24.

28. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The storage medium stores a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to execute the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, or the communication method according to any one of claims 15 to 24 when running.

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