Communication apparatus and communication system

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a communication apparatus and a communication system. The communication apparatus is applied to an ambient Internet-of-things device, and the communication apparatus comprises: a first high layer, which performs ambient Internet-of-things service-related control on the ambient Internet-of-things device; and a first physical layer, which transmits and receives a signal to and from a first network node device by means of a first interface on the basis of the control performed by the first high layer.

Description

Communication device and communication system Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication technologies. Background Art

[0002] From the 2G era to the early days of the 4G system, cellular mobile communication systems primarily served mobile phones—mobile terminal devices held by people. With the rapid development of the mobile internet and the Internet of Things (IoT), the technological evolution of cellular mobile communication systems, starting in the late 4G era and continuing to this day, has considered and supported an increasingly diverse range of IoT application scenarios. Consequently, a wider variety of IoT device types have been supported and implemented in actual network deployments and service applications, including Enhanced Machine-Type Communication (eMTC) devices, Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) devices, and Reduced Capability (RedCap) devices. With the increasing diversity of IoT device types, cellular mobile systems have increasingly enhanced their capabilities for providing services and services tailored to vertical industries.

[0003] However, among the vast number of IoT devices, cellular mobile communication systems still lack the ability to support a large number of lower-cost IoT terminals. To provide more robust, reliable, and complete IoT application solutions, supporting these lower-cost IoT terminals within 3GPP cellular mobile systems has become a pressing issue.

[0004] Low-cost IoT devices in 3GPP cellular mobile systems are called Ambient IoT devices. IoT devices that support ambient power are powered by energy harvesting and lack batteries or have limited energy storage capabilities (e.g., capacitors). These devices can be called Ambient IoT (AIoT) devices, passive IoT devices, or simply tags. Devices that communicate directly with AIoT devices are called readers, interrogators, and so on.

[0005] Readers can exist on network devices, allowing direct communication between AIOT devices and 5G networks without requiring end devices (e.g., user equipment (UE)) to transfer information between the AIoT devices and the 5G network. Readers can also exist on end devices, enabling indirect network communication for ambient IoT, meaning communication between ambient IoT devices and the 5G network, with an ambient IoT-enabled UE helping to transfer information between the ambient IoT devices and the 5G network.

[0006] It should be noted that the above technical background is merely provided to provide a clear and complete description of the technical solutions of this application and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Simply because these solutions are described in the background technology section of this application, it should not be assumed that the above technical solutions are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] Support for tag-type terminal devices (also known as AIoT devices) in the 3GPP 5G system can reuse existing base station deployments and support industry applications based on these terminals through existing cellular mobile communication networks, thereby effectively reducing deployment and usage costs. The 3GPP 5G system can provide reliable authentication, network coordination, and accurate and stable terminal device management mechanisms. Based on this, it can also optimize the network to improve system capacity and spectrum efficiency.

[0009] As a new type of IoT terminal in 5G systems, tag-type terminal devices are severely cost-constrained. Their hardware capabilities are significantly weaker than those of standard smartphones and other IoT devices. The access stratum (AS) layer protocol stack of traditional terminal devices may be too complex for new AIoT devices, and the hardware capabilities may not support them.

[0010] The inventors of this application discovered that, in existing technologies, the communication protocol stack between AIoT devices and the network is not standardized, making it impossible for AIoT devices to communicate with readers and the network. Therefore, how to design a streamlined protocol stack for AIoT devices has become an urgent problem to be solved.

[0011] In response to at least one of the above problems or other similar problems, embodiments of the present application provide a communication device and a communication system.

[0012] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a communication device is provided, the communication device being applied to an environmental Internet of Things device, the communication device comprising:

[0013] A first upper layer controls the environmental IoT device in relation to environmental IoT services; and

[0014] The first physical layer sends and receives signals with the first network node device through the first interface according to the control of the first high layer.

[0015] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a communication device is provided, where the communication device is applied to a first network node device, and the communication device includes:

[0016] The second high-level layer controls the ambient IoT devices in relation to the ambient IoT services; and

[0017] The second physical layer sends and receives signals with the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device through the first interface according to the control of the second high layer.

[0018] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a communication device is provided, where the communication device is applied to a core network and performs the following operations:

[0019] Sending an AIoT-related request to the first network node device; and

[0020] Receive result information fed back by the first network node device.

[0021] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a communication device is provided, applied to an application server, the communication device comprising:

[0022] The application (APP) layer transmits information with the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) devices.

[0023] The application layer transmits at least one of the following information to the AIoT device:

[0024] The AIoT device identifies relevant control information, memory operation related instructions, and feedback result information.

[0025] One of the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application is that the communication protocol stack of AIoT is designed to support communication and services from AIoT devices to the network.

[0026] With reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, indicating the manner in which the principles of the present application can be employed. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present application are not limited in scope. Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the embodiments of the present application include many variations, modifications and equivalents.

[0027] Features described and / or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments.

[0028] It should be emphasized that the term "include / comprising" when used herein refers to the presence of features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The elements and features described in one figure or one embodiment of the present application can be combined with the elements and features shown in one or more other figures or embodiments. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals represent corresponding parts in several figures and can be used to indicate corresponding parts used in more than one embodiment.

[0030] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a first topology scenario of the present application;

[0031] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a second topology scenario of the present application;

[0032] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having a communication device according to an embodiment of the first aspect;

[0033] FIG4 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device;

[0034] FIG5 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device;

[0035] FIG6 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device;

[0036] FIG7 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device;

[0037] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the fifth aspect. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The above and other features of the present application will become apparent through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description and the accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, which illustrate some embodiments in which the principles of the present application can be adopted. It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the described embodiments. On the contrary, the present application includes all modifications, variations and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0039] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used to distinguish different elements from the name, but do not indicate the spatial arrangement or temporal order of these elements, and these elements should not be limited by these terms. The term "and / or" includes any one and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms. The terms "comprising", "including", "having", etc. refer to the presence of the stated features, elements, components or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components or components.

[0040] In the embodiments of this application, the singular forms "a," "the," etc. include plural forms and should be broadly understood to mean "a" or "a type" rather than being limited to "one." Furthermore, the term "said" should be understood to include both singular and plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the term "according to" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", and the term "based on" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0041] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "communication network" or "wireless communication network" may refer to a network that complies with any of the following communication standards, such as New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Enhanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A, LTE-Advanced), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), etc.

[0042] Furthermore, communication between devices in the communication system may be carried out according to communication protocols of any stage, for example, including but not limited to the following communication protocols: 1G (generation), 2G, 2.5G, 2.75G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G and 5G, New Radio (NR), etc., and / or other communication protocols currently known or to be developed in the future.

[0043] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "network device" refers to, for example, a device in a communication system that connects a terminal device to a communication network and provides services for the terminal device. Network devices may include, but are not limited to, the following devices: an integrated access and backhaul node (IAB-node), a base station (BS), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a broadcast transmitter, a mobility management entity (MME), a gateway, a server, a radio network controller (RNC), a base station controller (BSC), and the like.

[0044] Base stations may include, but are not limited to, NodeB (NB), evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), and 5G base stations (gNB), among others. They may also include remote radio heads (RRHs), remote radio units (RRUs), relays, or low-power nodes (e.g., femeto, pico, etc.). The term "base station" may include some or all of their functions, and each base station may provide communication coverage for a specific geographic area. The term "cell" may refer to a base station and / or its coverage area, depending on the context in which the term is used.

[0045] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "user equipment" (UE) or "terminal equipment" (TE) refers to, for example, a device that accesses a communication network through a network device and receives network services. A terminal device can be fixed or mobile and may also be referred to as a mobile station (MS), a terminal, a subscriber station (SS), an access terminal (AT), a station, and so on.

[0046] Among them, terminal devices may include but are not limited to the following devices: cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, wireless communication devices, handheld devices, machine-type communication devices, laptop computers, cordless phones, smart phones, smart watches, digital cameras, etc.

[0047] For another example, in scenarios such as the Internet of Things (IoT), the terminal device can also be a machine or device for monitoring or measurement, including but not limited to: machine type communication (MTC) terminal, vehicle-mounted communication terminal, device-to-device (D2D) terminal, machine-to-machine (M2M) terminal, and so on.

[0048] In addition, the term "network side" or "network device side" refers to one side of the network, which can be a base station or one or more network devices as mentioned above. The term "user side" or "terminal side" or "terminal device side" refers to the user or terminal side, which can be a UE or one or more terminal devices as mentioned above.

[0049] In the following description, the terms "uplink control signal" and "uplink control information (UCI)" or "physical uplink control channel (PUCCH)" are interchangeable, and the terms "uplink data signal" and "uplink data information" or "physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)" are interchangeable to avoid confusion.

[0050] The terms "downlink control signal" and "downlink control information (DCI)" or "physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)" are interchangeable, and the terms "downlink data signal" and "downlink data information" or "physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)" are interchangeable.

[0051] In addition, sending or receiving PUSCH can be understood as sending or receiving uplink data carried by PUSCH, sending or receiving PUCCH can be understood as sending or receiving uplink information carried by PUCCH, and sending or receiving PRACH can be understood as sending or receiving preamble carried by PRACH; uplink signals can include uplink data signals and / or uplink control signals, etc., and can also be referred to as uplink transmission (UL transmission) or uplink information or uplink channels. Sending uplink transmission on uplink resources can be understood as sending the uplink transmission using the uplink resources. Similarly, downlink data / signals / channels / information can be understood accordingly.

[0052] In the embodiments of the present application, the high-layer signaling may be, for example, radio resource control (RRC) signaling; for example, an RRC message, including, for example, MIB, system information, or a dedicated RRC message; or an RRC information element (RRC IE). The high-layer signaling may also be, for example, MAC (Medium Access Control) signaling; or a MAC control element (MAC CE). However, the present application is not limited thereto.

[0053] The following describes the scenarios of the embodiments of the present application through examples, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0054] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a first topology scenario of the present application.

[0055] As shown in Figure 1, in a first topology scenario, an ambient IoT device 2 directly communicates bidirectionally with a network device (e.g., a base station) 1. The communication between network device 1 and ambient IoT device 2 includes data and / or signaling related to the ambient IoT service. In the topology shown in Figure 1, the network device 1 that sends data and / or signaling to the ambient IoT device 2 is the same as the network device 1 that receives data and / or signaling from the ambient IoT device 2. Furthermore, in the topology shown in Figure 1, the network device 1 that sends data and / or signaling to the ambient IoT device 2 can also be different from the network device 1 that receives data and / or signaling from the ambient IoT device 2.

[0056] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the second topology scenario of the present application. As shown in Figure 2, in the second topology scenario, the ambient IoT device 2 communicates bidirectionally with the intermediate node 3, and the intermediate node 3 communicates with both the ambient IoT device 2 and the network device (e.g., base station) 1. In the topology shown in Figure 2, the intermediate node 3 can be a relay node with ambient IoT capabilities, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, a user equipment (UE), a repeater, etc. The intermediate node 3 transmits data and / or signaling related to the ambient IoT service between the network device 1 and the ambient IoT device 2.

[0057] In the embodiments of the present application, Ambient IoT, AIoT, and Environmental Internet of Things have the same meaning and can be replaced with each other.

[0058] Embodiments of the first aspect

[0059] The existing New Radio (NR) wireless interface protocol stack (including control plane and user plane protocol stack) is too complex for AIoT devices, and many functions are difficult to implement, requiring a new protocol stack design for AIoT devices.

[0060] To solve the above-mentioned problems or similar problems, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a communication device. The communication device (for example, the second communication device 321 described below) is applied to an Ambient IoT (AIoT) device.

[0061] The following will describe an example of the first aspect with reference to the first topology scenario shown in FIG1 , and the related description is also applicable to the second topology scenario.

[0062] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device.

[0063] As shown in Figure 3, the communication system includes: a first network node device 31, an ambient IoT device 32, and a core network (CN) 33. The first network node device 31 can be a network node device of an access network, such as the network device 1 corresponding to Figure 1 or Figure 2; the ambient IoT device 32 can correspond to the ambient IoT (AIoT) device 2 in Figure 1 or Figure 2.

[0064] The first network node device 31 may have a first communication device 311 , the environmental Internet of Things device 32 may have a second communication device 321 , and the core network (CN) 33 may have a third communication device 331 .

[0065] As shown in FIG. 3 , the second communication device 321 includes a first high layer 3211 and a first physical layer 3212 .

[0066] The first high layer 3211 controls the environmental Internet of Things device 32 related to the environmental Internet of Things business; the first physical layer (PHY) 3212 sends and receives signals with the first network node device 31 through the first interface 30 according to the control of the first high layer 3211.

[0067] The first interface 30 is a wireless interface and can be called an AIoT interface (AIoT interface) or AIoT Uu or A-Uu, etc. In addition, for the second topology scenario shown in FIG2 , if the intermediate node 3 has a reader function, the wireless interface between the intermediate node 3 and the AIoT device can also be the first interface.

[0068] In some embodiments, the second communication device 321 transmits a signal by backscattering a first waveform. The first waveform is a waveform transmitted by the first network node device 31 or a third-party device (not shown in FIG3 ); alternatively, the environmental IoT device 32 generates the first waveform and modulates the information to be transmitted onto the first waveform for transmission.

[0069] In some examples, the physical layer of the first interface 30 has the following characteristics: For the AIoT device 32, which may be a passive device, data must be transmitted via backscattering. The carrier providing backscattering is called a first waveform, which can be a blank carrier, a carrier wave, a continuous wave, a sine wave, a backscattered / backscattering wave, or an uplink wave, etc., although the present application is not limited thereto.

[0070] The first waveform is used to provide energy to the AIoT device 32. The first waveform can be emitted by a device communicating with the AIoT device 32, such as the network device 1 in the topology of Figure 1 or the intermediate node 3 in the topology of Figure 2. The first waveform can also be emitted by an independent third-party device.

[0071] For example, the AIoT device 32 sends a signal by backscattering a first waveform. The first waveform is a waveform sent by the first network node device 31 or a third-party device. The AIoT device 32 modulates the information to be sent to the first network node device 32 onto the first waveform by adjusting its backscatter circuit, and then backscatters the modulated first waveform.

[0072] For another example, the AIoT device 32 generates a first waveform by itself and modulates the information to be sent to the first network node device 31 onto the first waveform for transmission.

[0073] In at least one embodiment, the signal sent by the AIoT device 32 to the first network node device 31 may be a single-carrier signal. The single-carrier signal is modulated, for example, using on-off keying (OOK). Compared to multi-carrier signals, the modulation and demodulation complexity of single-carrier signals is low, and the requirements on hardware device capabilities and accuracy are also low, which can effectively reduce the complexity and cost of the AIoT device 32.

[0074] As shown in Figure 3, in some embodiments, the first high layer 321 may include a first protocol layer, which has at least one of the following functions: media access control, ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device identification, ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device control, memory operation of ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) devices, and integrated application functions.

[0075] The first protocol layer mainly implements the operation and management of the AIoT device 32, such as selecting certain specific AIoT device groups, identifying and discovering AIoT devices within the network coverage, communicating with and accessing the identified AIoT devices, etc. The first protocol layer can also divide the functions therein into various sublayers for implementation. The reader side also has the same physical layer and first protocol layer, as a counterpart, for example, the second high layer 3111 and the second physical layer 3112 described below. The first protocol layer can also be called the media access control (MAC) layer, which implements media access control and AIoT device identification and control related functions at the MAC layer.

[0076] As shown in Figure 3, the first network node device 31 has a reader function 31A and a traditional network node (e.g., a central unit CU and / or a distributed unit DU) function 31B. The traditional network node function 31B and the reader function 31A can be implemented by two collocated entities on the same node, or the reader function 31A can be implemented as a functional unit or functional entity of the network node.

[0077] The reader function 31A can exist in a network node that integrates the CU and DU, or in a gNB-CU node, or it can be separated from the CU of the network node to serve as a fronthaul unit of the CU, for example, as a remote radio unit.

[0078] In the embodiment shown in FIG3 , the reader function 31A (e.g., the first communication device 311) of the first network node device 31 and the AIoT device 32 can communicate using the first interface 30. The reader function 31A can be implemented by the first communication device 311. The first communication device 311 includes: a second high layer 3111 and a second physical layer (PHY) 3112.

[0079] Among them, the second high layer 3111 controls the environmental Internet of Things device 32 related to the environmental Internet of Things business; the second physical layer (PHY) 3112 sends and receives signals with the environmental Internet of Things (AIoT) device 32 through the first interface 30 according to the control of the second high layer 3111.

[0080] AIoT-related traffic from the first network node to the core network can be transmitted using the control plane. For example, the first network node device 31 uses Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) signaling to interact with the core network 33 (e.g., the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) of the core network 33).

[0081] As shown in FIG3 , the first network node device 31 and the core network 33 can communicate via a next generation (NG) control plane interface. The NG control plane interface transport network layer is based on the Internet Protocol (IP) and includes the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) above the IP layer. SCTP provides reliable transmission for application layer messages (e.g., NGAP). In addition, in FIG3 , L1 represents layer 1 and L2 represents layer 2.

[0082] In some examples, the communication between the first network node device 31, the core network 33, and the AIoT device 32 may include the following steps:

[0083] 1. The first network node device 31 receives an AIoT-related request from the core network 33;

[0084] 2. Then, the first network node device 31 communicates with the AIoT device 32 through the protocol stack of the first interface 30, wherein the information exchanged between the first high layer 3211 of the AIoT device 32 and the first network node device 31 through the protocol stack of the first interface 30 includes: information related to the device-origin traffic triggered by device-terminated traffic (DO-DTT) traffic type, or information related to the device-terminated (DT) traffic type;

[0085] 3. Then the first network node device 31 reports the result information that needs to be fed back to the core network 33 via NGAP.

[0086] Among them, device-terminated traffic refers to the traffic from the first network node device (for example, the reader) to the AIoT device, which is similar to downlink traffic when the reader is a base station; device-originating traffic refers to the traffic from the AIoT device to the first network node device (for example, the reader), which is similar to uplink traffic when the reader is a base station.

[0087] DO-DTT traffic is, for example, the inventory process of the AIoT device 32, that is, the device discovery process; DT traffic is, for example, the command process of the AIoT device 32, that is, the first network node device 31 sends instructions to the AIoT device 32, and the AIoT device 32 performs related operations after receiving the instructions.

[0088] FIG4 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device.

[0089] In the protocol stack shown in FIG4 , the first upper layer 3211 of the second communication device 321 includes a link layer 32111 and a second protocol layer 32112 above the link layer 32111. The second protocol layer 32112 exchanges information with the core network 33.

[0090] The difference between Figure 4 and Figure 3 is that, in the protocol stack shown in Figure 3 , the first upper layer 3211 of the second communication device 321 exchanges information with the first network node device 31, but not with the core network 33. In contrast, in the protocol stack shown in Figure 4 , the first upper layer 3211 of the second communication device 321 exchanges information with both the first network node device 31 and the core network 33. Furthermore, the second upper layer 3111 of the first communication device 311 of the first network node device 31 includes a link layer 31111, which exchanges information with the link layer 32111 of the second communication device 321.

[0091] The following describes the differences between FIG. 4 and FIG. 3 . For descriptions of the same parts between the two, reference can be made to the description of FIG. 3 .

[0092] As shown in FIG. 4 , the second communication device 321 includes a first physical layer 3212 , a link layer 32111 , and a second protocol layer 32112 above the link layer 32111 .

[0093] The link layer 32111 may be layer 2 (L2), which may include link layer functions such as media access control (MAC). In addition, the link layer 32111 may also be a media access control (MAC) component.

[0094] The second protocol layer 32112 can be called the session layer or the Protocol Data Unit (PDU) layer. The second protocol layer 32112 exchanges information with the user plane of the core network 33, for example, with the user plane network function (NF). Specifically, it can terminate at the PDU layer of the user plane function (UPF). As shown in Figure 4, the PDU layer of the core network 33 can also be referred to as the second protocol layer 3311 of the third communication device 331.

[0095] The AIoT device 32 communicates with the core network 33 via the second protocol layer 32112 and obtains at least one of device identification-related control information, memory operation-related instructions, and feedback result information. The second protocol layer 32112 of the AIoT device 32 generates data PDUs for device-originated traffic.

[0096] As shown in Figure 4, the reader unit 31A of the first network node device 31 and the AIoT device 32 use the first interface 30 to communicate, for example, through the physical layer and layer 2 protocol stack for air interface communication. The link layer 32111 (for example, layer 2) of the AIoT device 32 carries the data of the second protocol layer 32112.

[0097] The first network node device 31 uses the next generation user plane (NG-U) interface to interact with the core network (for example, using the N3 reference point to the user plane function (UPF)). For example, the first network node device 31 uses the general packet radio service tunneling protocol user plane (GPRS Tunnelling Protocol-User plane, GTP-U) to carry the data of the second protocol layer 32112 from the AIoT device 32 and transmit it to the UPF; or vice versa, the first network node device 31 uses GTP-U to carry the PDU from the UPF and sends it to the AIoT device 32 through the first interface 30. That is, the first network node 31 obtains the AIoT-related request from the core network 33 through NG-U and then communicates with the AIoT device 32 through the protocol stack of the first interface 30 (such as DO-DTT, DT and other related traffic types), and then reports the result information that needs to be fed back to the core network through NG-U.

[0098] As shown in Figure 4, the transport network layer of NG-U is based on IP and includes the GTP-U protocol on top of the User Datagram Protocol / Internet Protocol (UDP / IP) for transmitting the user plane PDU between the next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) and the UPF. In addition, the present application may not be limited to this. For example, for the user plane PDU of the AIoT device 32, the GTP-U / IP protocol stack may not be used, and other protocol stacks may be used, such as a protocol stack based on the service interface (SBI).

[0099] FIG5 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device.

[0100] In the protocol stack shown in Figure 5, the link layer 32111 of the AIoT device 32 is the media access control (MAC) layer, and the second protocol layer 32112 of the AIoT device 32 is the non-access stratum (NAS) layer. Correspondingly, the second protocol layer 3311 of the third communication device 331 of the core network 33 is the non-access stratum (NAS) layer; the second high layer 3112 of the first communication device 311 of the first network node device 31 has a link layer 31121, which is the media access control (MAC) layer.

[0101] In FIG5 , the AIoT device 32 performs air interface communication with the first network node device 31 at the first interface 30 through the physical layer and the MAC layer.

[0102] The NAS layer of the AIoT device 32 interacts with the core network 33 (e.g., AMF) through signaling, such as terminating at the NAS layer of the AMF. The second protocol layer of the core network 33 is the non-access layer (NAS) layer. The AIoT device 32 communicates with the core network through the NAS layer and obtains control information related to device identification, instructions related to memory operations, and feedback results. The NAS layer of the AIoT device 32 generates NAS PDUs for device-originated traffic.

[0103] The first network node device 31 can interact with the core network 33 using Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) signaling and carry NAS signaling, that is, NAS signaling is transparently transmitted through the first network node device 32. The transport network layer protocol of NGAP is the same as that of the embodiment of FIG3 .

[0104] In AIoT devices, the NAS layer can be directly carried by the MAC layer. As shown in Figure 5, the NAS message can be included in the MAC layer PDU. The NAS message can be carried using the Media Access Control Data Service Data Unit (MAC Data Service Data Unit) or the Media Access Control Control Element (MAC CE). When the reader of the first network node device 32 receives the MAC PDU, it obtains the NAS message in the MAC PDU, such as a byte string or a bit stream, and does not need to decode the NAS message. The reader passes the (encapsulated) NAS message to the gNB (CU) through the internal interface. The network node (gNB) passes the NAS message to the core network 33 (such as AMF) through NGAP.

[0105] For the AIoT device 32 and the first network node device 31, a radio resource control (RRC) layer can also be added between the MAC layer and the NAS layer. The RRC layer encapsulates the NAS signaling and sends the RRC message to the first network node device 31. The first network node device 31 obtains the NAS signaling encapsulated in the RRC message and uses NGAP to transparently transmit the NAS signaling to the AMF.

[0106] FIG6 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device.

[0107] In the protocol stack shown in FIG6 , the link layer 32111 of the AIoT device 32 is a media access control (MAC) layer, and the second protocol layer 32112 of the AIoT device 32 is, for example, referred to as the AIoT layer. Correspondingly, the second protocol layer 3311 of the third communication device 331 of the core network 33 is an AIoT layer; and the second upper layer 3112 of the first communication device 311 of the first network node device 31 has a link layer 31121, which is a media access control (MAC) layer.

[0108] The AIoT layer of the AIoT device 32 and the core network 33 (for example, the core network element) perform signaling interaction. The core network element is a logical node represented by a network function (NF). The core network element used to support AIoT deployment scenarios in a cellular network (such as a 5G network) and serve AIoT devices can be called a first NF, which can be a new NF, such as AIoT NF, AIoTF, etc. The first NF includes functions specifically for supporting AIoT services. The first NF has a second protocol layer, that is, the aforementioned second protocol layer 3311, which can be an AIoT layer for information transmission between the AIoT device 32.

[0109] In the first NF, there is a third protocol layer 3312 below the second protocol layer 3311. If it is a control plane protocol, the third protocol layer 3312 can use the first application protocol layer, such as AIoT AP, for information transmission between the first network node device 31 and the first network node device 31, and carry the content of the second protocol layer 3311. If it is a user plane protocol, other transport network high-layer protocols such as GTP-U can be used. Similarly, the interface between the first network node device 31 and the first NF also has a third protocol layer 321. In the first NF, below the third protocol layer 3312 is the lower layer 3313, that is, the transport network layer, which can be based on the Internet Protocol (IP) or other transport network protocol stacks.

[0110] As shown in Figure 6, in the AIoT device 32, above the second protocol layer 32112 is the application layer 32113, which is used to transmit information with the application function (AF) 34, that is, the application server. The AIoT device 32 communicates with the application layer 341 of the AF 34 through the application layer 32113 and obtains at least one of the following: control information related to device identification, instructions related to memory operations, feedback result information, etc. The application layer 32113 of the AIoT device 32 generates data of device-origin traffic and submits it to the second protocol layer 32112. The second protocol layer 32112 can be regarded as an adaptation layer between the application layer (APP) and the MAC layer.

[0111] Because the AIoT device 32 and the AF 34 need to communicate through the first NF (i.e., the core network 33), the application layer 341 of the AF 34 can use the application programming interface (API) 342 to communicate with the first NF. In other words, the application layer 341 of the AF is carried by the API 342. Examples of API 342 include: performing inventory, reading the identity of the AIoT device 32, changing the state of the AIoT device 32, reading / writing the storage of the AIoT device, etc. Correspondingly, the first NF (i.e., the core network 33) also has an API 3314 for exchanging information with the API 342 of the AF.

[0112] Furthermore, in the AF 34, below the API 342 is a lower layer 343. In the first NF (ie, the core network 33), below the API 3314 is a lower layer 3315.

[0113] The API 342 and the lower layer 343 below the API 342 are used for transmission between the first NF and the AF 34 interface. The lower layer 343 is also a transmission network layer, which can be based on IP or other transmission network protocol stacks.

[0114] It should be noted that in the architecture of Figure 6, the second protocol layer can also use the NAS layer, that is, the NAS signaling framework can also be used between the AIoT device 32 and the first NF, such as transparent transmission by NGAP.

[0115] In addition, in the architecture of Figure 6, the second protocol layer can be optional. That is, in the AIoT device 32, the application layer is directly above the MAC layer, and the MAC layer carries the application layer information; the first network node device 31 carries the application layer information of the AIoT device through the third protocol layer; in the first NF, there is no need for the second protocol layer to correspond to the AIoT device, and the application layer information of the AIoT device is obtained by the third protocol layer interacting with the first network node device 31. This architecture is suitable for scenarios where non-access layer security encryption is not required, and further simplifies the protocol stack structure of the AIoT device.

[0116] FIG. 7 is another schematic diagram of a protocol stack of a communication system having the communication device.

[0117] Figure 7 is a variation of Figure 6. In the protocol stack shown in Figure 7, the first NF (i.e., the core network 33) may be an access management function (AMF), that is, the network function of the core network 33 supporting AIoT services is integrated into the AMF.

[0118] The protocol stack architecture of Figure 7 can better reuse existing core network elements and existing protocols. As shown in Figure 7, the second protocol layer 32112 of the AIoT device 32 is, for example, a non-access (NAS) layer. Correspondingly, the second protocol layer 3311 of the third communication device 331 of the core network 33 is a NAS layer. As a result, the AIoT device 32 transmits information with the AMF through the NAS layer. The NAS message carries the application layer message. The first network node device 31 and the AMF can use the NGAP protocol and SCTP / IP for network transmission.

[0119] As shown in FIG7 , AMF has an API for supporting AIoT device control with AF 34 , that is, AMF has API 3314 and AF 34 has API 342 . For related descriptions, please refer to the relevant descriptions in FIG6 .

[0120] The embodiments of the first aspect of the present application design a communication protocol stack for AIoT devices to support communication and services from AIoT devices to the network. The functions and signaling required in the AIoT protocol stack are defined to support device-originating-device-terminated triggered (DO-DTT) and device-terminated (DT) traffic types of data transmission.

[0121] Embodiments of the second aspect

[0122] The second embodiment provides a communication device, which is applied to a network node. The communication device is, for example, the first communication device 311 described in the first embodiment, for example, the reader 31A of the first network node device 31 shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 7 .

[0123] As shown in FIG3 and FIG7 , the first communication device 311 includes:

[0124] A second high-level layer 3111 controls the ambient IoT devices in relation to the ambient IoT services; and

[0125] The second physical layer 3112 sends and receives signals with the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device through the first interface according to the control of the second high layer.

[0126] In some embodiments, the first communication device 311 receives a signal sent by the AIoT device 32 and modulated on a first waveform.

[0127] The first waveform is generated by the ambient Internet of Things device; or the first waveform is sent by the first network node device or a third-party device and backscattered by the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device.

[0128] In some embodiments, the second high layer 3111 communicates with the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device 32 through the protocol stack of the first interface.

[0129] The second high layer includes a first protocol layer, the first protocol layer of the second high layer communicates with the first protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device through the protocol stack of the first interface, and the first protocol layer of the second high layer has at least one of the following functions:

[0130] Media access control, AIoT device identification, AIoT device control, AIoT device memory operations, and integrated application functionality.

[0131] The information that the first protocol layer of the second higher layer interacts with the first protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device through the protocol stack of the first interface includes: information related to the device-origin traffic (DO-DTT) traffic type triggered by device-terminated traffic, or information related to the device-terminated (DT) traffic type.

[0132] The first network node device 31 receives an AIoT-related request from the core network 33. The first communication device 311 uses the protocol stack of the first interface to communicate with the AIoT device, and then reports the result information that needs to be fed back to the core network.

[0133] The first network node device receives the request from the core network through the next generation application protocol (NGAP), and reports the result information to the core network through the next generation application protocol (NGAP).

[0134] In some embodiments, the second high layer 3111 has a link layer 31111, and the link layer of the second high layer communicates with the link layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device through the protocol stack of the first interface.

[0135] The first network node device receives an AIoT-related request from the core network 33, and the first communication device 311 uses the protocol stack of the first interface to communicate with the AIoT device, and then reports the result information that needs to be fed back to the core network.

[0136] The first network node device 31 receives the request from the core network through the next generation user plane protocol (NG-U), and reports the result information to the core network through the next generation user plane protocol (NG-U).

[0137] The first network node device 31 also includes a third protocol layer (AP) 321, which transmits information with the application protocol (AP) layer of the network function (NF) of the core network 33, and carries the content of information interaction between the network function (NF) of the core network and the second protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, wherein the second protocol layer 32112 of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device is on the link layer.

[0138] In some embodiments, the control related to the ambient IoT service includes at least one of discovery, identification, authentication, identity allocation, grouping, configuration, device state transition, and memory operation of the ambient IoT device.

[0139] Embodiments of the third aspect

[0140] The embodiment of the third aspect provides a communication device, which is applied to a core network. The communication device is, for example, the third communication device 331 of the core network 33 described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0141] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 7 , the third communication device 331 performs the following operations:

[0142] Sending an AIoT-related request to the first network node device; and

[0143] Receive result information fed back by the first network node device.

[0144] In some embodiments, the third communication device 331 sends the AIoT-related request via the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP); and / or

[0145] The third communication device 331 receives the result information via the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP).

[0146] The third communication device 331 further performs the following operations:

[0147] Interact with the second protocol layer of AIoT devices.

[0148] In some embodiments, the third communication device 331 is a user plane network function (NF) (for example, the third communication device 331 belongs to a user plane network function (NF) logical node), and interacts with the second protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device.

[0149] In some embodiments, the third communication device 331 receives the result information via the Next Generation User Plane protocol (NG-U).

[0150] In some embodiments, the third communication device 331 is a control plane network function (NF) (for example, the third communication device 331 belongs to a control plane network function (NF) logical node), which interacts with the second protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, and the control plane network function supports ambient Internet of Things related services.

[0151] In some embodiments, the information exchanged between the third communication device 331 and the second protocol layer of the AIoT device includes at least one of the following information:

[0152] Device identification-related control information, memory operation-related instructions, and feedback result information.

[0153] In some embodiments, the second protocol layer (AIoT) of the third communication device 331 interacts with the second protocol layer of the environmental Internet of Things (AIoT) device, and the third communication device 331 also has an application protocol (AP) layer (i.e., the third protocol layer 3312). The application protocol (AP) layer is under the second protocol layer, and the application protocol layer (AP) transmits information with the third protocol layer (AP) 321 of the first network node device, and carries the content of the information interaction between the second protocol layer (AIoT) 3311 of the third communication device 331 and the second protocol layer 32112 of the environmental Internet of Things (AIoT) device.

[0154] In some embodiments, the control plane network function (NF) of the third communication device 331 is an access and mobility management function (AMF), wherein the network function of the third communication device 331 supporting ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) services is integrated into the access and mobility management function (AMF).

[0155] In some embodiments, the second protocol layer of the AIoT device includes a non-access layer (NAS) layer, and the second protocol layer of the third communication device 331 includes a non-access layer (NAS) layer.

[0156] In some embodiments, the non-access layer (NAS) message used by the second protocol layer of the third communication device 331 to interact with the second protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device carries an application layer message.

[0157] In some embodiments, the third communication device 331 uses an application programming interface (API) to perform information interface communication with an application server (AF).

[0158] In some embodiments, the application programming interface (API) is used to perform at least one of the following operations:

[0159] Perform an inventory, read the identifier of the AIoT device, change the state of the AIoT device, and perform read and / or write operations on the AIoT storage.

[0160] Embodiments of the fourth aspect

[0161] The embodiment of the fourth aspect provides a communication device, which is applied to an application server. The communication device is, for example, the application server 34 described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0162] As shown in FIG6 and FIG7, the communication device includes:

[0163] The application (APP) layer 341 transmits information with the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device 32.

[0164] The application layer 341 transmits at least one of the following information to the AIoT device:

[0165] The AIoT device identifies relevant control information, memory operation related instructions, and feedback result information.

[0166] The communication device uses an application programming interface (API) 342 to perform information interface communication with the core network 33.

[0167] The application programming interface (API) 342 is used to perform at least one of the following operations:

[0168] Perform an inventory, read the identifier of the AIoT device, change the state of the AIoT device, and perform read and / or write operations on the AIoT storage.

[0169] Embodiments of the fifth aspect

[0170] The embodiment of the fifth aspect of the present application provides a communication system, which may include an environmental Internet of Things device, a first network node device, and a core network. In addition, the communication system may also include an application server.

[0171] Among them, at least one of the environmental Internet of Things device, the first network node device, the core network and the application server can have the schematic diagram of the electronic device shown in Figure 8.

[0172] As shown in FIG8 , the electronic device 800 may correspond to the terminal device 102 or the network device 101 in FIG1 , and may include a processor 810 and a memory 820; the memory 820 stores data and programs and is coupled to the processor 810. It should be noted that this figure is exemplary; other types of structures may be used to supplement or replace this structure to implement telecommunication functions or other functions.

[0173] For example, the processor 810 may be configured to execute a program to implement the functions of at least one of the ambient IoT device, the first network node device, the core network, and the application server.

[0174] As shown in Figure 8 , the terminal device 800 may further include: a communication module 830, an input unit 840, a display 850, and a power supply 860. The functions of these components are similar to those in the prior art and are not described in detail here. It is worth noting that the terminal device 800 does not necessarily include all of the components shown in Figure 8 , and these components are not essential. Furthermore, the terminal device 800 may also include components not shown in Figure 8 , for which reference may be made to the prior art.

[0175] An embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program, wherein when the program is executed in at least one of an environmental Internet of Things device, a first network node device, a core network, and an application server, the program causes the device to execute a corresponding method to implement a corresponding function.

[0176] An embodiment of the present application also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, wherein when the computer program enables at least one of an environmental Internet of Things device, a first network node device, a core network, and an application server to execute the program, the program enables the device to execute a corresponding method to implement a corresponding function.

[0177] The above devices and methods of the present application can be implemented by hardware or by a combination of hardware and software. The present application relates to such a computer-readable program that, when executed by a logic component, enables the logic component to implement the devices or components described above, or enables the logic component to implement the various methods or steps described above. The present application also relates to a storage medium for storing the above program, such as a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a DVD, a flash memory, etc.

[0178] The method / device described in conjunction with the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. For example, one or more of the functional block diagrams shown in the figure and / or one or more combinations of functional block diagrams can correspond to various software modules of the computer program flow or to various hardware modules. These software modules can respectively correspond to the various steps shown in the figure. These hardware modules can be implemented by solidifying these software modules, for example, using a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0179] The software module may be located in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. A storage medium may be coupled to a processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium; or the storage medium may be an integral part of the processor. The processor and the storage medium may be located in an ASIC. The software module may be stored in the memory of the mobile terminal or in a memory card that can be inserted into the mobile terminal. For example, if the device (such as a mobile terminal) uses a large-capacity MEGA-SIM card or a large-capacity flash memory device, the software module may be stored in the MEGA-SIM card or the large-capacity flash memory device.

[0180] One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any appropriate combination thereof for performing the functions described in this application. One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in communication with a DSP, or any other such configuration.

[0181] The present application has been described above in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that these descriptions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present application based on the spirit and principles of the present application, and such modifications and variations are also within the scope of the present application.

[0182] Regarding the implementation methods including the above embodiments, the following additional notes are also disclosed:

[0183] 1. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device is applied to an environmental Internet of Things device, and the communication device comprises:

[0184] A first upper layer controls the environmental IoT device in relation to environmental IoT services; and

[0185] The first physical layer sends and receives signals with the first network node device through the first interface according to the control of the first high layer.

[0186] 2. The communication device according to Supplement 1, wherein:

[0187] The first high layer includes a link layer and a second protocol layer above the link layer, and the second protocol layer exchanges information with a core network.

[0188] 3. The communication device according to Supplement 2, wherein:

[0189] The second protocol layer interacts with a user plane network function (NF) of the core network.

[0190] 4. The communication device according to Supplement 3, wherein:

[0191] The second protocol layer generates protocol data units (PDUs) for device-originated traffic.

[0192] 5. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device is applied to a first network node device, and the communication device comprises:

[0193] The second high-level layer controls the ambient IoT devices in relation to the ambient IoT services; and

[0194] The second physical layer sends and receives signals with the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device through the first interface according to the control of the second high layer.

[0195] 6. The communication device according to Supplement 5, wherein:

[0196] The first network node device receives the request from the core network through the next generation user plane protocol (NG-U), and reports the result information to the core network through the next generation user plane protocol (NG-U).

[0197] 7. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device is applied to a core network, and the communication device performs the following operations:

[0198] Sending an AIoT-related request to the first network node device; and

[0199] Receive result information fed back by the first network node device.

[0200] 8. The communication device according to Supplement 7, wherein:

[0201] The communication device is a control plane network function (NF), which interacts with the second protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, and the control plane network function supports ambient Internet of Things related services.

[0202] 9. The communication device according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein:

[0203] The information exchanged between the communication device and the second protocol layer of the AIoT device includes at least one of the following information:

[0204] Device identification-related control information, memory operation-related instructions, and feedback result information.

[0205] 10. The communication device according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein:

[0206] The second protocol layer (AIoT) of the communication device interacts with the second protocol layer of the AIoT device.

[0207] The communication device further comprises an application protocol (AP) layer, wherein the application protocol (AP) layer is below the second protocol layer.

[0208] The application protocol layer (AP) transmits information with the third protocol layer (AP) of the first network node device, and carries the content of information interaction between the second protocol layer (AIoT) of the communication device and the second protocol layer of the environmental Internet of Things (AIoT) device.

Claims

1. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device is applied to an environmental Internet of Things device, and the communication device includes: A first upper layer controls the environmental IoT device in relation to environmental IoT services; and The first physical layer sends and receives signals with the first network node device through the first interface according to the control of the first high layer.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The communication device sends a signal by backscattering a first waveform, where the first waveform is a waveform sent by the first network node device or a third-party device; or The environmental Internet of Things device generates a first waveform, and modulates the information to be sent onto the first waveform for transmission.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The first high layer includes a first protocol layer, and the first protocol layer has at least one of the following functions: Media access control, AIoT device identification, AIoT device control, AIoT device memory operations, and integrated application functionality.

4. The communication device according to claim 3, wherein: The information that the first high layer interacts with the first network node device through the protocol stack of the first interface includes: information related to the device-origin traffic (DO-DTT) traffic type triggered by device-terminated traffic, or information related to the device-terminated (DT) traffic type.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The first high layer includes a link layer and a second protocol layer above the link layer, and the second protocol layer exchanges information with a core network. The communication device according to claim 5 , wherein: The second protocol layer interacts with a control plane network function (NF) of the core network, and the control plane network function supports environmental Internet of Things related services.

7. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein: The communication device communicates with the core network through the second protocol layer and obtains at least one of control information related to device identification, instructions related to memory operations, and feedback result information.

8. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein: The second protocol layer is a non-access layer (NAS) layer; and / or The link layer is a medium access control (MAC) layer; and / or The control plane network function of the core network is the access and mobility management function (AMF), wherein the network function of the core network supporting the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) service is integrated into the access and mobility management function (AMF).

9. The communication device according to claim 8, wherein: The link layer protocol data (PDU) includes a non-access layer (NAS) message.

10. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein: The communication device further includes: The application (APP) layer is above the second protocol layer, and the application layer and the application function (AF) perform information exchange.

11. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein: The control related to the environmental Internet of Things business includes at least one of the discovery, identification, authentication, identity allocation, grouping, configuration, device state transition and memory operation of the environmental Internet of Things device.

12. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device is applied to a first network node device, and the communication device includes: The second high-level layer controls the ambient IoT devices in relation to the ambient IoT services; and The second physical layer sends and receives signals with the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device through the first interface according to the control of the second high layer.

13. The communication device according to claim 12, wherein: The communication device receives a signal modulated on a first waveform and sent by the AIoT device, The first waveform is generated by the environmental IoT device; or, The first waveform is sent by the first network node device or a third-party device and backscattered by the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device.

14. The communication device according to claim 12, wherein: The second high layer includes a first protocol layer, and the first protocol layer of the second high layer is connected to the first interface. The protocol stack communicates with the first protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device, and the first protocol layer of the second higher layer has at least one of the following functions: Media access control, AIoT device identification, AIoT device control, AIoT device memory operations, and integrated application functionality.

15. The communication device according to claim 14, wherein: The first network node device receives an AIoT-related request from the core network, and the communication device uses the protocol stack of the first interface to communicate with the AIoT device, and then reports the result information that needs to be fed back to the core network.

16. The communication device according to claim 15, wherein The first network node device receives the request from the core network through the next generation application protocol (NGAP), and reports the result information to the core network through the next generation application protocol (NGAP).

17. The communication device according to claim 12, wherein: The first network node device further includes a third protocol layer (AP), The third protocol layer transmits information with the application protocol (AP) layer of the network function (NF) of the core network, and carries the content of information interaction between the network function (NF) of the core network and the second protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device. Wherein, the second protocol layer of the ambient Internet of Things (AIoT) device is above the link layer.

18. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device is applied to a core network, and the communication device performs the following operations: Sending an AIoT-related request to the first network node device; and Receive result information fed back by the first network node device.

19. The communication device according to claim 18, wherein The communication device sends the AIoT-related request via the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP); and / or The communication device receives the result information through the Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP).

20. The communication device according to claim 18, wherein The communication device further performs the following operations: Interact with the second protocol layer of AIoT devices.

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