Communication method, and apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a communication method, and an apparatus. The method comprises: a user plane network element receives first service data, for example, receives first service data from a data network, and then, on the basis of a session of a first terminal device corresponding to the first service data and an association between the session of the first terminal device and a group, determines that the first service data is service data of the group; and the user plane network element transmits the first service data by means of the session of the first terminal device, and, on the basis of QoS parameters of the group, performs QoS control on the first service data, for example, performs bandwidth control on the first service data. In this way, by means of sharing QoS parameters of a group, the present application can perform uniform QoS control on terminal devices of the same group, so as to satisfy QoS control of future service flows (for example, service flows that are uniformly controlled at the group level of granularity).

Description

A communication method and apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410918772.7, filed on July 9, 2024, entitled "A Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] In 5G mobile communication systems, network control over the Quality of Service (QoS) of service flows from terminal devices (such as user equipment, UEs) is typically achieved through parameters included in the UE's subscription data. These parameters include the UE's Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate (AMBR), which represents the maximum bandwidth limit that a UE's non-guaranteed bit rate (non-GBR) service flows can occupy, and the session AMBR, which represents the maximum bandwidth limit that a non-GBR service flows can occupy within a specific session of the UE. However, current QoS control is only supported at the UE level and cannot meet the future QoS control requirements of service flows.

[0004] Therefore, how to meet the QoS control requirements of future business flows is a hot research topic. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that can meet the QoS control requirements of future service flows.

[0006] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: a user plane network element receiving first service data, wherein the first service data is service data of a first terminal device within a group, the group including multiple terminal devices, the multiple terminal devices including the first terminal device; the user plane network element transmitting the first service data to the first terminal device through a session of the first terminal device, and performing QoS control of the first service data based on the QoS parameters of the group.

[0007] Based on the method described in the first aspect, after the user plane network element receives the first service data (e.g., data from a data network), it determines that the first service data belongs to a group by associating the session of the first terminal device corresponding to the first service data with the group. When the user plane network element transmits the first service data through the session of the first terminal device, it performs QoS control on the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters, such as bandwidth control. In this way, by sharing the group's QoS parameters, unified QoS control can be achieved for terminal devices in the same group, satisfying the QoS control requirements of future service flows (e.g., service flows with unified control at the group level). It should be noted that during communication, the sender transmits service data to the receiver through the service flow, and the receiver then receives the service data through the service flow. Therefore, the service flow and service data are interrelated; the service flow provides the data transmission channel, while the service data is the specific content transmitted through this channel.

[0008] Optionally, sessions of multiple terminal devices may correspond to the same data network name (DNN) and / or the same slice information. The slice information may be, for example, network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI). It can be understood that the identical DNN and / or slice information of multiple terminal device sessions indicates that the sessions of multiple terminal devices are associated with the same service, and that the sessions of multiple terminal devices are associated with a group, i.e., a group is uniquely identified by the DNN and / or slice information, and different groups have different DNNs and / or slice information. This allows user plane network elements to perform unified QoS control on data associated with the same service within a group.

[0009] Optionally, before the user plane network element receives the first service data, the communication method may further include: the user plane network element receiving a first message from the session management network element, the first message including session information of the first terminal device and QoS parameters of the group; the user plane network element determining the session of the first terminal device based on the session information.

[0010] The first message can be an N4 message. The session information of the first terminal device can be session identification information, such as DNN, NSSAI, etc., which can identify the session of the first terminal device, or it can be the identifier of the first terminal device, such as the UE S1 application protocol identity (UE S1AP ID), international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), etc., without limitation.

[0011] The session information of the first terminal device includes group identification information, which is used to determine the group to which the session of the first terminal device corresponds. It can be understood that user plane network elements can determine that the first service data belongs to a group by using the group associated with the session corresponding to the first service data, such as the group identification information associated with the session of the first terminal device. Therefore, they can perform QoS control on the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters to meet the QoS control requirements of future service flows (such as service flows that are uniformly controlled at the group level).

[0012] Optionally, the QoS parameters of the group include at least one of the following: maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, or maximum packet loss rate.

[0013] Specifically, if the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum downlink bandwidth, then the total bandwidth of service data transmitted on the sessions of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth; if the QoS parameters of the group include the guaranteed downlink bandwidth, then the bandwidth resources provided by the user plane network element for the service data transmitted on the sessions of multiple terminal devices are greater than or equal to the guaranteed downlink bandwidth; if the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum packet loss rate, then the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the user plane network element through the sessions of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate.

[0014] The maximum downlink bandwidth can be the maximum threshold of the total bandwidth configured for the group. The total bandwidth of service data transmitted by the user plane network element across multiple terminal devices in the group cannot exceed this maximum threshold. The user plane network element will discard data packets exceeding the maximum downlink bandwidth. The guaranteed downlink bandwidth can be the minimum threshold of the bandwidth resources configured for the group. That is, if the total bandwidth of service data transmitted across multiple terminal devices in the group does not exceed the guaranteed downlink bandwidth after the user plane network element receives the first service data, the user plane network element will transmit the first service data. If it exceeds the guaranteed downlink bandwidth, other QoS parameters are needed to determine whether to transmit the first service data. Alternatively, the guaranteed downlink bandwidth can also indicate that the total bandwidth of service data transmitted by the user plane network element across multiple terminal devices is greater than or equal to the guaranteed downlink bandwidth. If bandwidth resources are limited, the minimum total downlink bandwidth should not be less than the guaranteed downlink bandwidth.

[0015] The maximum packet loss rate can be the maximum threshold for packet loss rate of user plane network elements. If the QoS parameters of a group include the maximum packet loss rate, then the total packet loss rate of user plane network elements transmitting group-related sessions must be controlled to be less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate.

[0016] Maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, and maximum packet loss rate can be used in combination. For example, while controlling the total bandwidth of service data transmitted over multiple terminal devices in a session to be less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth, it is also necessary to control the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the user plane network element through multiple terminal devices in a session to be less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate. The priority of maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, and maximum packet loss rate can be implemented according to the rules configured locally by the user plane network element. For example, the highest priority (first priority) is the maximum packet loss rate, the second priority is the maximum downlink bandwidth, and the third priority is the guaranteed downlink bandwidth. This is just an example, and the priority can be determined according to the rules configured locally by the user plane network element without limitation.

[0017] In this way, by configuring QoS parameters for different groups, it is possible to perform unified QoS control on terminal devices within the group more flexibly, and to configure QoS parameters for different groups as needed to meet the requirements of different services.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum downlink bandwidth; QoS control of the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters may include: if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth, then the user plane network element transmits the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device, wherein the second service data is the service data transmitted on the session of the second terminal device, and the second terminal device is one or more terminal devices other than the first terminal device among a plurality of terminal devices; or, if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is greater than the maximum downlink bandwidth, then the user plane network element discards the first service data, in other words, the user plane network element does not transmit the first service data to the first terminal device.

[0019] It is understood that the second terminal device can be any terminal device within the group other than the first terminal device. The group includes the first terminal device and the second terminal device, and the second terminal device can be one or more. Since the maximum downlink bandwidth can be the maximum threshold of the total bandwidth configured for the group, the user plane network element uniformly controls the bandwidth of group-related service data through the maximum downlink bandwidth to meet the QoS management of future service flows (such as service flows uniformly controlled at the group level).

[0020] Optionally, the communication method may further include: if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is greater than the maximum downlink bandwidth, then the user plane network element discards some or all of the data packets in the first service data; if the user plane network element discards some of the data packets in the first service data, then the user plane network element transmits the data after discarding the partially discarded data packets in the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device. It can be understood that the user plane network element can discard only some of the data packets in the first service data, providing greater flexibility in implementation.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum packet loss rate. QoS control of the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters may include: the user plane network element determining whether to discard the first service data based on the maximum packet loss rate. It must be ensured that after discarding the first service data, the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the user plane network element through sessions of multiple terminal devices within the group is less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate. The transmission of group-related service data is uniformly controlled based on the maximum packet loss rate to meet the QoS control requirements of future service flows (such as service flows uniformly controlled at the group level).

[0022] Optionally, the first service data includes some or all data packets; the communication method may further include: if the user plane network element determines to discard some data packets in the first service data based on the maximum packet loss rate, the user plane network element transmits the data after discarding the some data packets in the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device. It can be understood that the user plane network element can discard only some data packets when discarding data packets in the first service data, providing greater flexibility in implementation.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the communication method may further include: a user plane network element receiving third service data from a first terminal device; the third service data being service data of a third terminal device, the third terminal device being a slave device in a group; if the first terminal device is a master device, the user plane network element transmitting the third service data to the data network; or, if the first terminal device is a slave device, the user plane network element discarding the third service data.

[0024] It is understandable that a master device can be a group-level device used to manage slave devices within the group to which it belongs, such as establishing connections with slave devices and conducting signaling interactions with them. The master device has the capability to send uplink data; the service data of slave devices must be sent to the user plane network elements through the master device. Thus, if there is a distinction between master and slave devices within the group, the master device will transmit the uplink data packets. The user plane network element will only transmit uplink data packets to the data network when it receives them in the master device's session. The sharing of QoS parameters for the group is achieved through the transmission of service data by the master device.

[0025] Optionally, before the user plane network element receives the third service data from the first terminal device, the method further includes: the user plane network element receiving first indication information from the session management network element, wherein the first indication information indicates that the first terminal device is the master device. The session management (SM) subscription data of the first terminal device contains a master device indication. Therefore, during the process of establishing a session on the first terminal device, the session management network element obtains the SM subscription data of the first terminal device from the data management network element (such as UDM) and sends the first indication information from the SM subscription data to the user plane network element. Thus, the user plane network element can obtain information about the first terminal device being the master device and / or the session being the master device, facilitating subsequent confirmation by the user plane network element of whether the received third service data originates from the master device.

[0026] Optionally, before the user plane network element receives the third service data from the first terminal device, the method further includes: the user plane network element receiving second indication information from the session management network element, the second indication information indicating that the third terminal device is a slave device.

[0027] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a data management network element. The method includes: the data management network element receiving a request message from a session management network element, the request message being used to request session subscription information of a terminal; the data management network element sending session subscription information to the session management network element according to the request message, the session subscription information including group identification information and group QoS parameters.

[0028] It is understandable that the technical effects of the method in the second aspect mentioned above can also be referred to the relevant introduction in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0029] Thirdly, a communication method is provided, comprising: an access network device receiving service data from a first terminal device, the first terminal device belonging to a group, the group including multiple terminal devices, the multiple terminal devices including the first terminal device. The access network device transmits service data through a session of the first terminal device and performs QoS control on the first service data based on the QoS parameters of the group.

[0030] Optionally, the sessions of multiple terminal devices may be sessions corresponding to the same data network name (DNN) and / or the same slice information.

[0031] Optionally, the communication method may further include: the access network device receiving a second message from an access and mobility management network element, the second message including group identification information and group QoS parameters; the access network device determining that the first terminal device belongs to the group based on the group identification information.

[0032] Optionally, the QoS parameters of the group include at least one of the following: maximum uplink bandwidth, guaranteed uplink bandwidth, or maximum packet loss rate.

[0033] Optionally, if the QoS parameter of the group is the maximum uplink bandwidth, then the total bandwidth of service data transmitted on the session of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum uplink bandwidth; if the QoS parameter of the group is the guaranteed uplink bandwidth, then the bandwidth resources provided by the access network device for the service data transmitted on the session of multiple terminal devices are greater than or equal to the guaranteed uplink bandwidth; if the QoS parameter of the group is the maximum uplink packet loss rate, then the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the access network device through the session of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum uplink packet loss rate.

[0034] It is understandable that the technical effects of the method in the third aspect mentioned above can also be referred to the relevant introduction in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0035] Fourthly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a first terminal device, by a module (e.g., processor, chip, or chip system) applied to the first terminal device, or by a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first terminal device. For ease of description, the following description uses the execution of the method by the first terminal device as an example. The method includes: the first terminal device receiving third service data from a second terminal device; the first terminal device and the second terminal device belonging to the same group, the first terminal device being the master device and the second terminal device being the slave device; if the address range of the group includes the address of the third service data, then the first terminal device sends the third service data to the user plane network element through the session corresponding to the group; the address range is the address range used by the service data of multiple terminal devices in the group.

[0036] Based on the fourth aspect, if there is a distinction between master and slave devices within the group, the master device transmits uplink data packets. The first terminal device is the master device, and when forwarding third service data to user plane network elements, it needs to determine the session used for transmitting the third service data. The first terminal device stores the correspondence between sessions and the address ranges of the group. Therefore, when the first terminal device subsequently receives third service data from slave devices (i.e., third terminal devices), it can determine the corresponding session for the group through this correspondence, and thus send the third service data to the user plane network elements through the corresponding session. This ensures the reliability and continuity of the services provided by the third terminal device.

[0037] Optionally, before the first terminal device receives the third service data from the second terminal device, the method further includes: the first terminal device receiving a second message from the session management network element, the second message indicating that the session has been successfully established, the second message including the address range of the group corresponding to the session, and storing the correspondence between the address range of the session and the group.

[0038] The second message can be a session establishment success message received by the first terminal device when establishing a session, such as a PDU session establishment success response message sent by the SMF network element in response to a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment request. The second message can also be received by access and mobility management network elements. The second message implicitly instructs the first terminal device to map the session to the address range of the group. The second message can also contain indication information for indicating the mapping of the session to the address range of the group, explicitly instructing the first terminal device to associate and store the session with the address range of the group, thereby allowing the first terminal device to store the mapping relationship between the session and the address range of the group based on the second message.

[0039] Optionally, the communication method may further include: a first terminal device receiving indication information from an access and mobility management network element or a session management network element, wherein the indication information indicates that the first terminal device is a master device.

[0040] Optionally, before the first terminal device receives the indication information from the access and mobility management network element, the communication method may further include: the first terminal device sending capability information to the access and mobility management network element or the session management network element, the capability information indicating that the first terminal device has the capability to act as a master device.

[0041] The capability information can be carried in non-access stratum (NAS) messages, such as registration request messages or PDU session establishment request messages, or it can be carried in new signaling, without restriction. The first terminal device uses the capability information to indicate to the access and mobility management network element or session management network element that it has the capability to act as a master device, so that the access and mobility management network element or session management network element authorizes the first terminal device as the master device, that is, to receive the indication information.

[0042] Fifthly, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: receiving session subscription data from a first terminal device of a data management network element (UDM), the session subscription data including master device information, the master device information indicating that the first terminal device is a master device; and sending indication information to the first terminal device according to the master device information, the indication information indicating that the first terminal device is a master device.

[0043] This method can be executed by the access and mobility management network element or the session management network element.

[0044] Optionally, the communication method may further include: receiving capability information from a first terminal device, the capability information indicating that the first terminal device has the capability to act as a master device; and sending instruction information to the first terminal device based on master device information, which may include: sending instruction information to the first terminal device based on both master device information and capability information.

[0045] It is understood that the technical effects of the method in the fifth aspect mentioned above can also be referred to the relevant introductions in the first or fourth aspects mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0046] A sixth aspect provides a communication device. The communication device includes a processor configured to perform the method according to any one of the embodiments of the first to fifth aspects.

[0047] In one possible implementation, the communication device described in the sixth aspect may further include a transceiver. The transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the sixth aspect and other communication devices.

[0048] In one possible implementation, the communication device described in the sixth aspect may further include a memory. This memory may be integrated with the processor or disposed separately. The memory may be used to store computer programs and / or data relating to the methods of any of the embodiments of the first to fifth aspects.

[0049] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device described in the sixth aspect can be referred to the technical effects of any of the embodiments in the first to fifth aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0050] A seventh aspect provides a communication device. The communication device includes a processor coupled to a memory, the processor being configured to execute a computer program or instructions stored in the memory, causing the communication device to perform the method of any one of the embodiments of the first to fifth aspects.

[0051] In one possible implementation, the communication device may further include a transceiver. The transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device and other communication devices.

[0052] In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes the memory for storing the aforementioned computer program or instructions. Optionally, the memory and processor are integrated together.

[0053] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device described in the seventh aspect can be referred to the technical effects of any of the embodiments in the first to fifth aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0054] Eighthly, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes: a user plane network element for performing the method described in any embodiment of the first aspect; a data management network element for performing any embodiment of the second aspect; an access network device for performing the method described in any embodiment of the third aspect; a first terminal device for performing the method described in any embodiment of the fourth aspect; and an access and mobility management network element or a session management network element for performing the method described in any embodiment of the fifth aspect.

[0055] A ninth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium comprising: a computer program or instructions; which, when executed, cause the method of any of the embodiments of the first to third aspects described above to be implemented, or cause the method of any of the embodiments of the fourth or fifth aspects described above to be implemented.

[0056] In a tenth aspect, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method of any of the embodiments of the first to third aspects described above to be implemented, or cause the method of any of the embodiments of the fourth or fifth aspects described above to be implemented. Attached Figure Description

[0057] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the 5GS architecture;

[0058] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the 5GS architecture.

[0059] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a family group;

[0060] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application (II).

[0064] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the communication method provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0066] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the communication method provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0067] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0069] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication systems, such as long-term evolution (LTE) systems, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication systems, fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication systems, such as new radio (NR) systems, and future communication systems.

[0070] For ease of understanding, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be introduced below.

[0071] 1. 5G mobile communication system (abbreviated as 5G system (5GS)):

[0072] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the 5GS architecture. As shown in Figure 1, 5GS includes: access network (AN) and CN, and may also include: terminals.

[0073] There may be one or more terminals. A terminal may be a terminal with transceiver functions, or it may be a chip or chip system installed in the terminal. The terminal may also be referred to as UE, access terminal, subscriber unit, user station, mobile station (MS), mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user equipment. The terminals in the embodiments of this application may be mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, tablets, wireless data cards, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, handsets, laptop computers, machine-type communication (MTC) terminals, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminals, augmented reality (AR) terminals, smart home devices (e.g., refrigerators, televisions, air conditioners, electricity meters, etc.), intelligent robots, robotic arms, workshop equipment, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, vehicle-mounted terminals, and roadside units with terminal functions. The terminal in this application can also be an onboard module, onboard unit, onboard component, onboard chip, or onboard unit that is built into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The terminal device can also be other devices with terminal functions; for example, it can be a device that functions as a terminal in D2D communication.

[0074] The embodiments of this application do not limit the device form of the terminal. The device used to implement the functions of the terminal device can be the terminal device itself; it can also be a device that supports the terminal device in implementing the functions, such as a chip system. The device can be installed in the terminal device or used in conjunction with the terminal device. In the embodiments of this application, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete components.

[0075] The aforementioned AN (Access Network Adapter) is used to implement access-related functions. It can provide network access functionality for authorized users in a specific area and determine transmission links of different quality based on user level and service requirements to transmit user data. The AN forwards control signals and user data between the terminal and the CN (Radio Access Network). The AN may include access network equipment, also known as radio access network (RAN) equipment. The CN is primarily responsible for maintaining the mobile network's subscription data and providing terminals with functions such as session management, mobility management, policy management, and security authentication. The CN mainly includes the following network elements: User Plane Function (UPF) network element, Authentication Server Function (AUSF) network element, Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) network element, Session Management Function (SMF) network element, Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) network element, Network Exposure Function (NEF) network element, Network Function Repository Function (NRF) network element, Policy Control Function (PCF) network element, Unified Data Management (UDM) network element, Unified Data Repository (UDR) network element, and Application Function (AF).

[0076] RAN equipment, also known as access network device, can be one or more. An access network device can be a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, or it can be a chip or chip system located within the device, situated in the access network (AN) of the communication system, to provide access services to terminals. For example, an access network device can be called a radio access network (RAN) device, and it can be part of a future mobile communication system. In future mobile communication systems, access network devices may also have other naming conventions, all of which are covered within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application, and this application does not impose any limitations on them. Alternatively, the access network device may also include 5G, such as a gNB in ​​a new radio (NR) system, or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a 5G base station, or it may be a network node constituting a gNB, a transmission and reception point (TRP) or transmission point (TP), or a transmission measurement function (TMF), such as a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), an RSU with base station functionality, or a wired access gateway, or a 5G core network element, etc. Alternatively, the access network device may also include: an access point (AP) in a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system, a wireless relay node, a wireless backhaul node, various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations (also known as small cells), relay stations, access points, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted equipment, etc.

[0077] In this network, CU and DU can be configured separately or included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as remote radio units (RRUs), active antenna units (AAUs), or remote radio heads (RRHs). It is understood that network equipment can be CU nodes, DU nodes, or a combination of CU and DU nodes. Furthermore, CUs can be classified as network equipment in the access network (RAN) or in the core network (CN); there are no restrictions on this classification.

[0078] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU, or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art will understand their meaning. For example, in an ORAN system, CU can also be called O-CU (open CU), DU can also be called O-DU, CU-CP can also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP can also be called O-CU-UP, and RU can also be called O-RU. For ease of description, this application uses CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU, and RU as examples. Any of the units among CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU, and RU in this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules.

[0079] UPF network elements are primarily responsible for user data processing (forwarding, receiving, billing, etc.). For example, a UPF network element can receive user data from a data network (DN) and forward that data to the terminal through access network equipment. A UPF network element can also receive user data from the terminal through access network equipment and forward that data to the DN. A DN network element refers to the operator's network that provides data transmission services to users. Examples include Internet Protocol (IP), IP Multimedia Service (IMS), and the Internet. A DN can be an external network of the operator or a network controlled by the operator, used to provide services to terminal devices.

[0080] The AUSF network element is mainly used to perform security authentication for terminals.

[0081] AMF network elements are primarily used for mobility management in mobile networks. Examples include user location updates, user network registration, and user handover.

[0082] SMF network elements are primarily used for session management in mobile networks. This includes functions such as session establishment, modification, and release. Other functions include assigning IP addresses to users and selecting UPF network elements that provide packet forwarding capabilities.

[0083] The PCF network element primarily supports providing a unified policy framework to control network behavior, providing policy rules to the control layer network functions, and is also responsible for acquiring user subscription information related to policy decisions. The PCF network element can provide policies to the AMF and SMF network elements, such as Quality of Service (QoS) policies and slice selection policies.

[0084] NSSF network elements are mainly used to select network slices for terminals.

[0085] NEF network elements are primarily used to support the opening of capabilities and events.

[0086] UDM network elements are mainly used to store user data, such as subscription data and authentication / authorization data.

[0087] UDR network elements are mainly used to store structured data, including contract data, policy data, externally exposed structured data, and application-related data.

[0088] The AF primarily supports interaction with the CN to provide services, such as influencing data routing decisions, policy control functions, or providing third-party services to the network side. Optionally, the AF can provide personal identification number (PIN) services, also known as PIN-AF.

[0089] When the 5GC (5G core network) supports untrusted non-3GPP (N3G) access, the architecture of 5GS is shown in Figure 2. The non-3GPP interworking function (N3IWF) is also called the untrusted non-3GPP access gateway, such as an untrusted WLAN access gateway, to support untrusted WLAN access technology.

[0090] Furthermore, 5GC can also support trusted non-3GPP access and / or wired network access. Trusted non-3GPP networks include trusted WLAN networks, and wired networks include fixed home network access. The network-side architecture is similar to that of untrusted non-3GPP access; for example, N3IWF can be replaced by a trusted non-3GPP gateway function (TNGF) or a wired network access gateway function (W-AGF). Access network equipment between the UE and the aforementioned access gateways (such as TNGF or W-AGF) includes WLAN APs, fixed access network (FAN) equipment, switches, routers, etc.

[0091] N3G access technologies include WLAN access technologies and wired access technologies. WLAN access technologies correspond to WLAN APs deployed in campuses or WLAN AP hotspots deployed in public places, while wired access technologies correspond to wired access deployed in home networks. Furthermore, WLAN access technologies can be divided into trusted WLAN and untrusted WLAN. In summary, non-3GPP access technologies include trusted non-3GPP access, untrusted non-3GPP access, trusted WLAN access, untrusted WLAN access, and wired access, also known as fixed-line access. Regardless of whether it is trusted non-3GPP access or untrusted non-3GPP access, the core network side can support the point-to-point interface protocol shown in Figure 2, or support the service-oriented interface consistently used in the 3GPP access core network architecture shown in Figure 1.

[0092] It should be noted that this application uses a 5G system as an example to introduce the relevant technical solutions, but the application of these technical solutions is not limited to 5G systems. It is understood that these technical solutions may also be applicable to future communication systems.

[0093] 2. Group

[0094] In one possible scenario, for example, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a family group. In order to realize 5GC support for home services, operators will deploy home gateways in users' homes, such as customer premise equipment (CPE) in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3 (1), a family can deploy multiple 5G CPEs, and the multiple 5G CPEs are independent of each other, that is, they can achieve independent management and control. Each 5G CPE accesses the Internet through the home (to home, toH) interconnection private network. As shown in Figure 3 (2), a family can deploy multiple 5G CPEs, and the multiple 5G CPEs can be cascaded. For example, any one of the multiple 5G CPEs can be configured as the main CPE, and the main CPE accesses the basic access distribution plane through the toH interconnection private network. Among them, the eUPF in the toH interconnection private network is mainly responsible for home access, that is, the home gateway accesses the 5GC network by connecting with the eUPF. The eUPF handles various home network-related services, such as IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) services, internet services, and mobile phone remote access to home devices (e.g., mobile phones accessing home cameras outdoors via the macro network). The eUPF in the basic access distribution plane mainly handles main network services, i.e., the various services that mobile phones perform when accessing the 5GC through the macro network base station, such as internet access and IMS voice services.

[0095] 5G CPE has cellular access capabilities, supports NAS messaging modules, and supports SIM cards. Therefore, when a 5G CPE accesses a 5GC through a cellular base station, its behavior is the same as that of a conventional terminal device. Thus, a 5G CPE can also be defined as a UE. It is understood that the terminal device involved in the embodiments of this application can be a 5G CPE. For ease of explanation, this application will use a UE as an example to describe the relevant solutions.

[0096] Users may need to deploy multiple 5G CPEs (Customer Premises Equipment) in their homes, which means deploying multiple UEs. Since these UEs belong to the same home network, operators want to manage these UEs as a group to meet the management needs of future service flows (such as service flows that are uniformly controlled at the group level), such as unified billing management and unified quality of service (QoS) control.

[0097] It should be understood that the term "family group" here does not necessarily refer to members of the group having a family relationship in the conventional sense. A home gateway can be deployed in homes, hotels, cafes, etc. In such scenarios, terminals belonging to the same home network (such as the aforementioned 5G CPE) can be considered to have the same family group attribute.

[0098] Currently, 5GC networks implement QoS control of service flows at the UE level. On this basis, how to achieve unified QoS control for different UEs belonging to the same group, such as how to achieve maximum bandwidth QoS control for the same home network, i.e. the same home group, is an urgent problem to be solved.

[0099] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the embodiments of this application propose the following technical solutions.

[0100] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0101] In the embodiments of this application, "instruction" can include direct and indirect instructions, as well as explicit and implicit instructions. The information indicated by a certain piece of information is called the information to be instructed. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to instruct the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly instructing the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly instruct the information to be instructed by instructing other information, where there is a correlation between the other information and the information to be instructed. It can also instruct only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement of various pieces of information, thereby reducing instruction overhead to some extent. At the same time, common parts of various pieces of information can be identified and uniformly indicated to reduce the instruction overhead caused by individually indicating the same information.

[0102] Furthermore, the specific instruction method can also be any existing instruction method, such as, but not limited to, the above-mentioned instruction methods and their various combinations. As described above, for example, when multiple pieces of information of the same type need to be indicated, the instruction methods for different pieces of information may differ. In the specific implementation process, the required instruction method can be selected according to specific needs. This application embodiment does not limit the selected instruction method. Therefore, the instruction methods involved in this application embodiment should be understood to cover various methods that enable the party to be instructed to obtain the information to be indicated.

[0103] It should be understood that the information to be indicated can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information messages sent separately, and the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be the same or different. The specific sending method is not limited in this application embodiment. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the sending node device by sending configuration information to the receiving node device.

[0104] In this application, "sending information" can be understood as one device sending information to another device, or it can also be understood as one logical module within a device sending information to another logical module. For example, "network device sending information" can be understood as a network device sending information to another device (such as a terminal or other network device), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device sending information to logical module 2 in the network device.

[0105] In this application, "receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or it can also be understood as a logical module within a device receiving information from another logical module. For example, "network device receiving information" can be understood as a network device receiving information from another device (such as a terminal or other network device), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device receiving information from logical module 2 in the network device.

[0106] In this application, phrases such as "sending information to... (e.g., a terminal)" or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as indicating that the destination of the information is a terminal. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to a terminal. Similarly, phrases such as "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)," "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)," or "receiving information sent by (e.g., a terminal)," or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as indicating that the source of the information is a terminal. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from a terminal. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly and will not be elaborated further here.

[0107] "Predefined" or "pre-configured" can be achieved by pre-saving corresponding codes, tables, or other means that can be used to indicate relevant information in the device. This application does not limit the specific implementation method. "Saving" can refer to saving in one or more memories. These memories can be separate installations or integrated into the encoder, decoder, processor, or communication device. Alternatively, some memories can be separately installed, while others are integrated into the decoder, processor, or communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, and this application does not limit this.

[0108] The “protocol” mentioned in the embodiments of this application may refer to a protocol family in the field of communication, a standard protocol with a similar protocol family frame structure, or a related protocol applied to future communication systems. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0109] In the embodiments of this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a specific time. They do not require the device to make a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0110] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "And / or" in the embodiments of this application is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Additionally, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and that "first," "second," etc., are not necessarily different. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being used as an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or implementation described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or implementations. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner for ease of understanding.

[0111] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating 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. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0112] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application will be described in detail first using the communication system shown in FIG4 as an example. For example, FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system to which the method provided in the embodiments of this application applies.

[0113] As shown in Figure 4, this communication system is mainly applicable to the aforementioned 5GS and primarily includes terminal equipment and user plane network elements. The terminal equipment can refer to the relevant descriptions in the aforementioned 5GS documentation or the aforementioned 5G CPE; details will not be elaborated here. The user plane network elements can be the UPF network elements in the aforementioned 5GS, as detailed in the aforementioned descriptions, or network elements in future communication systems used to implement corresponding user plane functions; no specific limitations are imposed.

[0114] For example, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 5, UE1 and UE2 (i.e., the terminal devices mentioned above) belong to the same group, and AN1 (or RAN1) and AN2 (or RAN2) are access network devices, which can be the same access network device or different access network devices. UE1 and UE2 access the same 5GC core network. The access network devices can be referred to the relevant description in the above 5GS, and will not be repeated here.

[0115] In this context, terminal devices are grouped together, and a group can include multiple terminal devices. A group can be a home group, meaning one or more terminals (group members) belong to the same home network. Alternatively, groups and their members can be categorized based on information such as the terminal devices' service information, capabilities, geographical location, or network location; this is not limited here. For example, a group is determined by service information related to the terminal devices. This service information can be DNN and / or slice information. Slice information, for example, can be NSSAI, meaning a group is uniquely identified using DNN and / or slice information, and different groups have different DNN and / or slice information. For details on terminal devices, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the 5GS section or the 5G CPE section; further elaboration is not provided here.

[0116] In this communication system, after the user plane network element receives the first service data (e.g., data from a data network), it determines that the first service data belongs to a group based on the session of the first terminal device corresponding to the first service data and the association between the session and the group. When transmitting the first service data through the session of the first terminal device, the user plane network element performs QoS control of the service flow based on the group's Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. In this way, by sharing the QoS parameters of the group, unified QoS control can be achieved for terminal devices in the same group to meet the QoS control requirements of future service flows (such as service flows that are uniformly controlled at the group level).

[0117] The QoS parameters of the group are shared by sessions of multiple terminal devices. The first terminal device can refer to the terminal device in the 5GS above, or UE1 or UE2 in the group in Figure 5. The group includes multiple terminal devices, including the first terminal device. That is, the group can also include other devices / terminals besides the first terminal device, which is not limited in this application.

[0118] The interaction process between various network elements / devices in the above-described communication system will be specifically described below with reference to Figures 6-10, through method embodiments. The communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the above-described communication system and specifically applied to various scenarios / processes mentioned in the above-described communication system, which will be described in detail below.

[0119] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication method is applicable to the above-mentioned communication system and mainly involves the interaction between terminal devices and user plane network elements.

[0120] As shown in Figure 6, the flow of this communication method is as follows:

[0121] S601, the user plane network element receives the first service data.

[0122] The first service data refers to the service data of the first terminal device within the group. The group includes multiple terminal devices, and the multiple terminal devices include the first terminal device. The first service data can be downlink data in response to uplink data from the data network. For example, after receiving an uplink data packet with a source IP address of IP address #1, the data network sends a downlink data packet with a destination IP address of IP address #1 to the user plane network element, thereby allowing the user plane network element to receive the downlink data packet from the data network.

[0123] User plane network elements can determine that the first service data is group service data by using the group associated with the session corresponding to the first service data, such as the group identifier information associated with the session of the first terminal device. The specific details are described below.

[0124] Optionally, prior to S601, the communication method may further include: the user plane network element receiving a first message from the session management network element, the first message including session information of the first terminal device and QoS parameters of the group; the user plane network element determining the session of the first terminal device based on the session information.

[0125] The first message can be an N4 message. The session information of the first terminal device can be session identification information, such as DNN, NSSAI, etc., which can identify the session of the first terminal device, or it can be the identifier of the first terminal device, such as the UE S1AP ID, IMSI, SUPI, etc. of the first terminal device, without limitation.

[0126] Optionally, the session information of the first terminal device includes group identification information. The group identification information can be information that uniquely identifies the group, such as a group ID, or at least one of DNN and slice information, where the slice information can be, for example, NSSAI. The group identification information is used to determine the group corresponding to the session of the first terminal device, that is, the session of the first terminal device is associated with a group. User plane network elements can determine that the first service data is service data belonging to a group by using the group associated with the session corresponding to the first service data, such as the group identification information associated with the session of the first terminal device. This allows for QoS control of the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters to meet the QoS control requirements of future service flows (such as service flows with unified control at the group level).

[0127] It is understood that the session of the first terminal device mentioned above is a group-associated session. User plane network elements can also establish other sessions for the first terminal device, and this application embodiment does not impose any restrictions. Unless otherwise specified, the sessions mentioned below can be understood as group-associated sessions.

[0128] It is understood that, unless otherwise specified, the various terminal devices mentioned below can be understood as terminal devices within the group.

[0129] S602, the user plane network element transmits the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device, and performs QoS control of the first service data based on the group's Quality of Service (QoS) parameters.

[0130] In summary, after receiving the first service data, such as data from a data network, the user plane network element determines that the first service data belongs to a group based on the session of the first terminal device corresponding to the first service data and the association between the session and the group. When transmitting the first service data through the session of the first terminal device, the user plane network element performs QoS control of the service flow based on the group's Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. In this way, unified QoS control can be achieved for terminal devices in the same group through the sharing of QoS parameters, thus meeting the QoS control requirements of future service flows (such as service flows that are uniformly controlled at the group level).

[0131] The S602 will be described in detail below.

[0132] A session can be a PDU session or any other possible session, such as a session in a future communication network. Sessions involving multiple terminal devices are sessions corresponding to the same Data Network Name (DNN) and / or the same slice information. Sessions involving multiple terminal devices can include the session of the first terminal device and the sessions of other terminal devices within the group. These sessions can be identified by the same DNN and / or slice information, or in other words, sessions involving multiple terminal devices share the same DNN and / or slice information. Alternatively, sessions involving multiple terminal devices can be considered as being associated with services corresponding to the same DNN and / or slice information. For example, a user plane network element establishes PDU session #1 for UE#1 in the group, PDU session #2 for UE#2 in the group, and PDU session #3 for UE#3 in the group. The DNN and / or slice information of PDU session #1, PDU session #2, and PDU session #3 are the same; that is, the services associated with PDU session #1, PDU session #2, and PDU session #3 are the same.

[0133] A session involving multiple terminal devices can be established by a user plane network element for multiple terminal devices. For example, a session management network element can select the same user plane network element to establish sessions for multiple terminal devices. When terminal devices within a group establish a session, the same session management network element and user plane network element are selected for terminal devices within the same group based on the group's identification information. For instance, when UE1 and UE2 establish a PDU session within a group, the AMF network element selects the same SMF network element for UE1 and UE2 based on the group's identification information. Similarly, the SMF network element selects the same UPF network element for UE1 and UE2 based on the group's identification information. The group's identification information can also be used to associate sessions of multiple terminal devices. Subsequently, the user plane network element can determine the association between the first service data and the group by using the session of the first terminal device corresponding to the first service data and the identification information of the group associated with the first terminal device's session, thereby performing QoS control based on the group's QoS parameters.

[0134] When establishing a session, user plane network elements can determine whether they are establishing a session for terminal devices within a group. For example, a session management network element sends an N4 message to the user plane network element. The N4 message carries session-related configuration information, which may include group information. Thus, the user plane network element knows that the session is being established for terminal devices within a group. The session management network element can be the SMF network element in the aforementioned 5GS (refer to the above description for details), or a network element in a future communication system used to implement session management functions; there are no specific limitations on this.

[0135] The following section provides a detailed introduction to QoS control of the first service data based on group-based QoS parameters.

[0136] The QoS parameters for a group may include at least one of the following: maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, or maximum packet loss rate.

[0137] Since this section describes the QoS control of user plane network elements during downlink data transmission, only maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, or maximum packet loss rate are introduced. Maximum packet loss rate can refer to the maximum downlink packet loss rate for downlink data, such as the packet loss rate of user plane network elements. It should be understood that for uplink data QoS control, group QoS parameters can also include parameters such as maximum uplink bandwidth, guaranteed uplink bandwidth, and maximum uplink packet loss rate.

[0138] Specifically, if the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum downlink bandwidth, then the total bandwidth of service data transmitted on sessions of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth; if the QoS parameters of the group include the guaranteed downlink bandwidth, then the bandwidth resources provided by the user plane network element for service data transmitted on sessions of multiple terminal devices are greater than or equal to the guaranteed downlink bandwidth; if the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum downlink packet loss rate, then the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the user plane network element through sessions of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate.

[0139] The maximum downlink bandwidth can be a maximum threshold for the total bandwidth configured for a group. In other words, the total bandwidth of service data transmitted by a user plane network element over sessions on multiple terminal devices within a group cannot exceed this threshold. The user plane network element will discard data packets exceeding the maximum downlink bandwidth. For example, if the downlink data packets of UE1 and UE2 belong to the same group, and the DNN of the PDU sessions of UE1 and UE2 is the same, then when the QoS parameter of the group corresponding to this DNN session is the maximum uplink bandwidth value, the total bandwidth of downlink data packets transmitted by the PDUs of this DNN of UE1 and UE2 cannot exceed the aforementioned maximum downlink bandwidth. The UPF will discard data packets exceeding the maximum bandwidth.

[0140] The guaranteed downlink bandwidth can be the minimum threshold of the bandwidth resources configured for the group. In other words, if the total bandwidth of the service data transmitted on the sessions of multiple terminal devices in the group does not exceed the guaranteed downlink bandwidth after the user plane network element receives the first service data, the user plane network element will transmit the first service data. If it exceeds the guaranteed downlink bandwidth, other QoS parameters are needed to determine whether to transmit the first service data.

[0141] The maximum packet loss rate can be the maximum threshold for packet loss rate of user plane network elements. If the QoS parameters of a group include the maximum packet loss rate, then the packet loss rate of user plane network elements transmitting group-related sessions must be controlled to be less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate. For example, the total packet loss rate of downlink data packets transmitted on the PDU session between UE1 and UE2 within the group cannot exceed the maximum packet loss rate.

[0142] Maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, and maximum packet loss rate can be used in combination. For example, while controlling the total bandwidth of service data transmitted over multiple terminal devices in a session to be less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth, it is also necessary to control the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the user plane network element through multiple terminal devices in a session to be less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate. The priority of maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, and maximum packet loss rate can be implemented according to the rules configured locally by the user plane network element. For example, the highest priority (first priority) is the maximum packet loss rate, the second priority is the maximum downlink bandwidth, and the third priority is the guaranteed downlink bandwidth. This is just an example, and the priority can be determined according to the rules configured locally by the user plane network element without limitation.

[0143] In this way, by configuring QoS parameters for different groups, it is possible to perform unified QoS control on terminal devices within the group more flexibly, and to configure QoS parameters for different groups as needed to meet the requirements of different services.

[0144] In one possible implementation, the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum downlink bandwidth; the user plane network element performs QoS control of the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters, which may include: if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth, the user plane network element transmits the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device, wherein the second service data is the service data transmitted on the session of the second terminal device, and the second terminal device is one or more terminal devices other than the first terminal device among a plurality of terminal devices; or, if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is greater than the maximum downlink bandwidth, the user plane network element discards the first service data.

[0145] It is understood that the second terminal device can be any terminal device other than the first terminal device within the group. The group includes the first terminal device and the second terminal device, or in other words, the first terminal device and the second terminal device form a group. The second terminal device can be one or more, without limitation. The total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data can be the total bandwidth of service data related to the group. Since the maximum downlink bandwidth can be the maximum threshold of the total bandwidth configured for the group, if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data does not exceed the maximum downlink bandwidth, the user plane network element will transmit the first service data normally; if it does, the user plane network element will discard the first service data.

[0146] Optionally, if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is greater than the maximum downlink bandwidth, the user plane network element discards some or all of the data packets in the first service data; if the user plane network element discards some of the data packets in the first service data, the user plane network element transmits the data after discarding some of the data packets in the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device.

[0147] Furthermore, if a user plane network element simultaneously receives service data from two terminal devices within a group, and the total bandwidth of the service data related to the group exceeds the maximum downlink bandwidth, the user plane network element may discard the service data from both terminal devices, or choose to discard one of them, without limitation.

[0148] In another possible implementation, the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum packet loss rate; the user plane network element performs QoS management of the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters, which may include: the user plane network element determining whether to discard the first service data based on the maximum packet loss rate.

[0149] For example, if a user plane network element chooses to discard the first service data, the user plane network element needs to determine whether the total packet loss rate of the service data transmitted through the sessions of multiple terminal devices in the group exceeds the maximum packet loss rate after discarding the first service data. If it does not exceed the maximum packet loss rate, the user plane network element can discard the first service data. If it exceeds the maximum packet loss rate, the user plane network element can transmit the first service data and cannot discard the first service data.

[0150] If the user plane network element determines to discard a portion of the data packets in the first service data based on the maximum downlink packet loss rate, the user plane network element transmits the data after discarding the portion of the data packets in the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device.

[0151] It is understandable that after discarding some data packets in the first service data, the total packet loss rate of the service data transmitted by the user plane network element through the sessions of multiple terminal devices in the group should be less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate.

[0152] In this embodiment, after receiving the first service data, the user plane network element determines that the first service data belongs to a group based on the session of the first terminal device corresponding to the first service data and the association between the session and the group of the first terminal device. When transmitting the first service data through the session of the first terminal device, the user plane network element performs QoS control on the first service data based on the group's Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. For example, it controls the transmission of the first service data by at least one of the maximum downlink packet loss rate, the guaranteed downlink packet loss rate, or the maximum packet loss rate. In this way, unified QoS control can be achieved for terminal devices in the same group to meet the QoS control requirements of future service flows.

[0153] The above describes the QoS control of downlink data transmission by user plane network elements. The following describes the QoS control of uplink data by access network equipment. This communication method may also include steps S1-S2, which are optional.

[0154] S1, the access network device receives service data from the first terminal device.

[0155] In this context, the first terminal device belongs to a group, which includes multiple terminal devices, and the multiple terminal devices include the first terminal device. The access network device can determine that the first terminal device belongs to a group and that the service data is the service data of the first terminal device within the group by using the session corresponding to the service data of the first terminal device (i.e., the session of the first terminal device) and the group corresponding to the session of the first terminal device, such as the group identifier.

[0156] Optionally, prior to S1, the access network device receives a third message from the access and mobility management network element, the third message including a group identifier and QoS parameters of the group; the access network device determines that the first terminal device belongs to the group based on the group identifier.

[0157] It is understandable that the third message can be an N2 message. The group identifier in the third message can be the same as the group identifier information in S601, or it can be different. For example, the group identifier information in S601 can be DNN information, which has a relatively long character count. To save space, the group identifier included in the third message can be a short message, such as one or two numbers, used to distinguish different groups. The group identifier can be generated by the access and mobility management network elements based on the group identifier information in S601. Alternatively, the group identifier included in the third message can be the same as the group identifier information in S601.

[0158] The access and mobility management network element can be the AMF network element in the aforementioned 5GS, as detailed in the above introduction, or it can be a network element used in future communication systems to implement access and mobility management functions, without any limitation.

[0159] S2, the access network device transmits service data through the session of the first terminal device and performs QoS control of the first service data based on the QoS parameters of the group.

[0160] The QoS parameters of a group are shared by multiple terminal devices in their sessions. The QoS parameters of a group include at least one of the following: maximum uplink bandwidth, guaranteed uplink bandwidth, or maximum packet loss rate. It should be understood that the maximum packet loss rate here can be the maximum uplink packet loss rate for uplink data, such as the packet loss rate of access network devices.

[0161] Specifically, if the QoS parameter of the group is the maximum uplink bandwidth, then the total bandwidth of service data transmitted on the sessions of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum uplink bandwidth; if the QoS parameter of the group is the guaranteed uplink bandwidth, then the bandwidth resources provided by the access network device for the service data transmitted on the sessions of multiple terminal devices are greater than or equal to the guaranteed uplink bandwidth; if the QoS parameter of the group is the maximum packet loss rate, then the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the access network device through the sessions of multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate.

[0162] In one possible implementation, the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum uplink bandwidth; the access network device performs QoS management of the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters, which may include: if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is less than or equal to the maximum uplink bandwidth, the access network device transmits the first service data through the session of the first terminal device, wherein the second service data is the service data transmitted on the session of the second terminal device, and the second terminal device is one or more terminal devices other than the first terminal device among a plurality of terminal devices; or, if the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is greater than the maximum uplink bandwidth, the access network device discards the first service data.

[0163] In another possible implementation, the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum packet loss rate; the access network device performs QoS management of the first service data based on the group's QoS parameters, which may include: the access network device determining whether to discard the first service data based on the maximum packet loss rate.

[0164] Optionally, the sessions of multiple terminal devices may be sessions corresponding to the same data network name (DNN) and / or the same slice information.

[0165] S1-S2 can be executed before or after S601. If S1-S2 is executed before S601, the first business data can be response data to the business data in S1-S2.

[0166] It is understandable that S1-S2 introduces the QoS control of uplink data by access network devices through the QoS parameters of the group, which is the same as the QoS control principle of downlink data by user plane network elements. S1-S2 can be referred to the description of S601-S602, and will not be repeated here.

[0167] The overall flow of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application has been illustrated above with reference to Figure 6. The specific flow of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application in a specific scenario is described below with reference to Figure 7.

[0168] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment. This communication method is applicable to the aforementioned communication system and specifically involves the interaction between UPF network elements (i.e., user plane network elements), RAN (i.e., access network equipment), UE1 (i.e., the first terminal device), AMF network elements, SMF network elements, and UDM network elements. The RAN performs uplink bandwidth control based on the group identifier corresponding to the PDU session and the group's QoS parameters. The UPF network element performs downlink bandwidth control based on the group identifier corresponding to the PDU session and the group's QoS parameters. Thus, by sharing the QoS parameters of the group, unified QoS control can be achieved for terminal devices in the same group to meet the QoS management requirements of future service flows.

[0169] As shown in Figure 7, the flow of this communication method is as follows:

[0170] S700, UDM network element extends UE session subscription data.

[0171] Session subscription data can be SM subscription data. The UDM network element adds group identifier information and group QoS parameters to the UE's SM subscription data. The group identifier information is used to indicate the group to which this session belongs. The group identifier information can be a group identifier, or at least one of a data network name (DNN) and slice information. The slice information can be, for example, NSSAI, that is, using DNN and / or slice information to uniquely identify a group. Different groups have different DNN and / or slice information.

[0172] The QoS parameters for the group can be found in the description in S602, and will not be repeated here.

[0173] S701, UE1 sends a registration request message to RAN.

[0174] S702, the RAN sends a registration request message to the AMF network element.

[0175] S703, the AMF network element obtains the subscription data of UE1 from the UDM network element.

[0176] The AMF network element sends a subscription data request message to the UDM network element. This message requests UE1's SM subscription data and may include UE1's SUPI. The UDM network element can then query UE1's SM subscription data based on its SUPI and send this data to the AMF network element. UE1's SM subscription data includes at least one of the following: the first group identifier to which the UE belongs, the group's QoS parameters, and UE1's SUPI information. The group's QoS parameters indicate that multiple UEs in the group share QoS parameters for PDU sessions with the same DNN and / or slice information. These QoS parameters include at least one of the following: maximum uplink bandwidth, maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed uplink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, maximum uplink packet loss rate, and maximum downlink packet loss rate. The maximum uplink packet loss rate can be referenced from...

[0177] Additionally, optionally, the UDM stores the QoS parameters corresponding to the group in the group subscription.

[0178] S704, the AMF network element sends an N2 message to the RAN.

[0179] The N2 message contains a second group identifier and the group's QoS parameters. The second group identifier is the same as the first group identifier, or the AMF network element generates the second group identifier based on the first group identifier.

[0180] S705, RAN stores the second group identifier to which UE1 belongs and the group's QoS parameters.

[0181] S706, RAN sends a registration success message to UE1.

[0182] S707, UE1 sends the first session establishment request message to the AMF network element.

[0183] The first session establishment request message is used to request the establishment of PDU session #1. The first establishment request message can be carried in an uplink NAS transport (UL NAS transport) message. That is, UE1 sends an uplink NAS transport message to the AMF network element, which carries the first session establishment request message.

[0184] S708, the AMF network element sends a first session establishment request message to the SMF network element.

[0185] S709, the SMF network element obtains the subscription data corresponding to PDU session #1 from the UDM network element.

[0186] The subscription data corresponding to PDU session #1 can be the subscription data corresponding to the DNN and / or slice information of PDU session #1, that is, the SM subscription data of UE1.

[0187] The SMF network element sends a subscription data request message to the UDM network element. This message requests UE1's SM subscription data and may include UE1's SUPI (Subscription Information Pointer). The UDM network element can then query UE1's SM subscription data based on UE1's SUPI identifier and send this data to the SMF network element. UE1's SM subscription data includes at least one of the following: the first group identifier of PDU session #1, the group's QoS parameters, and UE1's SUPI information.

[0188] S710, SMF network element stores the first group identifier corresponding to PDU session #1, and the QoS parameters of the group.

[0189] S710 is an optional step.

[0190] S711, the SMF network element sends a second session establishment request message to the UPF network element.

[0191] The Second Session Establishment Request message is used to request the establishment of a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session between an SMF network element and a UPF network element. This message can be carried within an N4 message; that is, the SMF network element sends an N4 message to the UPF network element, which includes the Second Session Establishment Request message. The Second Session Establishment Request message may contain first group identifier information and QoS parameters for the group session.

[0192] S712, UPF stores the first group identifier information corresponding to PDU session #1, as well as the group's QoS parameters.

[0193] The UPF network element stores the correspondence between PDU session #1, the first group identifier, and the group's QoS parameters. When a UE in the group establishes a PDU session with the same DNN and / or slice information as PDU session #1, such as UE2 in the group establishing a PDU session #2 with the same DNN and / or slice information as PDU session #1, the UPF network element adds storage to the first group identifier information corresponding to PDU session #2, as well as the group's QoS parameters.

[0194] S713, the UPF network element sends a second session establishment response message to the SMF network element.

[0195] The second session can be a PFCP session, and the response message for establishing the second session is a response message indicating that the PFCP session has been successfully established.

[0196] S714, the SMF network element sends a PDU session #1 establishment success response message to the AMF network element.

[0197] S715, the AMF network element sends a PDU session #1 establishment success response message to the RAN.

[0198] The aforementioned PDU session #1 establishment success response message can be a NAS message, which is carried within the N1N2 transmission message. The SMF network element sends the PDU session establishment success response message to the AMF network element, and then the AMF network element sends the PDU session #1 establishment success response message to the RAN. Optionally, the PDU session #1 establishment success response message includes the second group identifier and the group's QoS parameters, as described in S704. That is, if the second group identifier and the group's QoS parameters are not sent to the access network device in S704, they can be sent to the access network device in S715. The access network device stores the second group identifier and the group's QoS parameters.

[0199] S716, RAN sends a PDU session #1 establishment success response message to UE1.

[0200] The above describes the registration process and PDU session establishment process for UE1 to register with the network side. The registration process and PDU session establishment process for other UEs in the group can refer to the registration process and PDU session establishment process for UE1. For example, if UE2 in the group registers with the network side and establishes a PDU session #2 with the same DNN and / or slice information as UE1 (not shown in Figure 7), the specific process can be referred to S701 to S716, which will not be elaborated here.

[0201] Furthermore, when UE2 establishes PDU session #2, the AMF network element selects the same SMF network element for UE2 based on the first group identification information. Similarly, the SMF network element selects the same UPF network element for UE2 in the same group based on the first group identification information.

[0202] S717, RAN performs QoS control based on the second group identifier and the group's QoS parameters.

[0203] The RAN device identifies the second group identifier of the UE corresponding to the uplink data packet. For example, if the uplink data packets of UE1 and UE2 belong to the same group (i.e., they have the same second group identifier), then when the group's QoS parameter is the maximum uplink bandwidth value, the total bandwidth of the uplink data packets of UE1 and UE2 cannot exceed the maximum uplink bandwidth. The RAN device will discard data packets exceeding the maximum bandwidth. When the group's QoS parameter is the guaranteed uplink bandwidth value, the total bandwidth of the uplink data packets of UE1 and UE2 cannot be less than the guaranteed uplink bandwidth. When the group's QoS parameter is the maximum packet loss rate, the total packet loss rate of the uplink data packets of UE1 and UE2 cannot be higher than the maximum packet loss rate.

[0204] In S718, the UPF network element performs QoS control based on the first group identifier and the group's QoS parameters.

[0205] The UPF network element identifies the first group identifier of the session corresponding to the downlink data packet. For example, if the downlink data packets of UE1 and UE2 belong to the same group, and the DNN of the PDU sessions of UE1 and UE2 is the same, then when the QoS parameter of the group for this DNN session is the maximum uplink bandwidth value, the total bandwidth of downlink data packets transmitted on the PDU sessions of this DNN of UE1 and UE2 cannot exceed the maximum downlink bandwidth. UPF will discard data packets exceeding the maximum bandwidth. When the QoS parameter of the group is the guaranteed downlink bandwidth value, the bandwidth of downlink data packets transmitted on the PDU sessions of this DNN of UE1 and UE2 cannot be less than the guaranteed downlink bandwidth. When the QoS parameter of the group is the maximum downlink packet loss rate, the total packet loss rate of downlink data packets transmitted on the PDUs of this DNN of UE1 and UE2 cannot be higher than the maximum packet loss rate.

[0206] There is no restriction on the execution order of S718 and S717; that is, S718 can be executed before or after S717.

[0207] In summary, the RAN controls uplink bandwidth based on the group identifier corresponding to the PDU session and the QoS parameters of the group, while the UPF network element controls downlink bandwidth based on the group identifier corresponding to the PDU session and the QoS parameters of the group. In this way, unified QoS control can be achieved for terminal devices in the same group through the sharing of QoS parameters of the group, so as to meet the QoS management of future service flows (such as service flows that are uniformly controlled at the group level).

[0208] The above describes the QoS control performed by user plane network elements and access network equipment based on the QoS parameters of the group. The following describes the process of the first terminal device within the group transmitting uplink data. This communication method may also include steps S11-S13, which are optional.

[0209] S11, the first terminal device receives third service data from the third terminal device.

[0210] The first terminal device and the third terminal device belong to the same group. The first terminal device is the master device, and the third terminal device is the slave device.

[0211] A master device can be a group-level device used to manage slave devices within the group it belongs to, such as establishing connections with slave devices and exchanging signaling information with them. The master device has the capability to send uplink data; service data from slave devices must be sent to user plane network elements through the master device.

[0212] The distinction between master and slave devices among multiple terminal devices within a group can be determined through interaction between the terminal devices. This application does not restrict how master and slave devices are negotiated. Optionally, multiple terminal devices within the group establish a connection and negotiate master and slave devices. For example, if the group includes UE1 and UE2, UE1 sends a message to UE2 carrying a master device indication, requesting that UE1 be designated as the master device. UE2 sends a response message to UE1, including information agreeing to UE1 as the master device. As another example, if the group includes UE1 and UE2, UE2 sends a message to UE1 carrying UE1's identifier and a master device indication, requesting that UE1 be designated as the master device. UE1 sends a response message to UE2, including information agreeing to UE1 as the master device. Of course, other negotiation methods are also possible, or the network side can designate the master and slave devices.

[0213] The following describes the method of instructing master and slave devices from the network side.

[0214] Optionally, the communication method may further include: a first terminal device receiving indication information from an access and mobility management network element or a session management network element, wherein the indication information indicates that the first terminal device is a master device.

[0215] The instruction information indicates that the network side authorizes the first terminal device as the master device. This instruction information can be carried in NAS messages, such as registration success messages or PDU session establishment success messages. Alternatively, the instruction information can be provided separately through newly added signaling; there are no limitations on this. Based on the instruction information, the first terminal device confirms its status as the master device and subsequently sends service data (such as third-party service data) from the slave device to the user plane network elements. The access and mobility management network element can be the AMF network element in the aforementioned 5GS (refer to the relevant descriptions above), or it can be a network element in a future communication system used to implement corresponding access and mobility management functions; there are no limitations on this.

[0216] Optionally, before the first terminal device receives the indication information from the access and mobility management network element, the communication method may further include: the first terminal device sending capability information to the access and mobility management network element or the session management network element, the capability information indicating that the first terminal device has the capability to act as a master device.

[0217] Capability information can be carried in NAS messages, such as registration request messages or PDU session establishment request messages, or in new signaling, without restriction. The first terminal device uses the capability information to indicate to the access and mobility management network element or session management network element that it has the capability to act as a master device, so that the access and mobility management network element or session management network element authorizes the first terminal device as the master device, that is, to receive the indication information.

[0218] The access and mobility management network element or the session management network element can also send indication information to the first terminal device based on the session management (SM) subscription data of the first terminal device. Optionally, the access and mobility management network element or the session management network element receives session subscription data from the first terminal device from the data management network element. The session subscription data is SM subscription data, which includes master device information indicating that the first terminal device is the master device. Therefore, the access and mobility management network element or the session management network element sends indication information to the first terminal device based on the master device information, indicating that the first terminal device is the master device.

[0219] Master device information can be pre-configured in data management network elements (such as UDM network elements) or in the SM subscription data of the first terminal device. Access and mobility management network elements or session management network elements obtain master device information from the SM subscription data corresponding to the session or the first terminal device, and then send indication information to the first terminal device.

[0220] It is understood that the master device information in the capability information and session subscription data can be used alone or in combination. That is, the access and mobility management network element or the session management network element sends instruction information to the first terminal device based on the master device information and capability information.

[0221] For example, the AMF network element authorizes UE1 as the master device based on the master device indication information in UE1's SM subscription data, that is, it sends the master device indication information to UE1. Alternatively, the AMF network element authorizes UE1 as the master device based on the capability information from UE1, which indicates that UE1 has the capability to act as the master device. Or, the AMF network element authorizes UE1 as the master device based on the master device indication information in the SM subscription data and the capability information from UE1.

[0222] In addition, the Access and Mobility Management (AMM) network element or Session Management (SEM) network element can also send indication information to the first terminal device based on local policies. For example, the AMF network element determines UE1 as the primary device based on local policies. Capability information, primary device information in session subscription data, and local policies of the AMF network element or SEM network element can be used in combination. For example, if the SM subscription data received by the AMF network element contains primary device indication information and / or the AMF network element determines UE1 as the primary device based on local policies, then the AMF will determine UE1 as the primary device. Alternatively, if the UE subscription contains a primary device indication or the AMF determines it based on local policies, and the UE sends a primary device capability indication, then the AMF will determine the UE as the primary device. These are just some examples; the method of network-side indication of primary device is not limited.

[0223] The network side can indicate the slave device in the same way as the master device, or the network side can not send any indication information related to the slave device. If the third terminal device does not receive any indication information indicating that the third terminal device is the master device, it can implicitly indicate that the third terminal device is the slave device.

[0224] S12, if the address range of the group includes the address of the third service data, the first terminal device sends the third service data to the user plane network element through the session corresponding to the group.

[0225] Correspondingly, the user plane network element receives third service data from the first terminal device.

[0226] In this context, the address range of a group refers to the range of addresses used by multiple terminal devices within the group for transmitting service data. In other words, multiple terminal devices use addresses within the group's address range to transmit service data. The group's address range can be a range of network addresses or physical addresses, such as IP addresses or media access control (MAC) addresses. The address range can also be replaced with any possible expression, such as an address segment, without limitation. For ease of explanation, the following description uses an IP address range as an example.

[0227] An IP address range can contain at least one Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address and / or Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address. An IP address range can be expressed as an IP address and a subnet mask; for example, an IPv6 address range can include an IPv6 prefix and / or a subnet mask. For instance, an IPv4 address range might be 192.168.1.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. An IP address range can also be a list of IP addresses, which can include multiple IP addresses, either consecutively or non-consecutively, such as an IP range.

[0228] The address range of a group can be pre-configured in the data management network element (such as the UDM network element) or in the session management (SM) subscription data of the first terminal device. The session management network element obtains the group identifier and the group's address range from the subscription data corresponding to the session or the first terminal device. Then, the session management network element sends the group's address range to the user plane network element and the first terminal device. For example, the SMF network element obtains UE1's SM subscription data from the UDM network element. The SM subscription data contains the identifier information of the group to which UE1 belongs and the group's IP address range. The SMF network element carries the identifier information of the group to which UE1 belongs and the group's IP address range in an N4 message and sends it to the UPF network element. It also carries the identifier information of the group to which UE1 belongs and the group's IP address range in a session establishment success response message and sends it to UE1.

[0229] Optionally, prior to S01, the communication method may further include: a first terminal device receiving a second message from a session management network element, the second message indicating that the session has been successfully established, the second message including the address range of the group corresponding to the session; and the first terminal device storing the correspondence between the address ranges of the session and the group.

[0230] The second message can be a successful session establishment message received when the first terminal device establishes a session, such as a PDU session establishment success response message sent by the SMF network element in response to a PDU session establishment request. The second message can also be received through the access and mobility management network element; that is, the session management network element sends the second message to the access and mobility management network element, which then forwards the second message to the first terminal device, thus allowing the first terminal device to receive the second message.

[0231] The second message can be carried in a downlink NAS transmission message, carrying the address range of the group corresponding to the session, such as the PDU session of UE1 corresponding to the IP address range of the group to which UE1 belongs. The second message implicitly instructs the first terminal device to map the session to the address range of the group. The second message may also contain indication information for indicating the mapping of the session to the address range of the group, for explicitly instructing the first terminal device to associate and store the address range of the session with the address range of the group, so that the first terminal device stores the mapping relationship between the address range of the session and the group according to the second message.

[0232] For example, the SMF network element sends a PDU session establishment success response message to the AMF network element, and then the AMF network element sends a downlink NAS transmission message to UE1. This downlink NAS transmission message carries the PDU session establishment success response message. UE1 belongs to group #1, and UE1 stores the IP address range information of group #1 corresponding to PDU session #1.

[0233] Thus, the first terminal device is the master device, and when forwarding third service data to user plane network elements, it needs to determine the session used to transmit the third service data. The first terminal device stores the correspondence between sessions and group address ranges. Therefore, when the first terminal device receives third service data from a slave device (i.e., the third terminal device), it can determine the session corresponding to the group through the correspondence between sessions and group address ranges, and then send the third service data to the user plane network elements through the session corresponding to the group. Since the DNN and / or slice information of the sessions associated with the group are the same, the reliability and continuity of the service can be guaranteed. For example, UE1 is the master device in the group, and UE2 is the slave device in the group. UE2 sends uplink data packets to the group master device UE1. Since UE1 pre-stores the correspondence between PDU session #1 and group IP address ranges, after receiving the uplink data packet sent by UE2, UE1 determines the PDU session #1 corresponding to the uplink data packet based on the IP address information in the uplink data packet header belonging to the IP address range. Therefore, UE1 transmits the uplink data packet in PDU session #1.

[0234] S13, if the first terminal device is the master device, the user plane network element transmits the third service data to the data network; or, if the first terminal device is the slave device, the user plane network element discards the third service data.

[0235] User plane network elements will only transmit uplink data packets to the data network when they receive uplink data packets in the session of the master device. If a user plane network element receives an uplink data packet in the session of the slave device, it will consider it an erroneous transmission and discard the uplink data packet during uplink data packet inspection.

[0236] Optionally, before the user plane network element receives the third service data from the first terminal device, the communication method may further include: the user plane network element receiving first indication information from the session management network element, the first indication information indicating that the first terminal device is the master device.

[0237] Optionally, the SM subscription data of the first terminal device includes a master device indication. Thus, during the session establishment process of the first terminal device, the session management network element obtains the SM subscription data of the first terminal device from the data management network element (such as UDM) and sends the first indication information in the SM subscription data to the user plane network element. Therefore, the user plane network element can obtain session information indicating that the first terminal device is the master device and / or the session is the master device.

[0238] The first indication information can be carried in an N4 message, such as when an SMF network element sends an N4 message to a UPF network element, and the N4 message carries the first indication information. Alternatively, the first indication information can be carried in a new signaling message, or the session management network element can send the first indication information separately to the user plane network element.

[0239] After receiving the first instruction information, the user plane network element identifies the first terminal device as the master device and / or identifies the session of the first terminal device as the master session.

[0240] Optionally, before the user plane network element receives the third service data from the first terminal device, the communication method may further include: the user plane network element receiving second indication information from the session management network element, the second indication information indicating that the third terminal device is a slave device.

[0241] Optionally, the SM subscription data of the third terminal device includes a slave device indication. Thus, during the session establishment process of the third terminal device, the session management network element obtains the SM subscription data of the third terminal device from the data management network element (such as UDM) and sends the second indication information in the SM subscription data to the user plane network element. Therefore, the user plane network element can obtain information that the third terminal device is a slave device and that the session is a slave device.

[0242] Optionally, the session management network element does not send the second indication information to the user plane network element, which implicitly indicates that the third terminal device is a slave device. That is, if the user plane network element does not receive the indication information indicating that the third terminal device is a master device, it means that the third terminal device is a slave device. Thus, the user plane network element identifies the third terminal device as a slave device and / or identifies the session of the third terminal device as a slave session.

[0243] For example, a UPF network element receives an uplink data packet from UE2 in UE1's PDU session. If the UPF network element determines that the PDU session is the master session, i.e., UE1 is the master device, then the UPF network element performs uplink data packet detection and continues to transmit the uplink data packet to the data network. Otherwise, the UPF network element discards the uplink data packet. That is, if the UPF network element receives an uplink data packet from a session (the slave device's session), it will consider it an erroneous transmission during uplink data packet detection and therefore discard the uplink data packet.

[0244] As can be seen, the above describes the process of the master device transmitting uplink data when there is a master-slave distinction among terminal devices within a group. The following, with reference to Figure 8, describes the specific process of the communication method provided in this application embodiment in a specific scenario.

[0245] Figure 8 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment. This communication method is applicable to the aforementioned communication system, specifically involving the interaction between UPF network elements (i.e., user plane network elements), UE1 (i.e., the first terminal device), UE2 (i.e., the third terminal device), AMF network elements, SMF network elements, and UDM network elements. If there is a master-slave distinction among the terminal devices within the group, the master device transmits the uplink data packets. The master device stores the correspondence between sessions and the address ranges of the group. Therefore, when the master terminal device receives uplink data packets from the slave device, it can determine the session corresponding to the group through the correspondence between sessions and the address ranges of the group, and then send uplink data packets to the UPF network element through the session corresponding to the group. Since the DNN and / or slice information of the sessions associated with the group are the same, the reliability and continuity of the service can be guaranteed.

[0246] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the flow of this communication method is as follows:

[0247] S800, UDM network element extends UE session subscription data.

[0248] If the UE is the master device, the session subscription data may include master device indication information. Optionally, if the UE is the slave device, the session subscription data may include slave device indication information or may not include any information used to indicate master or slave devices. Optionally, the session subscription data may also include group IP address range information, which can be referred to the description in S12.

[0249] S801, UE1 and UE2 negotiate the master and slave devices.

[0250] Step S801 is optional, and the execution order of S800 and S801 is not limited. There is a master-slave distinction among UEs in the group. UEs establish connections and negotiate the master and slave roles. This application does not restrict how the master and slave roles are negotiated. The determination of the master and slave roles can be referred to in S11 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0251] S802, UE1 sends a registration request message to RAN.

[0252] The registration request message includes capability information to indicate that UE1 has the capability to act as a master device.

[0253] S803, RAN sends a registration request message to the AMF network element.

[0254] S804, the AMF network element obtains the subscription data of UE1 from the UDM network element.

[0255] The AMF can obtain UE1's subscription data by referring to the description in S703. Optionally, UE1's subscription data may also include indication information that UE1 is the master device.

[0256] S805, the AMF network element sends a registration success message to the RAN.

[0257] The content of the registration success message can be found in the description in S704. Optionally, the registration success message may also include indication information that UE1 is the master device.

[0258] S806, RAN sends a registration success message to UE1.

[0259] S807, UE1 sends the first session establishment request message to the AMF network element.

[0260] S808, the AMF network element sends a first session establishment request message to the SMF network element.

[0261] S809, the SMF network element obtains the subscription data corresponding to PDU session #1 from the UDM network element.

[0262] UE1 is the master device. The subscription data corresponding to PDU session #1 may include master device indication information to indicate that UE1 is the master device, and / or master session indication information to indicate that PDU session #1 is the master session.

[0263] S810, the SMF network element sends a second session establishment request message to the UPF network element.

[0264] S811, the UPF network element stores the first group identifier information, group QoS parameters and master device indication information corresponding to PDU session #1.

[0265] It is understandable that the UPF network element can also store master session indication information, which is used to identify PDU session #1 as the master session.

[0266] S812, the UPF network element sends a second session establishment response message to the SMF network element.

[0267] The second session can be a PFCP session, and the response message for establishing the second session is a response message indicating that the PFCP session has been successfully established.

[0268] S813, the SMF network element sends a PDU session #1 establishment success response message to the AMF network element.

[0269] The PDU session #1 establishment success response message may include the group's IP address range information, indicating that the group's sessions share the same IP address range.

[0270] S814, the AMF network element sends a PDU session #1 establishment success response message to the RAN.

[0271] The successful response message for PDU session #1 can be found in the description of S715, and will not be repeated here.

[0272] S815, RAN sends a PDU session #1 establishment success response message to UE1.

[0273] Optionally, UE1 stores the correspondence between IP address ranges and PDU session #1.

[0274] The specific procedures for S800-S815 can be referenced from S700-S716, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0275] The UE2 registration process can refer to the UE1 registration process, and will not be repeated here. The following is the process for UE2 to establish PDU session #2.

[0276] S816, UE2 sends a third session establishment request message to the AMF network element.

[0277] S817, the AMF network element sends a third session establishment request message to the SMF network element.

[0278] S818, the SMF network element obtains the subscription data corresponding to PDU session #2 from the UDM network element.

[0279] UE2 is the slave device. The subscription data corresponding to PDU session #2 may include slave device indication information to indicate that UE1 is the slave device, and / or slave session indication information to indicate that PDU session #2 is a slave session. Alternatively, the subscription data corresponding to PDU session #2 may not contain slave device indication information, implicitly indicating that UE1 is the slave device.

[0280] S819, the SMF network element sends an N4 session establishment request message to the UPF network element.

[0281] The N4 session establishment request message may include first group identification information and QoS parameters for the group session. Optionally, the N4 message may include slave device indication information and / or slave session indication information.

[0282] S820, the UPF network element stores the first group identifier information, group QoS parameters and slave device indication information corresponding to PDU session #2.

[0283] It is understandable that the UPF network element can also store slave session indication information, which is used to identify PDU session #2 as a slave session.

[0284] S821, the UPF network element sends an N4 session establishment success message to the SMF network element.

[0285] S822, the SMF network element sends a PDU session #2 establishment success response message to the AMF network element.

[0286] S823, the AMF network element sends a PDU session #2 establishment success response message to the RAN.

[0287] S824, RAN sends a PDU session #2 establishment success response message to UE2.

[0288] The following describes the process of UE2 sending uplink data packets.

[0289] S825, UE2 sends an uplink data packet to UE1.

[0290] UE2, acting as a group slave device, sends uplink data packets to the group master device UE1.

[0291] S826, UE1 determines the PDU session #1 corresponding to the uplink data packet based on the IP address of the uplink data packet.

[0292] In S815, UE1 stores the IP address range information of the group corresponding to PDU session #1. When the source IP address of the received uplink data packet belongs to the IP address range of the above group, it is determined that the uplink data packet corresponds to PDU session #1.

[0293] S827, UE1 transmits uplink data packets to the UPF network element through PDU session #1.

[0294] S828, the UPF network element transmits uplink data packets to the data network.

[0295] If the UPF network element receives an uplink data packet from UE2 in UE1's PDU session #1, and the UPF network element determines that PDU session #1 is the master session, then the UPF network element performs uplink data packet detection and continues to transmit uplink data packets to the data network. Otherwise, the UPF network element discards the uplink data packet.

[0296] It is understandable that the RAN only receives uplink data packets from the group at UE1, so uplink QoS control can be performed based on the QoS parameters of UE1.

[0297] Thus, if there is a master-slave distinction among the terminal devices within the group, the master device will transmit the uplink data packets. The master device stores the mapping between sessions and the address ranges of the group. Therefore, when the master terminal device receives uplink data packets from the slave device, it can determine the session corresponding to the group through the mapping between sessions and the address ranges of the group, and then send uplink data packets to the UPF network element through the session corresponding to the group. Since the DNN and / or slice information of the sessions associated with the group are the same, the reliability and continuity of the service can be guaranteed.

[0298] The following describes how UEs within the same group select the same RAN.

[0299] Figure 9 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the communication method is as follows:

[0300] S900, UE1 initiates a registration process with RAN1.

[0301] The process of UE1 registering with the network side can be referred to in the descriptions of S700-S706 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0302] S901, UE2 sends a registration request message to RAN2.

[0303] S902, RAN2 sends a registration request message to the AMF network element.

[0304] S903, the AMF network element determines that UE1 and UE2 belong to the same group.

[0305] S904, the AMF network element sends a registration failure message to RAN2.

[0306] The AMF network element determines that UE1 and UE2, which belong to the same group, are connected to different RANs. It then sends a registration failure message to RAN2. This message indicates that UE2's registration has failed, and the reason value is RAN reselection. Additionally, the registration failure message includes the RAN1 identifier.

[0307] S905, RAN2 sends a registration failure message to UE2.

[0308] S906, UE2 reselects RAN1 based on the RAN1 identifier and re-initiates the registration process through RAN1.

[0309] Subsequently, UE1 and UE2 connect to the same RAN1. RAN1 implements QoS control for the group. The registration process can be referred to the descriptions in S700-S706, and will not be repeated here.

[0310] The following describes how, when the same RAN cannot be selected, QoS control between different RANs can be coordinated through RAN management elements, such as the network data analytics function (NWDAF) element.

[0311] Figure 10 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 10, the communication method is as follows:

[0312] S1000, UE1 registers with the network side through RAN1.

[0313] The process of UE1 registering with the network side can be referred to in the descriptions of S700-S706 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0314] S1001, UE2 registers with the network side through RAN2.

[0315] The process of UE2 registering with the network side can be referred to in the descriptions of S700-S706 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0316] S1002, RAN1 sends the group's resource usage information to the NWDAF network element.

[0317] RAN1 reports the group's resource usage information to the control plane network element, such as the NWDAF network element. The group's resource usage information can be carried in message #1, which contains group identification information and bandwidth information. The bandwidth information is the bandwidth resource information occupied by multiple UEs within the group.

[0318] S1003, RAN2 sends group resource usage information to the NWDAF network element.

[0319] S1004, the NWDAF network element coordinates the bandwidth allocation of RAN1 and RAN2 based on the group's identification information and QoS parameters.

[0320] If the NWDAF network element receives a report from RAN1 indicating that the group's bandwidth usage is Q1, and the maximum bandwidth in the group's QoS parameters is Q2, then the NWDAF sends message #2 to RAN2. Message #2 contains the group's identification information and the maximum bandwidth information, which is Q2-Q1. RAN2 then performs bandwidth control for the group based on the group identification information and the bandwidth information from the NWDAF network element.

[0321] Thus, when the same RAN cannot be selected, the NWDAF network element coordinates the QoS control between different RANs.

[0322] The methods provided by the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to Figures 6-10. The communication apparatus used to perform the communication methods provided by the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 11-12.

[0323] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, as shown in Figure 11, the communication device 1100 includes a transceiver module 1101 and a processing module 1102. For ease of explanation, Figure 11 only shows the main components of the communication device.

[0324] The transceiver module 1101 is used to perform the transceiver function of the method shown in Figure 6 above, and the processing module 1102 is used to perform other functions of the method shown in Figure 7 above besides the transceiver function.

[0325] Optionally, the transceiver module 1101 may include a transmitting module (not shown in FIG11) and a receiving module (not shown in FIG11). The transmitting module is used to implement the transmitting function of the communication device 1100, and the receiving module is used to implement the receiving function of the communication device 1100.

[0326] Optionally, the communication device 1100 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG11) that stores programs or instructions. When the processing module 1102 executes the program or instructions, the communication device 1100 can perform the functions of the terminal or network device in the method shown in FIG6 above.

[0327] It is understood that the communication device 1100 may be a terminal or network device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be set in the terminal or network device, or a device that includes the terminal or network device. This application does not limit it in this regard.

[0328] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 1100 can be referred to the technical effects of the communication method shown in Figure 6, and will not be repeated here.

[0329] Figure 12 is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, the communication device can be a terminal, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be disposed in the terminal. As shown in Figure 12, the communication device 1200 may include a processor 1201. Optionally, the communication device 1200 may also include a memory 1202 and / or a transceiver 1203. The processor 1201 is coupled to the memory 1202 and / or the transceiver 1203, for example, by means of a communication bus, an internal chip interface, or other communication lines. Optionally, the memory 1202 may be integrated with the processor 1201.

[0330] The following is a detailed description of each component of the communication device 1200 with reference to Figure 12:

[0331] The processor 1201 is the control center of the communication device 1200. It can be a single processor or a collective term for multiple processing elements. For example, the processor 1201 can be one or more central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0332] Optionally, the processor 1201 can perform various functions of the communication device 1200 by running or executing software programs stored in the memory 1202 and calling data stored in the memory 1202, such as performing the communication method shown in FIG7 above.

[0333] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, processor 1201 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 shown in FIG12.

[0334] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, the communication device 1200 may also include multiple processors, such as processors 1201 and 1204 shown in FIG. 12. Each of these processors may be a single-core processor (single-CPU) or a multi-core processor (multi-CPU). Here, a processor may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0335] The memory 1202 is used to store the software program that executes the solution of this application, and is controlled by the processor 1201 to execute it. The specific implementation method can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0336] Optionally, the memory 1202 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, 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 not limited thereto. The memory 1202 may be integrated with the processor 1201 or may exist independently and be coupled to the processor 1201 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1200 (not shown in FIG. 12). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0337] Transceiver 1203 is used for communication with other communication devices. For example, if communication device 1200 is a terminal, transceiver 1203 can be used to communicate with a network device or with another terminal device. As another example, if communication device 1200 is a network device, transceiver 1203 can be used to communicate with a terminal or with another network device.

[0338] Optionally, transceiver 1203 may include a receiver and a transmitter (not shown separately in Figure 12). The receiver is used to implement the receiving function, and the transmitter is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0339] Optionally, the transceiver 1203 can be integrated with the processor 1201 or exist independently and be coupled to the processor 1201 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1200 (not shown in FIG12). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0340] It is understood that the structure of the communication device 1200 shown in Figure 12 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. Actual communication devices may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0341] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 1200 can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0342] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or it can be other general-purpose processors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc.

[0343] It should also be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can be ROM, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), EEPROM, or flash memory. Volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static RAM (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 linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0344] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware (such as circuits), firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer programs are loaded or executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more sets of available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium. A semiconductor medium can be a solid-state drive.

[0345] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0346] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0347] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0348] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0349] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0350] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0351] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0352] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0353] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes all the various possible memories described above.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The user plane network element receives first service data; the first service data is service data of a first terminal device in a group, the group includes multiple terminal devices, and the multiple terminal devices include the first terminal device. The user plane network element transmits the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device, and performs QoS control of the first service data based on the QoS parameters of the group.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sessions of the multiple terminal devices are sessions corresponding to the same data network name (DNN) and / or the same slice information.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Before the user plane network element receives the first service data, the method further includes: The user plane network element receives a first message from the session management network element, the first message including session information of the first terminal device and QoS parameters of the group; The user plane network element determines the session of the first terminal device based on the session information.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The session information of the first terminal device includes the identification information of the group, which is used to determine that the session of the first terminal device corresponds to the group.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The QoS parameters of the group include at least one of the following: maximum downlink bandwidth, guaranteed downlink bandwidth, or maximum packet loss rate.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, If the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum downlink bandwidth, then the total bandwidth of service data transmitted on the sessions of the multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth; if the QoS parameters of the group include the guaranteed downlink bandwidth, then the bandwidth resources provided by the user plane network element for the service data transmitted on the sessions of the multiple terminal devices are greater than or equal to the guaranteed downlink bandwidth; if the QoS parameters of the group include the maximum packet loss rate, then the total packet loss rate of service data transmitted by the user plane network element through the sessions of the multiple terminal devices is less than or equal to the maximum packet loss rate.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The QoS parameters of the group include the maximum downlink bandwidth; the QoS management of the first service data based on the QoS parameters of the group includes: If the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is less than or equal to the maximum downlink bandwidth, then the user plane network element transmits the first service data to the first terminal device through the session of the first terminal device, wherein the second service data is service data transmitted on the session of the second terminal device, and the second terminal device is one or more terminal devices other than the first terminal device among the plurality of terminal devices; or... If the total bandwidth of the first service data and the second service data is greater than the downlink maximum bandwidth, then the user plane network element discards the first service data.

8. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The QoS parameters of the group include the maximum packet loss rate; the QoS management of the first service data based on the QoS parameters of the group includes: The user plane network element determines whether to discard the first service data based on the maximum packet loss rate.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The method further includes: The user plane network element receives third service data from the first terminal device; the third service data is service data of the third terminal device, and the third terminal device is a slave device in the group; If the first terminal device is the master device, then the user plane network element transmits the third service data to the data network; or, If the first terminal device is a slave device, then the user plane network element discards the third service data.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Before the user plane network element receives the third service data from the first terminal device, the method further includes: The user plane network element receives a first indication information from the session management network element, the first indication information indicating that the first terminal device is the master device.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, Before the user plane network element receives the third service data from the first terminal device, the method further includes: The user plane network element receives a second indication information from the session management network element, the second indication information indicating that the third terminal device is a slave device.

12. A communication method, characterized in that, include: The first terminal device receives third service data from the third terminal device; the first terminal device and the third terminal device belong to the same group, the first terminal device is the master device, and the third terminal device is the slave device. If the address range of the group includes the address of the third service data, then the first terminal device sends the third service data to the user plane network element through the session corresponding to the group; the address range is the address range used by the service data of multiple terminal devices in the group.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Before the first terminal device receives the third service data from the third terminal device, the method further includes: The first terminal device receives a second message from the session management network element, the second message indicating that the session has been successfully established, and the second message includes the address range of the group corresponding to the session; The first device stores the correspondence between the address ranges of the sessions and the groups.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The method further includes: The first terminal device receives indication information from an access and mobility management network element or a session management network element, the indication information indicating that the first terminal device is a master device.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Before the first terminal device receives the indication information from the access and mobility management network element, the method further includes: The first terminal device sends capability information to the access and mobility management network element or the session management network element, the capability information indicating that the first terminal device has the capability to act as a master device.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, The apparatus includes: a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-11, or a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 12-15.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-11 to be performed, or cause the method as described in any one of claims 12-15 to be performed.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1-11, or cause the computer to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 12-15.

19. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-11 to be performed, or cause the method as described in any one of claims 12-15 to be performed.

20. A chip, characterized in that, The device includes a processor connected to a memory for storing a computer program, the processor executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-11 to be performed, or to cause the method as described in any one of claims 12-15 to be performed.

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