Communication method and communication apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of communications. Provided in are a communication method and a communication apparatus. The method comprises a P-CSCF network element receives a first registration message from a terminal, the first registration message comprising first indication information, and the first indication information indicating that the terminal supports data channel capability; and the P-CSCF network element sends a second registration message to an S-CSCF network element on the basis of the first registration message, the second registration message comprising the content of the first registration message and second indication information, the second indication information indicating that the P-CSCF network element supports data channel capability, and the second registration message being used for the S-CSCF network element to determine whether to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability. By means of the method, an S-CSCF network element can determine, on the basis of an indication of a P-CSCF network element, whether the P-CSCF network element supports data channel capability, and configuration of a whitelist of P-CSCF network elements is not required, thus reducing the degree of complexity and labor costs of network reconstruction operation.

Description

Communication method and communication apparatus

[0001] The present application claims priority from the Chinese patent application No. 202410985522.5 filed on July 22, 2024 with the State Intellectual Property Office, and entitled "Communication method and communication apparatus", the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication, and more particularly, to a communication method and a communication apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0003] The internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) data channel (DC) technology can support a series of call enhancement services and application innovations, such as interesting call, content sharing, intelligent customer service, calling card, remote assistance and the like, on the basis of traditional audio / video call services. If a terminal needs to use the DC capability in the call process, the terminal can negotiate with a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element. If the S-CSCF network element judges that the terminal supports the DC capability, and judges that the proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) network element through which the terminal registers also supports the DC capability according to the white list of the P-CSCF network element configured on the S-CSCF network element, the terminal is allowed to use the DC capability.

[0004] The P-CSCF network element is distributedly deployed, and is widely distributed and large in number in the operator network. In the construction process, it is impossible to complete the upgrade and reconstruction of the DC capability at one time. Meanwhile, the P-CSCF network element and the S-CSCF network element are connected with each other in the whole network, that is, for each S-CSCF network element, all the P-CSCF network elements in the whole network can be seen. Therefore, when upgrading one P-CSCF network element, the white list configuration of the P-CSCF network element to be reconstructed needs to be operated on the S-CSCF network element in the whole network. The above operation involves many network elements, has a long operation period, and requires high labor cost. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application provides a communication method and a communication apparatus, which can reduce the network reconstruction operation complexity and labor cost.

[0006] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. The method can be performed by a P-CSCF network element, or by a component (e.g., a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.) of the P-CSCF network element, or by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the function of the P-CSCF network element.

[0007] The method comprises: receiving a first registration message from a terminal, the first registration message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability (i.e., a DC capability); and sending, according to the first registration message, a second registration message to an S-CSCF network element, the second registration message comprising the content in the first registration message and second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability, and the second registration message being used for the S-CSCF network element to determine whether to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability.

[0008] According to the communication method provided in the present application, the P-CSCF network element can indicate to the S-CSCF whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability when the terminal registers, and the S-CSCF network element can learn whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability according to the indication of the P-CSCF network element. The method can learn whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability without configuring a white list of the P-CSCF network element on the S-CSCF network element, thereby reducing the complexity of network modification operation and labor cost. In addition, the communication method provided in the present application can reuse the existing registration message, and by carrying the second indication information in the registration message (the second registration message), the modification of the network protocol can be reduced.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

[0010] For example, the second indication information is +sip.p-cscf-subtype=“webrtc-datachannel”.

[0011] In a possible implementation, before sending the second registration message to the S-CSCF network element according to the first registration message, the method further comprises: determining whether to support the data channel capability according to the first registration message; and wherein sending the second registration message to the S-CSCF network element according to the first registration message comprises: in the case of supporting the data channel capability, sending the second registration message to the S-CSCF network element.

[0012] Based on the scheme, in a case that the terminal does not support the data channel capability, the P-CSCF network element can not determine whether the terminal supports the data channel capability, so that the processing complexity of the P-CSCF network element can be reduced. In a case that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability, the P-CSCF network element can also not send the second indication information, so that the signaling overhead can be reduced.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving a registration response message from the S-CSCF network element, the registration response message including third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

[0014] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by an S-CSCF network element, or by a component (for example, a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.) of the S-CSCF network element, or by a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the S-CSCF network element.

[0015] The method includes receiving a second registration message from a P-CSCF network element, the second registration message including content in a first registration message and second indication information, the first registration message being sent by a terminal to the P-CSCF network element, the first registration message including first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability, the second indication information being used to indicate that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability; and sending, according to the second registration message, a registration response message to the P-CSCF network element, the registration response message including third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

[0016] According to the communication method provided in the present application, the P-CSCF network element can indicate to the S-CSCF whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability when the terminal registers, and the S-CSCF network element can learn whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability according to the indication of the P-CSCF network element. The method can learn whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability without configuring a white list of the P-CSCF network element on the S-CSCF network element, so that the network reconstruction operation complexity and the labor cost can be reduced. In addition, the communication method provided in the present application can reuse the existing registration message, and by carrying the second indication information in the registration message (the second registration message), the modification of the network protocol can be reduced.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

[0018] In a possible implementation, before sending the registration response message to the P-CSCF network element according to the second registration message, the method further includes: determining, according to the second registration message, that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

[0019] In a third aspect, a communication apparatus is provided. In a possible design of the communication apparatus, the communication apparatus can implement the functions of the first aspect. For example, the communication apparatus can include modules or units or means corresponding to the operations of the first aspect, which can be implemented in software, or implemented by hardware, or implemented in combination of software and hardware.

[0020] In a fourth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided. In a possible design of the communication apparatus, the communication apparatus can implement the functions of the second aspect. For example, the communication apparatus can include modules or units or means corresponding to the operations of the second aspect, which can be implemented in software, or implemented by hardware, or implemented in combination of software and hardware.

[0021] In a fifth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus includes an interface circuit and one or more processors. The one or more processors are coupled to a memory. The memory is configured to store part or all of the computer program or instructions necessary to implement the functions of the first aspect or the second aspect. The one or more processors can execute the computer program or instructions, which, when executed, cause the communication apparatus to implement the method in any possible design or implementation of the first aspect or the second aspect. The interface circuit is configured to implement the communication function within the communication apparatus and / or the communication function of the communication apparatus with other apparatuses or components.

[0022] In a possible design, the processor is configured to communicate with other apparatuses or components through the interface circuit.

[0023] In a possible design, the communication apparatus can further include the memory.

[0024] In a sixth aspect, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes a P-CSCF network element and an S-CSCF network element. The P-CSCF network element can be the communication apparatus provided by the third aspect or the P-CSCF network element can execute the method provided by the first aspect. The S-CSCF network element can be the communication apparatus provided by the fourth aspect or the S-CSCF network element can execute the method provided by the second aspect.

[0025] In a seventh aspect, a computer readable storage medium is provided, and the computer readable storage medium stores computer readable instructions, when the computer readable instructions are read and executed by a computer, the method in any one of the aspects or any possible implementation manner of any one of the aspects is performed.

[0026] In an eighth aspect, a computer program product is provided, and when the computer program product is read and executed by a computer, the method in any one of the aspects or any possible implementation manner of any one of the aspects is performed.

[0027] In a ninth aspect, a communication apparatus is provided, and the communication apparatus comprises a processor, and when the processor executes a program or instructions, the method in any one of the aspects or any possible implementation manner of any one of the aspects is performed.

[0028] In a tenth aspect, a chip is provided, and the chip comprises a processor, and the processor is configured to call and run a computer program from a memory, so that the method in any one of the aspects or any possible implementation manner of any one of the aspects is performed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a network structure of an IMS network;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one scenario of configuring a whitelist of a P-CSCF network element;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a communication apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG. 5 is another schematic diagram of a communication apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, " / " means that the objects before and after the correlation are in an "or" relationship, for example, A / B can represent A or B; "and / or" in the present application is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone, where A, B can be singular or plural. And in the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more than two. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions means any combination of the items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, or a-b-c, where a, b, c can be single or multiple. In addition, in order to clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, "first", "second" and the like are used to distinguish the same items or similar items with basically the same function and role. The skilled in the art can understand that "first", "second" and the like do not limit the quantity and execution order, and "first", "second" and the like do not necessarily mean different.

[0036] In the method embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial number does not mean the execution order, the execution order should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0037] It can be understood that in the present application, "in the case of", "if", "when", "if" and the like can be replaced. And these descriptions all mean that the corresponding processing will be done under certain objective circumstances, not limited to time, and also does not require judgment action when implementing, and also does not mean that there are other limitations.

[0038] It can be understood that in the present application, the information indicated by the indication information is called the to-be-indicated information. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the to-be-indicated information, for example, but not limited to, the to-be-indicated information can be directly indicated, such as the to-be-indicated information itself or the index of the to-be-indicated information. It can also be indirectly indicated by indicating other information, where the other information and the to-be-indicated information have an association relationship. It can also only indicate part of the to-be-indicated information, and the other part of the to-be-indicated information is known or agreed in advance. For example, the indication of a specific information can also be achieved by means of the arrangement order of each information agreed in advance (for example, the protocol stipulates), thereby reducing the indication overhead to a certain extent.

[0039] It can be understood that some optional features in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented independently in some scenarios, without relying on other features, such as the scheme currently based on, to solve the corresponding technical problems and achieve the corresponding effects, and can also be combined with other features according to requirements in some scenarios. Correspondingly, the apparatuses given in the embodiments of the present application can also implement these features or functions accordingly, which will not be described here.

[0040] It can be understood that in the embodiments of the present application, the "A network element" can also be replaced by "A" or "A device / apparatus, etc.". For example, the P-CSCF network element can also be replaced by P-CSCF or P-CSCF device / apparatus, etc.

[0041] In the present application, the same or similar parts between various embodiments can be mutually referred to, unless otherwise specified. In the various embodiments of the present application, and the various implementation manners / implementation methods / implementation approaches in each embodiment, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments, and between various implementation manners / implementation methods / implementation approaches in each embodiment have consistency and can be mutually referred to, unless otherwise specified and there is no logical conflict. The technical features in different embodiments, and in various implementation manners / implementation methods / implementation approaches in each embodiment can be combined to form new embodiments, implementation manners, implementation methods, or implementation approaches according to their inherent logical relationship. The implementation manners of the present application described below do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present application.

[0042] The technical solutions provided by the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as a 5th generation (5G) or new radio (NR) system, an over the top (OTT) system (or a system that provides various application services to users through the Internet), a long term evolution (LTE) system, etc. The technical solutions provided by the present application can also be applied to future communication systems.

[0043] The terminal in the embodiments of the present application can also be referred to as a user equipment (UE), an access terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a terminal device, a wireless communication device, a user agent or a user apparatus. For example, the terminal can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a palm computer, a mobile internet device (MID), a wearable device, a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR) device, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in smart city, a wireless terminal in smart home, etc.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present application, the terminal is also described as a UE, and the UE and the terminal can be replaced with each other. The apparatus for implementing the function of the terminal can be the terminal, or can be an apparatus capable of supporting the terminal to implement the function, such as a chip system or a chip, which can be installed in the terminal. In the embodiments of the present application, the chip system can be composed of a chip, or can include the chip and other discrete devices.

[0045] The IMS network utilizes internet protocol (IP) technology to build a layered, open and converged communication core network on an operator network. FIG. 1 shows main network elements in the IMS network. As shown in FIG. 1, the IMS network mainly includes the following network elements: a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) network element 120, an interrogating call session control function (I-CSCF) network element 130, and a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element 140. For the convenience of understanding, the functions of the above network elements are briefly introduced as follows.

[0046] 1. P-CSCF network element: located in the visited network, is the entry node of the terminal (such as the terminal 110 shown in the figure) accessing the IMS network, mainly responsible for forwarding the session initialization protocol (SIP) signaling between the terminal and the home network.

[0047] For example, the P-CSCF network element can be a standalone network element, or can be integrated on a session border controller (SBC). The SBC can provide address network translation (NAT) traversal, access control, quality of service (QoS) control and other functions between the access network and the IMS network.

[0048] 2. I-CSCF network element: located in the home network, is the unified entry point of the home network, mainly used to realize the functions of routing and assigning S-CSCF network elements. After receiving the SIP request of other network devices, such as the SIP request of the P-CSCF network element, the I-CSCF network element can route or forward the SIP request to the S-CSCF network element.

[0049] 3. S-CSCF network element: located in the home network, is the central node of the IMS network, mainly responsible for terminal registration, authentication, session, routing and service triggering.

[0050] It should be understood that the IMS network structure shown in FIG. 1 is only an example, and in actual networks, the IMS network can also include more or fewer network elements, such as a home subscriber server (HSS).

[0051] It should also be understood that the network elements mentioned in the embodiments of the present application, such as the P-CSCF network element, the I-CSCF network element, the S-CSCF network element and other functional network elements, can be understood as network elements for realizing different functions, which can be combined into network slices as needed. These network elements can be independent hardware devices, or can be integrated into the same hardware device, or can be network elements in a hardware device, or can be software functions running on a dedicated hardware, or virtualized function modules instantiated on a platform (for example, a cloud platform), and the specific form of the network element is not limited by the present application. It can also be understood that the above naming is only defined for the convenience of distinguishing different functions, and should not constitute any limitation on the present application. The present application does not exclude the possibility of using other names in the future in other networks.

[0052] It should be noted that, as described previously, the I-CSCF network element does not actually process the received SIP request, only implements the routing or forwarding function, therefore, for the sake of description simplicity, the interaction between the P-CSCF network element and the S-CSCF network element through the I-CSCF network element is briefly described as the interaction between the P-CSCF network element and the S-CSCF network element below. That is, the P-CSCF network element sends information / message / signaling to the S-CSCF network element below actually means that the P-CSCF network element sends information / message / signaling to the I-CSCF network element, and then the I-CSCF network element forwards the information / message / signaling to the S-CSCF network element; similarly, the S-CSCF network element sends information / message / signaling to the P-CSCF network element actually means that the S-CSCF network element sends information / message / signaling to the I-CSCF network element, and then the I-CSCF network element forwards the information / message / signaling to the P-CSCF network element.

[0053] In one technique, if the terminal needs to use the DC capability in the call process, the terminal needs to complete the reporting of the terminal capability in the registration process, and the S-CSCF network element returns a label whether the terminal is allowed to use the DC capability according to the network side capability. When the S-CSCF network element judges whether the terminal can use the DC capability, it needs to judge whether the P-CSCF network element passed through by the terminal in the registration process supports the DC capability according to the rhythm of the operator network construction. If the terminal supports the DC capability and the P-CSCF network element also supports, then the use of the DC capability is allowed. One solution is to configure a white list of P-CSCF network elements on the S-CSCF network element, if the P-CSCF network element supports the DC capability, it is configured as a white list, when the user passes through the P-CSCF network element, the S-CSCF network element allows the use of the DC capability; otherwise, it is not allowed.

[0054] The P-CSCF network element is distributedly deployed, and in the operator network, it is widely distributed and has a large number. In the construction process, it is impossible to complete the upgrade and reconstruction of the DC capability at one time. At the same time, the P-CSCF network element and the S-CSCF network element are connected in pairs in the whole network, that is, for each S-CSCF network element, all P-CSCF network elements in the whole network can be seen. Therefore, when upgrading one P-CSCF network element each time, operation needs to be performed on the S-CSCF network element in the whole network, and the white list configuration of the P-CSCF network element to be reconstructed is increased.

[0055] For example, referring to the network architecture diagram shown in FIG. 2, due to the mobility of the terminals, the same terminal can register with the S-CSCF network element of the home network through the P-CSCF network element 210, the P-CSCF network element 220 and the P-CSCF network element 230 at different times respectively. For example, the S-CSCF network element of the home network of the terminal 1 is the S-CSCF network element 240, and then the terminal 1 can register with the S-CSCF network element 240 of the home network through the P-CSCF network element 210, the P-CSCF network element 220 and the P-CSCF network element 230 at different times respectively; the S-CSCF network element of the home network of the terminal 2 is the S-CSCF network element 250, and then the terminal 2 can register with the S-CSCF network element 250 of the home network through the P-CSCF network element 210, the P-CSCF network element 220 and the P-CSCF network element 230 at different times respectively; the S-CSCF network element of the home network of the terminal 3 is the S-CSCF network element 260, and then the terminal 3 can register with the S-CSCF network element 260 of the home network through the P-CSCF network element 210, the P-CSCF network element 220 and the P-CSCF network element 230 at different times respectively.

[0056] If one or more P-CSCF network elements are upgraded, for example, the P-CSCF network element 210 is upgraded so that the P-CSCF network element 210 can support the DC capability, then the white list of the P-CSCF network element 210 needs to be configured on the S-CSCF network element 240, the S-CSCF network element 250 and the S-CSCF network element 260. In this way, if a terminal supports the DC capability and registers with the S-CSCF network element of its home network through the P-CSCF network element 210, the S-CSCF network element of the home network of the terminal can allow the terminal to use the DC capability. For example, the terminal 1 supports the DC capability and registers with the S-CSCF network element 240 through the P-CSCF network element 210, and then the S-CSCF network element 240 can allow the terminal 1 to use the DC capability.

[0057] It can be seen that the operation of adding the white list configuration of the upgraded P-CSCF on all network S-CSCF network elements involves many network elements, has a long operation period, and requires high labor cost.

[0058] Therefore, the present application provides a communication method, in which the P-CSCF network element can carry an indication of whether it supports the DC capability when the terminal registers, so that the S-CSCF network element can know whether the P-CSCF network element supports the DC capability according to the indication. This method does not need to configure the white list of the P-CSCF network element on the S-CSCF network element, and thus can reduce the network operation complexity and labor cost.

[0059] The method provided by the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. It can be understood that the terminal, the P-CSCF network element, and the S-CSCF network element are mainly taken as examples of the execution subject of the interaction in the flowcharts provided by the present application, but the present application is not limited to the execution subject of the interaction. For example, the terminal / P-CSCF network element / S-CSCF network element can also be a chip, a chip system, or a processor supporting the terminal / P-CSCF network element / S-CSCF network element to implement the corresponding method, and can also be a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the terminal / P-CSCF network element / S-CSCF network element.

[0060] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The steps in the method 300 will be described below.

[0061] S310, the terminal sends a first register message to the P-CSCF network element. Correspondingly, the P-CSCF network element receives the first register message from the terminal.

[0062] The first register message includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability (i.e., a DC capability).

[0063] It should be understood that the first register message is a register message, and the function of the first register message is to register the terminal on the S-CSCF network element. In an example, the registration is a process in which the terminal obtains network authorization and completes network authentication and location reporting, and the terminal can use the network to complete basic calls or other audio / video services after the registration.

[0064] In an example, the first indication information can be an identifier. For example, the identifier is +sip.app-subtype=“webrtc-datachannel”.

[0065] In some embodiments, the corresponding indication information is carried in the first register message to indicate that the terminal supports the data channel capability only in the case where the terminal supports the data channel capability. In the case where the terminal does not support the data channel capability, the corresponding indication information is not carried in the first register message to indicate that the terminal does not support the data channel capability.

[0066] In some embodiments, whether the terminal supports the data channel capability or not, an indication information can be carried in the first register message to indicate whether the terminal supports the data channel capability.

[0067] It should be understood that other contents in the first register message except the first indication information can refer to related technologies, and will not be described herein.

[0068] S320, the P-CSCF network element sends a second registration message to the S-CSCF network element according to the first registration message. Correspondingly, the S-CSCF network element receives the second registration message from the P-CSCF network element.

[0069] The second registration message includes the content in the first registration message and second indication information, and the second indication information is used to indicate that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability.

[0070] The second registration message is used to register the terminal on the S-CSCF network element, which has the same effect as the first registration message. The scheme provided in the present application can reuse the existing registration message, and by carrying the second indication information in the registration message, the modification of the network protocol can be reduced.

[0071] In one example, the second indication information can be carried in the message header field in the second registration message. Alternatively, the second indication information can be carried in the message body of the second registration message.

[0072] In one example, the second indication information can be an identifier or a label. For example, the second indication information is: +sip.p-cscf-subtype=“webrtc-datachannel”.

[0073] In some embodiments, the corresponding indication information is carried in the second registration message to indicate that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability only in the case that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability. In the case that the P-CSCF network element does not support the data channel capability, the corresponding indication information is not carried in the second registration message to indicate that the P-CSCF network element does not support the data channel capability.

[0074] In some embodiments, whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability or not, an indication information can be carried in the second registration message to indicate whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability or not.

[0075] In some embodiments, before S320, the method 300 further includes:

[0076] S311, the P-CSCF network element determines whether it supports the data channel capability according to the first registration message.

[0077] Specifically, after receiving the first registration message, the P-CSCF network element determines whether it supports the data channel capability according to its own capability. If the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability, the second indication information is carried in the registration message sent to the S-CSCF network element, otherwise the second indication information is not carried.

[0078] In some embodiments, in the case that the first registration message carries the first indication information, the P-CSCF network element determines whether it supports the data channel capability.

[0079] Based on the scheme, in the case that the terminal does not support the data channel capability, the P-CSCF network element can not determine whether it supports the data channel capability, which can reduce the processing complexity of the P-CSCF network element. Moreover, in the case that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability, the P-CSCF network element can also not send the second indication information, thereby reducing the signaling overhead.

[0080] It should be noted that the present application does not exclude the possibility that the P-CSCF network element determines whether it supports the data channel capability in the case that the first registration message does not carry the first indication information, and the possibility that the P-CSCF network element sends the second indication information in the case that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability.

[0081] In some embodiments, after S320, the method 300 further includes:

[0082] S330, the S-CSCF network element determines whether to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability according to the second registration message.

[0083] Specifically, according to the first indication information in the second registration request message, the S-CSCF network element can determine that the terminal supports the data channel capability; according to the second indication information in the second registration request message, the S-CSCF network element can determine that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability. In some embodiments, if the terminal and the P-CSCF network element both support the data channel capability, the S-CSCF network element can determine to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability; if the terminal and / or the P-CSCF network element does not support the data channel capability, the S-CSCF network element can determine not to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability.

[0084] It should be noted that the present application does not exclude the possibility that the S-CSCF network element determines not to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability in the case that the terminal and the P-CSCF network element both support the data channel capability. For example, in the case that the operator decides to temporarily suspend the data channel capability according to the operation strategy, even if the terminal and the P-CSCF network element both support the data channel capability, the S-CSCF network element can also not allow the terminal to use the data channel capability.

[0085] S340, the S-CSCF network element sends a registration response message to the P-SCSF network element. Correspondingly, the P-SCSF network element receives the registration response message from the S-SCSF network element, and sends the registration response message to the terminal.

[0086] That is, the P-SCSF network element forwards the registration response message to the terminal after receiving the registration response message. In one example, the registration response message is a 200 OK message.

[0087] In some embodiments, the third indication information can be included in the registration response message, and the third indication information indicates that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability. For example, the third indication information can be carried in a header field of the registration response message. Further, the third indication information can be +sip.app-subtype="webrtc-datachannel".

[0088] In addition, if the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability, the P-CSCF network element can record attribute information of supporting the data channel in the terminal registration information, for controlling whether subsequent data channel related processing needs to be passed through.

[0089] Specifically, after the terminal is registered, a record can be permanently saved in the database of the P-CSCF network element, and the record contains information such as the number and IP address of the terminal. The attribute information of the data channel here is to add an identifier in the original record to indicate whether the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability. If the attribute of the record is to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability, the P-CSCF network element will pass through the data channel related header field when processing the call related message sent by the terminal subsequently; if the attribute is not to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability, the P-CSCF network element will delete the data channel related header field when receiving the call.

[0090] In some embodiments, if the third indication information is not included in the registration response message, it indicates that the terminal is not allowed to use the data channel capability.

[0091] In summary, according to the communication method provided in the present application, the P-CSCF network element can indicate to the S-CSCF whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability when the terminal is registered, and the S-CSCF network element can know whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability according to the indication of the P-CSCF network element. This method can know whether the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability without configuring the white list of the P-CSCF network element on the S-CSCF network element, and thus can reduce the complexity of network modification operation and labor cost.

[0092] According to the communication method provided in the application, since it is not required to upgrade a P-CSCF each time, and a whitelist of P-CSCF network elements is configured on an S-CSCF in the whole network, the operator can upgrade the P-CSCF network elements and the S-CSCF network elements based on a province, without the need for inter-provincial linkage. In addition, after upgrading the P-CSCF network elements and the S-CSCF network elements in the whole network, the data channel capability parameter switch on the P-CSCF can also be opened in batches. The method provided in the application also allows some provinces to prioritize planning to support data channel capability. The upgrading of the P-CSCF network elements refers to upgrading the P-CSCF network elements from not supporting data channel capability to supporting data channel capability, and the P-CSCF network elements can carry indication information indicating that the P-CSCF network elements support data channel capability when sending a registration request message to the S-CSCF network elements in the case of supporting data channel capability. The upgrading of the S-CSCF network elements refers to enabling the S-CSCF network elements to support determining whether to allow a terminal to use data channel capability according to a registration request message sent by the P-CSCF network elements.

[0093] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a communication apparatus 2000 provided in the application. The communication apparatus 2000 can include a communication unit 2100 and a processing unit 2200. The communication unit 2100 can implement corresponding communication functions, which can be internal communication of the communication apparatus 2000 or communication of the communication apparatus 2000 with other apparatuses; and the processing unit 2200 can implement corresponding processing functions. The communication unit 2100 can also be referred to as a communication interface or a transceiver unit. Optionally, the communication apparatus 2000 can also include a storage unit, which can be used to store instructions and / or data, and the processing unit 2200 can read the instructions and / or data in the storage unit, so that the communication apparatus 2000 implements the foregoing method embodiments.

[0094] In one design, the communication apparatus 2000 can be the P-CSCF network element in the foregoing embodiments, and can also be a module or a chip applied to the P-CSCF network element. The communication apparatus 2000 can be used to execute the steps or processes performed by the P-CSCF network element in the above-mentioned various mode embodiments. The communication unit 2100 can be used to perform the operations related to the transceiving of the P-CSCF network element in the above-mentioned method embodiments (such as the operations of sending and / or receiving messages), and the processing unit 2200 can be used to perform the operations related to the processing of the P-CSCF network element in the above-mentioned method embodiments, or operations other than the transceiving (such as operations other than sending and / or receiving messages).

[0095] In a possible implementation, the communication unit 2100 is configured to receive a first registration message from a terminal, the first registration message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability; and the communication unit 2100 is further configured to send, according to the first registration message, a second registration message to a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element, the second registration message comprising content in the first registration message and second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate that the communication apparatus 2000 supports the data channel capability, and the second registration message being used for the S-CSCF network element to determine whether to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability.

[0096] Optionally, the second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

[0097] Optionally, the processing unit 2200 is configured to determine, according to the first registration message, whether to support the data channel capability; and the communication unit 2100 is specifically configured to send, to the S-CSCF network element, the second registration message in a case where the processing unit determines that the communication apparatus 2000 supports the data channel capability.

[0098] Optionally, the communication unit 2100 is further configured to receive a registration response message from the S-CSCF network element, the registration response message comprising third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

[0099] In another design, the communication apparatus 2000 can be the S-CSCF network element in the foregoing embodiments, and can also be a module or a chip applied to the S-CSCF network element. The communication apparatus 2000 can be configured to perform steps or processes performed by the S-CSCF network element in the foregoing method embodiments. Specifically, the communication unit 2100 can be configured to perform operations related to transceiving (such as operations of sending and / or receiving messages) of the S-CSCF network element in the foregoing method embodiments, and the processing unit 2200 can be configured to perform operations related to processing of the S-CSCF network element in the foregoing method embodiments, or operations other than transceiving (such as operations other than sending and / or receiving messages).

[0100] In a possible implementation, the communication unit 2100 is configured to receive a second registration message from a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) network element, the second registration message comprising content in a first registration message and second indication information, the first registration message being sent by a terminal to the P-CSCF network element, the first registration message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability, and the second indication information being used to indicate that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability. The communication unit 2100 is further configured to send, according to the second registration message, a registration response message to the P-CSCF network element, the registration response message comprising third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

[0101] Optionally, the second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

[0102] Optionally, the processing unit 2200 is configured to determine, according to the second registration message, that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

[0103] The steps or processes performed by the units in the communication apparatus 2000 can refer to the descriptions in the corresponding methods, and will not be repeated here.

[0104] It should be understood that the units in the communication apparatus 2000 can be implemented by hardware, or by software, or by a combination of hardware and software. For example, the units can be application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), electronic circuits, processors (for example, shared processors, dedicated processors, or group processors) and memories for executing one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuits, and / or other suitable components that support the described functions. For another example, the communication unit 2100 can be replaced by a transceiver circuit (for example, which can include a receiving circuit and a sending circuit), and the processing unit 2200 can be replaced by a processor or a processing circuit.

[0105] FIG. 5 shows a schematic block diagram of another communication apparatus 3000 provided by an embodiment of the present application. The communication apparatus 3000 can be a P-CSCF network element or an S-CSCF network element in the foregoing method embodiments, or can be a chip, a chip system, or a processor supporting the P-CSCF network element or the S-CSCF network element. The communication apparatus 3000 can be used to implement the methods described in the foregoing method embodiments, and can refer to the descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0106] The communication device 3000 can include one or more processors 3100, which can also be referred to as processing units, and can implement certain control functions. The processor 3100 can be a general processor or a special purpose processor, etc. For example, it can be a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit can be used to control the communication device, execute software programs, and process data of the software programs.

[0107] In an alternative design, the processor 3100 can also store instructions and / or data, which can be executed by the processor 3100, so that the communication device 3000 performs the methods described in the above method embodiments.

[0108] In another alternative design, the communication device 3000 can include a communication interface 3200 for implementing receiving and transmitting functions. For example, the communication interface 3200 can be a transceiver circuit, an interface, an interface circuit, or a transceiver, etc. The transceiver circuit, the interface, the interface circuit, or the transceiver for implementing receiving and transmitting functions can be separate or integrated together. The above transceiver circuit, the interface, the interface circuit, or the transceiver can be used for reading and writing of codes / data, or the above transceiver circuit, the interface, the interface circuit, or the transceiver can be used for transmission or transfer of signals.

[0109] Optionally, the communication device 3000 can include one or more memories 3300, which can store instructions that can be executed by the processor 3100, so that the communication device 3000 performs the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memory 3300 can also store data. Optionally, the processor 3100 can also store instructions and / or data. The processor 3100 and the memory 3300 can be separately provided or integrated together.

[0110] It should be understood that in a possible design, the steps in the method embodiments provided by the embodiments of the present application can be completed by integrated logic circuits of hardware in the processor or instructions in the form of software. The steps of the method disclosed in combination with the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as being completed by a hardware processor, or completed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor. The software modules can be located in a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory, an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register, or other mature storage media in the art. The storage medium is located in the memory, and the processor reads information in the memory and combines the hardware to complete the steps of the above method. To avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail here.

[0111] It should be noted that the processor in the embodiments of the present application can be an integrated circuit chip with a signal processing capability. In the implementation process, the steps of the above method embodiments can be completed by an integrated logic circuit or an instruction in the form of software in the processor. The processor described above can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components. The disclosed methods, steps and logic block diagrams in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented or executed. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can also be any conventional processor or the like. The steps of the method disclosed in conjunction with the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as a hardware code processor for execution, or a combination of hardware and software modules in the code processor for execution. The software module can be located in a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory or an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register or other mature storage medium in the art. The storage medium is located in the storage, and the processor reads the information in the storage, and combines the hardware to complete the steps of the above method.

[0112] It can be understood that the memory in the embodiments of the present application can be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or can include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory can be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically EPROM (EEPROM) or a flash memory. The volatile memory can be a random access memory (RAM) used as an external cache. By way of example but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM) and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory of the system and method described herein is intended to include but not limited to these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0113] The embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product, which comprises computer program codes, and when the computer program codes are run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute each step or procedure executed by the P-CSCF network element or the S-CSCF network element in any of the method embodiments.

[0114] The embodiments of the present application further provide a chip, which comprises a processor, and is used for calling and running a computer program from a memory, so that each step or procedure executed by the P-CSCF network element or the S-CSCF network element in any of the method embodiments is executed.

[0115] The embodiments of the present application further provide a computer readable storage medium, which stores program codes, and when the program codes are run on a computer, each step or procedure executed by the P-CSCF network element or the S-CSCF network element in any of the method embodiments is executed.

[0116] The embodiments of the present application further provide a communication apparatus, which comprises a processor and an interface, and the interface is used for sending and / or receiving signals, so that the processor executes each step or procedure executed by the P-CSCF network element or the S-CSCF network element in any of the method embodiments.

[0117] The present application further provides a communication system, which comprises the P-CSCF network element and / or the S-CSCF network element.

[0118] Each of the apparatus embodiments and the method embodiments described above corresponds completely, and corresponding steps are executed by corresponding modules or units, for example, the communication unit or the communication interface executes the steps of receiving or sending in the method embodiments, and other steps except sending and receiving can be executed by the processing unit or the processor.

[0119] In the embodiments of the present application, each term and English abbreviation is an exemplary example given for convenience of description, and should not constitute any limitation to the present application. The embodiments of the present application do not exclude the possibility of defining other terms capable of realizing the same or similar functions in the existing or future protocols.

[0120] As used in this description, the terms "component," "module," "system," and the like are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, firmware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and / or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a computing device and the computing device can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and / or thread of execution and a component can be localized, partially localized, and / or distributed across two or more computers. Also, these components can execute from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. The components can communicate by way of local and / or remote processes such as in accordance with a signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from one component interacting with another component in a local system, distributed system, and / or across a network such as the Internet with other systems via the signal).

[0121] Those of skill in the art would understand that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. The choice of whether to implement the described functionality in hardware or software depends on the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans can implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

[0122] Those of skill in the art would understand that the various illustrative logical blocks and steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. The choice of whether to implement the described functionality in hardware or software depends on the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans can implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

[0123] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, device and method can be implemented by other ways. For example, the above-described device embodiments are merely illustrative, for example, the division of the units is merely a logical function division, and in actual implementation, another division manner can be used, for example, a plurality of units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection between the displayed or discussed each other can be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0124] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, i.e. may be located in one place, or may be distributed on multiple network units. Part or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the embodiment scheme.

[0125] In addition, the functional units in each embodiment of the present application can be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit can be physically present separately, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit.

[0126] In the above embodiments, the functions of each functional unit can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof, in whole or in part. When implemented by software, it 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 (programs). When the computer program instructions (programs) are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable devices. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer readable storage medium or transferred from one computer readable storage medium to another, for example, the computer instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server or data center to another website, computer, server or data center through wired (such as coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (such as infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) mode. The computer readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server, data center, etc. integrated with one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (for example, floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), optical media (for example, DVD), or semiconductor media (for example, solid state disk (SSD)) and the like.

[0127] If the functions are implemented in the form of software function units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application or the parts that essentially contribute to the prior art or the parts of the technical solutions can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes a plurality of instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes a U disk, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk, and various media that can store program codes.

[0128] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be covered within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: receiving a first registration message from a terminal, the first registration message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability; sending, according to the first registration message, a second registration message to a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element, the second registration message comprising content in the first registration message and second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate that a P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability, the second registration message being used for the S-CSCF network element to determine whether to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, Before the step of sending, according to the first registration message, a second registration message to a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element, the method further comprises: determining, according to the first registration message, whether to support the data channel capability; wherein the step of sending, according to the first registration message, a second registration message to a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element comprises: if the data channel capability is supported, sending the second registration message to the S-CSCF network element.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving a registration response message from the S-CSCF network element, the registration response message comprising third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

5. A communication method characterized by comprising: The method comprises: receiving a second registration message from a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) network element, the second registration message comprising content in a first registration message and second indication information, the first registration message being sent by a terminal to the P-CSCF network element, the first registration message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability, the second indication information being used to indicate that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability; sending, according to the second registration message, a registration response message to the P-CSCF network element, the registration response message comprising third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein, Before the step of sending, according to the second registration message, a registration response message to the P-CSCF network element, the method further comprises: determining, according to the second registration message, that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

8. A communication device, characterized by The apparatus comprises: a communication unit configured to receive a first registration message from a terminal, the first registration message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability; The communication unit is further configured to send, according to the first registration message, a second registration message to a serving call session control function (S-CSCF) network element, the second registration message comprising content in the first registration message and second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate that the device supports the data channel capability, and the second registration message being used for the S-CSCF network element to determine whether to allow the terminal to use the data channel capability.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, The second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 or 9, wherein, The device further comprises: a processing unit configured to determine, according to the first registration message, whether to support the data channel capability; The communication unit is specifically configured to: in a case where the processing unit determines that the device supports the data channel capability, send the second registration message to the S-CSCF network element.

11. The apparatus of any one of claims 8-10, wherein, The communication unit is further configured to: receive a registration response message from the S-CSCF network element, the registration response message comprising third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

12. A communications device, characterized by comprise: a communication unit configured to receive a second registration message from a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) network element, the second registration message comprising content in a first registration message and second indication information, the first registration message being sent by a terminal to the P-CSCF network element, the first registration message comprising first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that the terminal supports a data channel capability, and the second indication information being used to indicate that the P-CSCF network element supports the data channel capability; The communication unit is further configured to send, according to the second registration message, a registration response message to the P-CSCF network element, the registration response message comprising third indication information, the third indication information indicating that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, The second indication information is carried in a message header field in the second registration message.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 or 13, wherein, The device further comprises: a processing unit configured to determine, according to the second registration message, that the terminal is allowed to use the data channel capability.

15. A communications device, characterized by comprise a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store programs or instructions, the programs or instructions being executed by the processor to cause the device to perform the method in any one of claims 1-4 or any one of claims 5-7.

16. A communications device, characterized by comprise a processor and an interface, the interface being used to send and / or receive signals, so that the processor performs the method in any one of claims 1-4 or any one of claims 5-7.

17. A readable storage medium, on which a computer program or instructions are stored, characterized in that, The computer programs or instructions are executed to cause the method in any one of claims 1-4 or any one of claims 5-7 to be performed.

18. A computer program product, characterised in that, comprise computer program instructions, the computer program instructions being executed to cause the method in any one of claims 1-4 or any one of claims 5-7 to be performed.

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