Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of communications, and provides a communication method and apparatus, used for enabling a terminal device to allow a network to collect data in the terminal device. The method is applied to a terminal device. The method comprises: determining first information, the first information comprising information indicating the type of data that the terminal device allows a network to collect, and the network serving the terminal device; and sending a first message to the network, the first message being used for requesting the network to store the first information.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411993033.0, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 30, 2024, entitled "Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] With the development of mobile communication technology and the widespread adoption of smart terminals, user equipment (UE), as the terminal equipment through which users directly access the network and receive communication and data services, plays a crucial role in communication systems. Data related to UE includes location data, communication data, and performance data. This data can be used to optimize network performance and provide personalized services, playing a vital role in the future development of communication systems.

[0004] However, under the current circumstances, due to the requirement of protecting user privacy, how to collect relevant data from terminals, especially user devices, remains a hot research topic. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus to enable terminal devices to allow networks to selectively collect privacy-protected data.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] Firstly, a communication method is provided, which is applied to a terminal device, a chip in a terminal device, or a device containing a terminal device. For ease of understanding, taking a terminal device as an example, the method includes:

[0008] The first information is determined, which includes information indicating the type of data that the terminal device allows the network to collect, the network serving the terminal device;

[0009] A first message is sent to the network, requesting the network to store first information.

[0010] Therefore, this method can determine the types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, such as first information, and request the network (such as a data storage network element) to store the first information, so that the network knows the types of data that the terminal device can provide, thereby improving the flexibility of the terminal device to open data and meeting future network needs, such as providing data according to user privacy requirements.

[0011] In one possible design, the first information also includes information indicating the level of data that the terminal device allows the network to collect; that is, the terminal device can also support providing data at different levels.

[0012] Optionally, different levels of data may allow different content to be collected. For example, higher-level data may allow more content to be collected, while lower-level data may allow less content to be collected. This allows the terminal device to decide whether to provide some or all of the data to protect user privacy.

[0013] Optionally, the level can be any one of the first level, second level, or third level. First level data allows the collection of data content, second level data allows the collection of data attributes, and third level data allows the collection of data types. The specific level can be selected according to the actual situation and there are no restrictions.

[0014] In one possible design, the first message also includes the identifier of the terminal device.

[0015] Optionally, the terminal device may be identified as a user permanent identifier SUPI or a user hidden identifier SUCI.

[0016] In other words, the terminal device can carry the identifier of the terminal device to request the network to store first information, so that the network can store information on the types or levels of data that different terminal devices are allowed to collect at the granular level.

[0017] The method of the first aspect may further include:

[0018] Receive second information from the network, the second information including information indicating the type of data the network requests to collect;

[0019] Based on the second information, a second message is sent to the network, indicating whether the terminal device allows the collection of this type of data.

[0020] This demonstrates that the network (such as data management network elements) can request data collection from terminal devices, and the terminal devices can decide whether to allow the collection of that type of data based on the type of data requested by the network. This clarifies the way the network requests data from terminal devices, ensuring that the network can collect the necessary data while meeting the privacy requirements of the terminal devices, thus satisfying future network needs.

[0021] In one possible design, the second information also includes information indicating the level of data to be collected by the network request. The second message also indicates whether the terminal device allows the collection of that level of data. In other words, the terminal device can also decide whether to allow the collection of the data based on the level of the data requested by the network.

[0022] Optionally, different levels of data correspond to different permitted content collections. In other words, the terminal device can decide to provide some or all of the data in order to protect user privacy.

[0023] Optionally, the level can be any one of the first level, second level, or third level. First level data allows the collection of data content, second level data allows the collection of data attributes, and third level data allows the collection of data types. The specific level can be selected according to the actual situation and there are no restrictions.

[0024] In one possible design, the second information also includes at least one of the duration of the network request to collect data or the expected incentive, meaning that the terminal device can also decide whether to allow the collection of data based on the duration of the network request to collect data or the expected incentive.

[0025] Secondly, a communication method is provided, applied to a first network element, the method comprising:

[0026] Receive a first message, the first message requests the first network element to store first information, the first information including information indicating the type of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect;

[0027] Store the first information based on the first message.

[0028] In one possible design, storing the first information according to the first message includes: storing the first information in correspondence with the terminal device according to the identifier of the terminal device, so that the network can store the corresponding first information of multiple terminal devices.

[0029] In one possible design, the first information also includes information indicating the level of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect.

[0030] In one possible design, the first message also includes the identifier of the terminal device.

[0031] Receive second information from the second network element, the second information including information indicating the type of data from the terminal device that the second network element requests to be collected;

[0032] The method of the second aspect may also include:

[0033] Based on the second information, a second message is sent to the second network element, the second message indicating whether the terminal device allows the collection of this type of data.

[0034] Therefore, it can be seen that the network (such as the data management network element) can request the collection of data from the first network element (such as the data storage network element), and the first network element has pre-stored information on the data that the terminal device is allowed to collect. Thus, it can decide whether to allow the collection of that type of data based on the type of data requested by the network, ensuring that the network can collect the necessary data while meeting the privacy requirements of the terminal device, thereby guaranteeing the user's data privacy and security.

[0035] In one possible design, the second information also includes information indicating the level of data requested by the second network element. The second message also indicates whether the terminal device allows the collection of that level of data. In other words, it can decide to provide part or all of the data based on the different levels of data requested by the network, so as to protect user privacy.

[0036] In one possible design, the first network element is a network element in a wireless communication network, such as a data storage network element or a data warehouse network element.

[0037] Furthermore, the technical effects of the method described in the second aspect can be referred to the description of the method in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0038] Thirdly, a communication method is provided for application to a second network element, the method comprising:

[0039] Send a second message, which includes information indicating the type of data that the second network element requests to be collected from the terminal device;

[0040] Receive a second message, which includes an indication to the terminal device whether it allows the collection of certain types of data.

[0041] In one possible design, the second message is sent, including:

[0042] Send second information to a terminal device or a first network element, wherein the first network element is a network element that stores information about the types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect;

[0043] Receive the second message, including:

[0044] Receive a second message from the terminal device or the first network element.

[0045] In one possible design, the second information also includes information indicating the level of data that the second network element requests to collect, and the second message further indicates whether the terminal device allows the collection of said level of data.

[0046] In one possible design, when sending the second information to the terminal device, the second information may also include at least one of an instruction on the duration of the network request to collect data or an expected incentive.

[0047] Optionally, the expected incentive is determined by the second network element based on at least one of the data type, data level, or duration.

[0048] In one possible design, the second network element is a network element in a wireless communication network, such as a data control network element.

[0049] Furthermore, the technical effects of the method described in the third aspect can be referred to the description of the method in the first or second aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0050] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, the communication device including a module for performing the method described in any one of the first to third aspects above.

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

[0052] In one possible design, the communication device described in the fourth aspect may further include a memory. This memory may be integrated with the processor or disposed separately. The memory may be used to store instructions relating to the methods described in any of the first to third aspects.

[0053] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device described in the fourth aspect may be a network device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the network device, or a device containing the network device.

[0054] It is understood that the technical effects of the device described in the fourth aspect can also refer to the relevant descriptions of the methods in any of the first to third aspects mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0055] Fifthly, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor coupled to a memory, the processor being configured to execute instructions stored in the memory such that the communication device performs the method described in any one of the first to third aspects.

[0056] In one possible design, the communication device described in the fifth aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the fifth aspect and other communication devices.

[0057] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device described in the fifth aspect may be a network device described in any one of the first to third aspects, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the network device, or a device containing the network device.

[0058] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device described in the fifth aspect can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in any one of the first to third aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] A sixth aspect provides a communication device, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory being used to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of the first to third aspects.

[0060] In one possible design, the communication device described in the sixth aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used by the communication device described in the fourth aspect to communicate with other communication devices.

[0061] In the embodiments of this application, the communication device described in the sixth aspect may be a network device described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the network device, or a device containing the network device.

[0062] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device described in the sixth aspect can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in any one of the first to third aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0063] A seventh aspect provides a chip comprising: a controller and an interface circuit, wherein the controller is configured to interact with other devices via the interface circuit to perform the method described in any one of the first to third aspects.

[0064] Eighthly, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes a first manager for performing the method described in the first aspect, a second manager for performing the method described in the second aspect, and a third manager for performing the method described in the third aspect.

[0065] A ninth aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium including storage of a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in any one of the first to third aspects to be performed.

[0066] A tenth aspect provides a computer program product comprising a computer program or instructions that, when run, cause the method described in any one of the first to third aspects to be performed. Attached Figure Description

[0067] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the data orchestration architecture;

[0068] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the 5GS architecture;

[0069] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in this application;

[0070] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in this application.

[0071] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0072] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0073] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0074] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0075] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0076] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0077] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as 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.

[0078] 1. Data orchestration architecture:

[0079] As shown in Figure 1, the data controller (DC) is responsible for fine-grained real-time orchestration tasks. Within the local domain, it combines data pipelines based on the capabilities of the data agent (DA) and data service requests to achieve real-time and efficient service management. The DC can be deployed on the RAN side and the CN (corework) side.

[0080] 2. Fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system (5G system, 5GS), abbreviated as 5G system:

[0081] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the 5GS architecture. As shown in Figure 2, 5GS includes: an access network (AN) and a core network (CN), and may also include: terminals.

[0082] A terminal can be a terminal that supports transmission, reception, and sensing functions, or it can be a chip or chip system installed in the terminal, or a device containing the terminal. The terminal can also be referred to as user equipment (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.

[0083] 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.

[0084] The aforementioned Access Network (AN) 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 Network Access Center (CN). The AN may include access network equipment, also known as 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 network 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).

[0085] RAN equipment can also be called access network equipment or network equipment. Access network equipment or network equipment can be a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, or it can be a chip or chip system embedded in the device, or a device containing access network equipment. Access network equipment is located in the access network (AN) of a communication system and is used to provide access services to terminals. Access network equipment or network equipment can be non-terrestrial equipment, such as satellites, drones, high-altitude balloons, etc. Access network equipment or network devices can be, or include, 5G, such as a future node B (gNB) in a new radio (NR) system, or one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a 5G base station. They can also be network nodes constituting a gNB, transmission and reception point (TRP) or transmission point (TP), or transmission measurement function (TMF), such as a central unit (CU), distributed unit (DU), CU-control plane (CP), CU-user plane (UP), or radio unit (RU), RSU with base station functionality, or wired access gateway, or 5G core network elements, etc. Alternatively, access network devices can also include: access points (APs) in Wi-Fi systems, wireless relay nodes, wireless backhaul nodes, various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations (also called small cells), relay stations, access points, wearable devices, vehicle-mounted equipment, etc. In future communication systems, access network devices may have other naming methods, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0086] 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 also be CU nodes, DU nodes, or devices comprising both CU and DU nodes. Furthermore, a CU can be classified as a network device within an AN or a network device within a CN; no restrictions are placed here.

[0087] 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 open radio access network (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 modules and hardware modules.

[0088] As shown in Figure 2, the UE accesses the 5G network through the RAN device. The UE communicates with the AMF through the N1 interface (N1 for short); the RAN communicates with the AMF through the N2 interface (N2 for short); the RAN communicates with the UPF through the N3 interface (N3 for short); the SMF communicates with the UPF through the N4 interface (N4 for short); and the UPF accesses the data network (DN) through the N6 interface (N6 for short). Furthermore, the control plane functions shown in Figure 2, such as AUSF, AMF, SMF, NSSF, NEF, NRF, PCF, UDM, UDR, or AF, interact using service-oriented interfaces. For example, AUSF provides the service interface Nausf; AMF provides the service interface Namf; SMF provides the service interface Nsmf; NSSF provides the service interface Nnssf; NEF provides the service interface Nnef; NRF provides the service interface Nnrf; PCF provides the service interface Npcf; UDM provides the service interface Nudm; UDR provides the service interface Nudr; UDSF provides the service interface Nudsf; and AF provides the service interface Naf.

[0089] The User-Defined Processing (UPP) is primarily responsible for user data processing (forwarding, receiving, billing, etc.). For example, a UPF can receive user data from a data network (DN) and forward it to the terminal through access network equipment. Alternatively, a UPF can receive user data from the terminal through access network equipment and forward it to the DN. A DN refers to the operator's network that provides data transmission services to users. Examples include Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia services (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 terminals. In a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session, the UPF directly connected to the DN via N6 is also called the Protocol Data Unit Session Anchor (PSA).

[0090] AUSF is primarily used to perform security authentication for terminals.

[0091] AMF is primarily used for mobility management in mobile networks. Examples include user location updates, user network registration, and user handover.

[0092] SMF is primarily used for session management in mobile networks. This includes session establishment, modification, and release. Specific functions include assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to users and selecting a UPF (User-Defined Provider) to handle packet forwarding.

[0093] The PCF primarily supports providing a unified policy framework to control network behavior, delivering policy rules to control-layer network functions, and acquiring user subscription information related to policy decisions. The PCF can provide policies to the AMF and SMF, such as Quality of Service (QoS) policies and slice selection policies.

[0094] NSSF is primarily used to select network slices for terminals.

[0095] NEF is primarily used to support the opening of capabilities and events.

[0096] UDM is primarily used to store user data, such as contract data and authentication / authorization data.

[0097] UDR is primarily used to store structured data, including contract data, policy data, externally exposed structured data, and application-related data.

[0098] UDSF is mainly used to store unstructured data, such as session IDs and status data of specific network elements.

[0099] NRF is primarily used to receive NF discovery requests from NF instances and provide information about the (discovered) NF instances to the requesting NF instance; it also maintains NF configuration files for available NF instances and their supported services.

[0100] AF primarily supports interaction with CN to provide services, such as influencing data routing decisions, policy control functions, or providing third-party services to the network side.

[0101] It is understood that the functions mentioned in the embodiments of this application can also refer to functional network elements or functional entities. For example, UPF can be referred to as UPF network element, AMF can be referred to as AMF network element, SMF can be referred to as SMF network element, PCF can be referred to as PCF network element, and so on, without limitation.

[0102] This application will present various aspects, embodiments, or features relating to systems that may include multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that individual systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, combinations of these approaches are also possible.

[0103] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplarily" and "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as an "example" in this application should not be construed as being better or more advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the word "example" is intended to present the concept in a specific manner.

[0104] First, in this application, "for indicating" can include both direct and indirect indication. When describing "information" for indicating A, it can include whether the information directly indicates A or indirectly indicates A, but does not necessarily mean that the information carries A.

[0105] The information indicated by a given piece of information is called the information to be indicated. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be indicated, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be indicated, such as the information to be indicated itself or its index. It can also be indirectly indicated by indicating other information, where there is a relationship between the other information and the information to be indicated. It can also indicate only a part of the information to be indicated, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the indication of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement of various pieces of information, thereby reducing the indication overhead to some extent. At the same time, common parts of various pieces of information can be identified and indicated uniformly to reduce the indication overhead caused by individually indicating the same information.

[0106] Furthermore, the specific indication method can also be any existing indication method, such as, but not limited to, the above-mentioned indication methods and their various combinations. Specific details of various indication methods can be found in existing technologies, and will not be repeated here. As described above, for example, when multiple pieces of information of the same type need to be indicated, the indication methods for different pieces of information may differ. In the specific implementation process, the required indication method can be selected according to specific needs. This application embodiment does not limit the selected indication method; therefore, the indication methods involved in this application embodiment should be understood to cover various methods that enable the party to be indicated to obtain the information to be indicated.

[0107] The information to be instructed can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information messages, and the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be the same or different. This application does not limit the specific sending method. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device. This configuration information can include, for example, but not limited to, one or a combination of at least two of radio resource control (RRC) signaling, medium access control (MAC) layer signaling, and physical layer signaling. MAC layer signaling includes, for example, a MAC control element (CE); physical (PHY) layer signaling includes, for example, downlink control information (DCI).

[0108] "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, "a 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.

[0109] "Receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or it can 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.

[0110] The phrase "sending information to... (e.g., a node)" or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as the destination of the information being a node. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to a node. Similarly, the phrase "receiving information from... (e.g., a node)," "receiving information from... (e.g., a node)," or "receiving information sent by (e.g., a node)," or the related illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as the source of the information being a node. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from a node. 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.

[0111] Second, in the embodiments shown below, the first, second, and various numerical designations are merely distinctions for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. For example, to distinguish different indication information.

[0112] Third, "pre-defined," "pre-configured," or "pre-specified" can be achieved by pre-saving corresponding codes, tables, or other means of indicating relevant information in the device (e.g., including terminal devices and network devices), or by pre-defining them in a protocol. 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.

[0113] Fourth, the “protocol” involved in the embodiments of this application may refer to standard protocols in the field of communication, such as 3GPP’s LTE protocol (such as technical specification (TS) 36, i.e., the TS36 series of technical specifications), NR protocol (such as the TS23 series of technical specifications, such as 23.501), and related protocols applied to future communication systems. This application does not limit this.

[0114] 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.

[0115] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, a communication system will be used as an example to describe in detail the communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application.

[0116] As shown in Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of the communication system architecture, the communication system mainly includes terminal equipment, a first network element, and a second network element.

[0117] The terminal device can be a User Equipment (UE) or other device that can provide user data; there are no restrictions. Please refer to Figure 2 above for details, which will not be repeated here.

[0118] The first network element can be a network element in a wireless communication network. The wireless communication network can be an existing wireless communication network, such as a 4G network, a 5G network, or a future wireless communication network. The first network element can be an entity / function / network element used for data storage or data management, such as a UDM network element, UDSF network element, or UDR network element in a CN, or it can be any other possible entity / function / network element, without specific restrictions.

[0119] The second network element can be a network element in a wireless communication network. The second network element can be an entity / function / network element used for data control, or it can be any other possible entity / function / network element. For example, the second network element can be called DC, or any other possible named network element, without any specific limitation.

[0120] As shown in Figure 4, in this communication system, a terminal device can instruct the network serving the terminal device to store information about the data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, such as information about the types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect. The network (such as the first network element) stores this information. In other words, the terminal device can instruct the network to store information about the data that is allowed to be collected. Furthermore, a second network element can instruct the first network element or the terminal device to store information about the terminal device data that the second network element requests to be collected, such as information about the types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect. Based on the request information from the second network element, the terminal device returns a response message indicating whether the second network element can obtain the data. Alternatively, if the first network element stores information about the data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, the first network element returns a response message indicating whether the second network element can obtain the data based on the request information from the second network element. This enables the second network element to obtain data from the terminal device, fully considering user privacy while meeting future network needs.

[0121] It should be understood that the communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the network / entity / function shown in Figure 3. Specific implementations can be found in the following method embodiments, which will not be repeated here. The solutions in this application embodiment can also be applied to other communication systems, and the corresponding names can be replaced with the names of the corresponding functions in other communication systems.

[0122] It should also be understood that Figure 3 is a simplified schematic diagram for ease of understanding only, and the communication system may also include other network devices and / or other terminal devices, which are not shown in Figure 3.

[0123] The interaction flow between various networks / entities / functions in the above-described communication system will be specifically described below with reference to Figures 5-8, through method embodiments. The communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the above-described communication system, and will be described in detail below.

[0124] Figure 5 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication method mainly involves the interaction between a terminal device and a first network element. As shown in Figure 5, the specific flow of this communication method is as follows:

[0125] S501, the terminal device determines first information, the first information including information indicating the type of data that the terminal device allows the network to collect.

[0126] The data that a terminal device allows the network to collect can also be understood as data that the terminal device supports being collected by the network. Specifically, it can be one or more types of data related to the terminal device. For example, data related to the terminal device can include sensing data, location data, traffic data, communication data (such as session type, duration, and data volume), performance data (such as signal strength, network latency, and throughput), etc. Therefore, the data that the terminal device allows to collect can be at least one of the above types of data, such as the terminal device allowing the collection of sensing data, or the terminal device allowing the collection of sensing data and location data, and so on, without limitation.

[0127] In one possible implementation, the data collected by the network by the terminal device can be pre-configured / predefined by the protocol, or it can be confirmed based on the user's triggering action when using the terminal device. For example, the terminal device can prompt the user through interface interaction (such as pop-ups or buttons) to confirm whether it can provide certain data related to the terminal device to meet the user's privacy needs.

[0128] Therefore, after determining the data that the network is allowed to collect, the terminal device is able to determine the type of data that the network is allowed to collect and encapsulate the information indicating the type of data into the first information.

[0129] For example, there are several ways to indicate the type of data. For instance, it can be indicated using bits; taking a 2-bit indication as an example, 00 represents sensing data, 01 represents location data, 10 represents traffic data, and 11 represents communication data. Alternatively, it can be indicated using strings, such as "sensing" representing sensing data and "location" representing location data. Another example is using enumeration, where different padding values ​​represent different data types. This embodiment does not limit the specific implementation method of indicating the type of data.

[0130] Optionally, the first information may also include information indicating the level of data that the terminal device allows the network to collect.

[0131] Data levels characterize the privacy level of data. It can be understood that higher privacy levels indicate a higher risk of data collection, and less content can be collected by the network. In other words, different data levels correspond to different permitted data collection levels. For example, data levels can include Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Level 1 data allows the collection of all data content, Level 2 data allows the collection of data attributes such as time, data type, IP 5-tuple, or signal strength, and Level 3 data only allows the collection of data types.

[0132] One possible implementation is that all types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect correspond to the same level. Alternatively, the allowed data can be categorized into different levels based on its data type. For example, the terminal device may allow the collection of sensory data and location data, with sensory data at level one (allowing the collection of all content) and location data at level three (allowing the collection of only certain data types). No specific restrictions are imposed.

[0133] The method by which the terminal device determines the level of data that can be collected can refer to the above implementation method for determining the type of data that can be collected, and will not be repeated here. In summary, the terminal device can also determine the level of data that can be collected and encapsulate the information indicating the level of data into the first information. The method of indicating the level of data can also refer to the above description, and will not be repeated here.

[0134] S502, the terminal device sends a first message (referred to as first message #1) to the network serving the terminal device to indicate the storage of first information, and the first network element receives the first message (referred to as first message #2) to indicate the storage of first information.

[0135] Here, First Message #1 and First Message #2 can be different messages, such as having different message names / types or carrying different content, but both are used to indicate the storage of the first information. Unless otherwise specified below, First Message refers to First Message #1 and First Message #2.

[0136] The first message can reuse existing signaling, such as NAS signaling or RRC signaling, to reduce the difficulty of implementation, or it can be a newly defined signaling to decouple it from the existing signaling, making the transmission of the first message more flexible. There are no restrictions on the specific implementation.

[0137] Specifically, the terminal device sends a first message #1 to instruct the network to store the terminal device's first information. For example, the terminal device may send the first message #1 to the access and mobility management function (AMF) through an access network device (such as a RAN). Then, the AMF can, based on the received first message #1, send a first message #2 to the first network element. For example, the AMF can communicate directly with the first network element through a corresponding interface, or indirectly with the first network element through other network elements, to instruct the first network element to store the first information in the first message #2.

[0138] The first message #1 includes the first information as described in S501, and optionally, also includes the identifier of the terminal device. The identifier of the terminal device is used to indicate a specific device, and may be any one of a permanent equipment identifier (PEI), a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI), or a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI).

[0139] The first message #2 includes the first information as described in S501, and optionally may also include the identifier of the terminal device and / or the identifier of the first message #1. For example, if the first message #1 indicates the terminal device's consent to data collection, then the identifier of the first message #1 can be a consent ID. It is understood that by using the identifier of the first message #1 and the identifier of the terminal device, the first message #1, the first information in the first message #1, and the terminal device that sent the first message #1 can be associated one-to-one. For example, if the identifier of the first message #1 and the identifier of the terminal device are combined as a data collection identifier, then the data collection identifier not only corresponds to the first message #1 and the terminal device that sent the first message #1, but also to the first information determined by that terminal device. It is understood that since the AMF can receive the first message #1 sent by at least one terminal device, and the data collection identifier can uniquely indicate the first information determined by that terminal device, the first network element can ensure that it can store the first information and the corresponding terminal device.

[0140] In one possible implementation, the first network element can be a data storage network element (such as UDSF) or a data warehouse network element (such as UDR). Based on the above, the first network element can receive the first message #2 from AMF or other network elements (such as UDM). For specific implementation details, please refer to the description shown in Figure 7 below. No specific limitations are imposed.

[0141] S503, the first network element stores the first information based on the first message (such as the first message #2).

[0142] The first network element stores the first information according to the first message #2, that is, the information of the data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, such as the type of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect and / or the level of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect.

[0143] In some possible implementations, the first network element stores the first information based on the data collection identifier in the first message #2. Specifically, the first network element may store the first information based on the identifier of the terminal device in the data collection identifier. For example, the first network element may store the first information in a database associated with the terminal device based on the identifier of the terminal device. Alternatively, if the first network element has a first database for storing all the first information, the first network element may store the first information in the first database in correspondence with the identifier of the terminal device, so as to ensure that the information on the data that the terminal device is allowed to collect can be queried in the first network element by using the identifier of the terminal device.

[0144] In summary, in this embodiment, the terminal device determines the information of the data it is permitted to collect, such as the type and / or level of the data permitted to be collected, as first information, and sends this first information to the network in a first message to request the network to store the first information. Simultaneously, the first network element, upon receiving the first message, stores the first information according to the first message. In other words, the terminal device can proactively report the data it is permitted to collect and supports providing data according to different types or levels, protecting user privacy and improving the flexibility of the terminal device in opening up data.

[0145] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment. This communication method mainly involves the interaction between a second network element and a terminal device or a first network element. As shown in Figure 6, the specific flow of this communication method is as follows:

[0146] S601, the second network element sends second information (such as second information #1) to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the second information (such as second information #1) from the second network element; or the second network element sends second information (such as second information #2) to the first network element, and the first network element receives the second information (such as second information #2) from the second network element.

[0147] The first network element and the second network element are network elements in a network serving terminal devices, and the first network element stores information about the types and / or levels of data that the terminal devices are allowed to collect. For example, the first network element can be a data storage network element (such as a UDR) or a data warehouse network element (such as a UDSF), and the second network element can be a data control network element (such as a DC).

[0148] The second information #1 and the second information #2 can be different information, such as containing different contents. Unless otherwise specified below, the second information refers to the second information #1 and the second information #2.

[0149] The second information includes information indicating the type of data from the terminal device that the second network element requests to be collected. Optionally, it also includes information on the level at which the data from the terminal device is requested to be collected. For an explanation of the information indicating the type / level of data from the terminal device that the second network element requests to be collected, please refer to the relevant content in S501 regarding information indicating the type / level of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect; it will not be repeated here.

[0150] Optionally, the second information #1 may also include at least one of the duration of the second network element requesting data collection or the expected incentive. The expected incentive may be an incentive that the network can provide, such as points / fees, and may be determined by the second network element based on at least one of the type of data to be collected, the level of the data, or the duration.

[0151] Optionally, the second information #2 also includes the identifier of the terminal device. It can be understood that the identifier of the terminal device is used to characterize the specific device to which the second network element requests the collection of data. The identifier of the terminal device can be referred to the relevant description in S502, and will not be repeated here.

[0152] S602, the terminal device sends a second message (such as second message #1) to the second network element according to the second information (such as second information #1), and the second network element receives the second message (such as second message #1) from the terminal device; or the first network element sends a second message (such as second message #2) to the second network element according to the second information (such as second information #2), and the second network element receives the second message (such as second message #2) from the first network element.

[0153] The second message #1 and the second message #2 can be different messages, such as having different message names / types or carrying different content. However, both the second message #1 and the second message #2 can indicate whether the terminal device can provide the data requested by the network. Unless otherwise specified below, the second message refers to the second message #1 and the second message #2.

[0154] For example, if the second information sent by the second network element contains information about the type of data to be collected, then the terminal device or the first network element responds to the second information by sending a second message to the second network element indicating whether the terminal device can provide that type of data; or, for example, if the second information sent by the second network element contains information about the level of the data to be collected, then the terminal device or the first network element responds to the second information by sending a second message to the second network element indicating whether the terminal device can provide that level of data, without limitation; or, for example, if the second information sent by the second network element contains information about the type and level of the data to be collected, then the terminal device or the first network element responds to the second information by sending a second message to the second network element indicating whether the terminal device can provide that type and level of data, without limitation.

[0155] The following sections describe the scenarios where the terminal device or the first network element sends a second message based on the second information.

[0156] Case 1: The terminal device sends the second message #1 to the second network element according to the second information #1.

[0157] Specifically, the second information #1 may include at least one of the following: information about the type of data (hereinafter referred to as the first data) of the terminal device requested to be collected by the second network element; information about the level of the first data; the duration of the request to collect the first data; or the expected incentive for the request to collect the first data.

[0158] Then, the terminal device can send a second message #1 to the second network element to indicate that the first data indicated by the second information #1 belongs to the data it allows to collect, thereby instructing the terminal device to allow the collection of data requested by the network; or, the terminal device can send a second message #1 to the second network element to indicate that the first data indicated by the second information #1 does not belong to the data it allows to collect, thereby instructing the terminal device not to allow the collection of data requested by the network.

[0159] For example, if a terminal device receives a second message #1 from a second network element indicating that the type of the first data is location data, and the types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect are type data and traffic data, then the terminal device, based on the fact that the type of the first data does not belong to the types of data it is allowed to collect, sends a second message #1 to the second network element to indicate that the terminal device is not allowed to collect the data requested by the network. The same logic applies to other information of the first data indicated by the second message #1, which will not be elaborated further.

[0160] Case 2: The first network element sends the second message #2 to the second network element based on the second information #2.

[0161] Specifically, the second information #2 may include at least one of the following: the identifier of the terminal device, information about the type of data requested by the second network element, and information about the level of the data requested by the second network element. Furthermore, as can be seen from S501-S503, the first network element can be a network element that stores information about the data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, and the information about the data that the terminal device is allowed to collect corresponds one-to-one with the identifier of the terminal device.

[0162] Therefore, the first network element can send a second message #2 to the second network element to indicate that the data requested by the second network element is data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, based on the second information #2 indicating that the data requested by the second network element is data that the terminal device is allowed to collect; or, the first network element can send a second message #2 to the second network element to indicate that the data requested by the second network element is not data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, based on the second information #2 indicating that the data requested by the second network element is not data that the terminal device is allowed to collect, based on the second information #2 indicating that the terminal device is not allowed to collect the data requested by the network.

[0163] Based on the descriptions in S501-S503, for example, if the first network element already stores first information #1 corresponding to terminal device #1 and first information #2 corresponding to terminal device #2, and first information #1 indicates that the types of data allowed for collection by terminal device #1 are type data and traffic data, then when the first network element receives second information #2 from the second network element indicating that the second network element requests to collect data from terminal device #3, and terminal device #3 is not a terminal device allowed to collect data, then it sends a second message #2 to the second network element to indicate that the terminal device is not allowed to collect the data requested by the network; or, for example, when the first network element receives second information #2 from the second network element indicating that the second network element requests to collect data from terminal device #1... If the data requested by terminal device #1 is location data, which is not a type of data that terminal device #1 is allowed to collect, then the first network element sends a second message #2 to the second network element to indicate that the terminal device is not allowed to collect the data requested by the network. For example, if the first network element receives a second message #2 from the second network element indicating that the second network element requests to collect data from terminal device #1, and the data type of terminal device #1 is type data, which is a type of data that terminal device #1 is allowed to collect, then the first network element sends a second message #2 to the second network element to indicate that the terminal device is allowed to collect the data requested by the network. The level of data requested by the second network element in the second message #2 can be deduced in the same way, and will not be elaborated further.

[0164] In conjunction with S601-S602, the method may further include: the second network element granting permission to the terminal device to collect network-requested data based on the second message, and requesting the terminal device to collect the corresponding data.

[0165] In summary, in this embodiment, the network (such as the second network element) can send second information to the terminal device or other network elements in the network (such as the first network element) indicating the data of the terminal device to be collected. This allows the terminal device or other network elements to return a second message based on the second information, indicating whether the network (such as the second network element) can collect the data. The network then requests the data from the terminal device that is allowed to collect the data. This clarifies the way the network requests data from the terminal device and ensures that the network can collect the necessary data while meeting the privacy requirements of the terminal device.

[0166] The overall flow of the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application has been described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The flow of the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application in a specific scenario is described below with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

[0167] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiment of this application. The flowchart shown in Figure 7 mainly involves the interaction between terminal equipment (such as UE), access network equipment (such as RAN), access and mobility management function network element AMF, UDM (such as other network elements mentioned above) or UDR (such as the first network element mentioned above), and UDSF (such as the first network element mentioned above).

[0168] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the flow of this communication method is as follows:

[0169] S701, the UE sends a license registration / update request message #1 to the AMF network element through the RAN.

[0170] The UE can send messages to the AMF via NAS signaling. It can be understood that the license registration / update request message #1 is one possible name for the first message #1 described in S501-S503 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0171] The license registration / renewal request message #1 carries first information, namely, information on the types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect and / or information on the levels of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect.

[0172] Optionally, the license registration / update request message #1 may also include the identifier of the terminal device.

[0173] It is understandable that S701 can refer to the relevant introductions of S501 and S502 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0174] S702a, AMF sends license registration / renewal request message #2 to UDM.

[0175] AMF can send a license registration / update request message #2 to UDM via Nudm_UECM_Update.

[0176] The license registration / update request message #2 includes first information, and optionally may also include the identifier of the terminal device and / or the identifier of the license registration / update request message #1.

[0177] It is understandable that S702a can also refer to the relevant introduction of S502 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0178] S703, UDM sends license registration / renewal request message #3 to UDR.

[0179] UDM can send license registration / update request messages #3 to UDR via Nudr_DM_Create / Update.

[0180] It is understood that the license registration / update request message #3 is a possible name for the first message #2 described in S501-S503 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0181] The license registration / update request message #3 includes first information, and optionally may also include the identifier of the terminal device and / or the identifier of the license registration / update request message #1 and / or the data collection identifier.

[0182] It is understandable that S703 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S502 mentioned above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0183] S704, UDR stores first information based on license registration / update request message #3.

[0184] It is understandable that S704 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S503 mentioned above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0185] S702b, AMF sends license registration / update request message #4 to UDSF.

[0186] AMF can send license registration / update request messages #3 to UDSF via Nudsf_UnstructuredDataManagement_Create / Update.

[0187] It is understood that the license registration / update request message #4 is a possible name for the first message #2 described in S501-S503 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0188] The license registration / update request message #4 includes first information, and optionally may also include the identifier of the terminal device and / or the identifier of the license registration / update request message #1 and / or the data collection identifier.

[0189] It is understandable that S702b can also refer to the relevant introduction of S502 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0190] S705, UDSF stores the first information based on license registration / update request message #4.

[0191] It is understandable that S705 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S503 mentioned above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0192] It is understandable that steps S702a-S704 and S702-S705 are optional, and either one or both can be executed without any specific restrictions.

[0193] Figure 8 is a schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiment of this application. The flowchart shown in Figure 8 mainly involves the interaction between terminal equipment (such as UE), access network equipment (such as RAN), DC (such as the second one mentioned above) or UDR / UDSF (such as the first network element mentioned above).

[0194] S801a, DC sends data acquisition request information #1 to UE through RAN.

[0195] The data acquisition request information #1 is one possible name for the second information #1 described in S601-S602 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0196] It is understandable that S801a can also refer to the relevant introduction of S601 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0197] S802, the UE sends a data acquisition response message #1 to the DC via the RAN based on the data acquisition request information #1.

[0198] The data acquisition response message #1 is one possible name for the second message #1 described in S601-S602 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0199] It is understandable that S802 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S602 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0200] S801b, DC sends data acquisition request information #2 to UDR / UDSF.

[0201] Data acquisition request information #2 is one possible name for the second information #2 described in S601-S602 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0202] It is understandable that S801b can also refer to the relevant introduction of S601 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0203] S803, UDR / UDSF determines whether the terminal device can provide the data requested in Data Acquisition Request Information #2 based on Data Acquisition Request Information #2.

[0204] It is understandable that S803 can refer to the relevant introduction of S602 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0205] S804, UDR / UDSF sends data acquisition response message #2 to DC.

[0206] Data acquisition response message #2 is one possible name for the second message #2 described in S601-S602 above, and there is no specific limitation.

[0207] It is understandable that S804 can also refer to the relevant introduction of S602 mentioned above, so it will not be repeated here.

[0208] It is understandable that steps S801a-S802 and S801b-S804 are optional, and either one or both can be executed without any specific restrictions.

[0209] The communication method provided by the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above with reference to Figures 5-8. The communication apparatus used to perform the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application is described in detail below with reference to Figures 9-10.

[0210] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. As exemplarily shown in Figure 9, the communication device 900 includes a transceiver module 901 and a processing module 902. For ease of explanation, Figure 9 only shows the main components of the communication device.

[0211] The communication device 900 can be applied to the communication methods shown in Figures 5-8 to achieve the corresponding functions. For example, the transceiver module 901 can be used to implement the transceiver function in the communication methods shown in Figures 5-8, and the processing module 902 can be used to implement other functions in the communication methods shown in Figures 5-8 besides the transceiver function.

[0212] Optionally, the transceiver module 901 may include a transmitting module (not shown in FIG. 9) and a receiving module (not shown in FIG. 9). The transmitting module is used to implement the transmitting function of the communication device 900, and the receiving module is used to implement the receiving function of the communication device 900.

[0213] Optionally, the communication device 900 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG. 9) that stores programs or instructions. When the processing module 902 executes the program or instructions, the communication device 900 can perform the functions in the methods shown in FIG. 5-8.

[0214] It is understood that the communication device 900 may be a network device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be set in the network device, or a device that includes the network device. This application does not limit this.

[0215] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 900 can be referenced from the technical effects of the communication method described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0216] Figure 10 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 10, the communication device 1000 may include a processor 1001. Optionally, the communication device 1000 may further include a memory 1002 and / or a transceiver 1003. The processor 1001 is coupled to the memory 1002 and the transceiver 1003, for example, they can be connected via a communication bus.

[0217] The following is a detailed description of each component of the communication device 1000, with reference to Figure 10:

[0218] The processor 1001 is the control center of the communication device 1000. It can be a single processor or a collective term for multiple processing elements. For example, the processor 1001 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).

[0219] Optionally, the processor 1001 can execute various functions of the communication device 1000 by running or executing software programs stored in the memory 1002 and calling data stored in the memory 1002, such as executing the communication methods shown in Figures 5-8 above.

[0220] In a specific implementation, as one example, processor 1001 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 shown in FIG10.

[0221] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, the communication device 1000 may also include multiple processors, such as processors 1001 and 1004 shown in FIG. 10. 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 for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0222] The memory 1002 is used to store the software program that executes the solution of this application, and is controlled by the processor 901 to execute it. The specific implementation method can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0223] Optionally, the memory 1002 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 1002 may be integrated with the processor 1001 or may exist independently and be coupled to the processor 1001 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1000 (not shown in FIG. 10). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0224] Transceiver 1003 is used for communication with other communication devices. For example, if communication device 1000 is a terminal, transceiver 1003 can be used to communicate with a network device or with another terminal device. As another example, if communication device 1000 is a network device, transceiver 1003 can be used to communicate with a terminal or with another network device.

[0225] Optionally, transceiver 1003 may include a receiver and a transmitter (not shown separately in Figure 10). The receiver is used to implement the receiving function, and the transmitter is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0226] Optionally, the transceiver 1003 can be integrated with the processor 1001 or exist independently and be coupled to the processor 1001 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1000 (not shown in FIG10). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0227] It is understood that the structure of the communication device 1000 shown in Figure 10 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.

[0228] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 1000 can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0229] 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, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (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.

[0230] 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. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The 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 random access memory (RAM) are available, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous linked DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0231] 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.

[0232] 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.

[0233] 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.

[0234] 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.

[0235] 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.

[0236] 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.

[0237] 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.

[0238] 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 various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0239] 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.

[0240] 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.

[0241] 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.

[0242] In this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device taking corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances. They are not time limits, nor do they require the device to perform a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0243] 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.

[0244] 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.

[0245] 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.

[0246] 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.

[0247] 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.

[0248] 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 various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0249] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Determine first information, the first information including information indicating the type of data that the terminal device allows the network to collect, the network serving the terminal device; A first message is sent to the network, requesting the network to store the first information.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first information also includes information indicating the level of data that the terminal device allows the network to collect.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first message also includes the identifier of the terminal device.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The terminal device is identified by either the permanent user identifier SUPI or the hidden user identifier SUCI.

5. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive second information from the network, the second information including information indicating the type of data the network requests to collect; Based on the second information, a second message is sent to the network, the second message indicating whether the terminal device allows the network to collect the data of the aforementioned type.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second information also includes information indicating the level of data the network requests to collect, and the second message further instructs the terminal device to allow the network to collect the data at that level.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second information also includes at least one of the following: the duration of the network request to collect data or the expected incentive.

8. The method according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that, The content that can be collected varies depending on the different data levels mentioned above.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The level can be any one of the first level, the second level, or the third level. The first level allows the collection of data content, the second level allows the collection of data attributes, and the third level allows the collection of data types.

10. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to the first network element, the method includes: Receive a first message, the first message requests the first network element to store first information, the first information including information indicating the type of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect; Based on the first message, store the first information.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The step of storing the first information according to the first message includes: Based on the identifier of the terminal device, the first information is stored in correspondence with the terminal device.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The first information also includes information indicating the level of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10-12, characterized in that, The first message also includes the identifier of the terminal device.

14. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to the first network element, the method includes: Receive second information from a second network element, the second information including information indicating the type of data from the terminal device that the second network element requests to be collected; Based on the second information, a second message is sent to the second network element, the second message indicating whether the terminal device allows the second network element to collect the data of the aforementioned type.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second information also includes information indicating the level of data that the second network element requests to collect, and the second message further indicates whether the terminal device allows the second network element to collect data at the level of data.

16. The method according to any one of claims 10-15, characterized in that, The first network element is a network element in a wireless communication network.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The first network element is a data storage network element or a data warehouse network element.

18. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a second network element, the method includes: Send a second message, the second message including information indicating the type of data from the terminal device that the second network element requests to be collected; A second message is received, the second message including an indication to the terminal device whether it allows the second network element to collect the data of the type.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The sending of the second information includes: The second information is sent to the terminal device or a first network element, wherein the first network element is a network element that stores information about the types of data that the terminal device is allowed to collect; The receipt of the second message includes: Receive the second message from the terminal device or the first network element.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that, The second information also includes information indicating the level of data that the second network element requests to collect, and the second message further indicates whether the terminal device allows the second network element to collect data at the level of data.

21. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, When the second information is sent to the terminal device, the second information also includes at least one of an indication of the duration of the network request to collect data or an expected incentive.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The expected incentive is determined by the second network element based on at least one of the data type, the data level, or the duration.

23. The method according to any one of claims 18-22, characterized in that, The second network element is a network element in a wireless communication network.

24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that, The second network element is the data control network element.

25. A communication device, characterized in that, The apparatus includes a module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-24.

26. 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 communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-24.

27. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-24 to be performed.

28. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-24 to be performed.

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