Passive IoT Uplink Path Selection via User Plane Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication technologies for passive Internet of Things (IoT) face challenges in securely transmitting confidential or private data, particularly in scenarios where selecting an appropriate transmission manner is crucial for ensuring data privacy.
Innovation Solution
The transmission of uplink data for passive IoT devices is conducted via a user plane instead of a control plane, utilizing network elements to ensure data privacy, and involves processes such as obtaining address information, encapsulating data using application layer protocols, and forwarding data through user plane function network elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If uplink data is transmitted via control plane network elements (AMF, NEF), then data can be routed through existing core network infrastructure, but data privacy is compromised for confidential or private data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control plane and user plane functions, allowing uplink data to be transmitted through the user plane (which does not involve AMF/NEF for confidential data) while control plane elements handle only signaling. This separation enables confidential data to bypass control plane network elements that could potentially access or log the data, thereby resolving the contradiction between using existing infrastructure and maintaining data privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a user plane function as an intermediary for data transmission, which acts as a mediator between the terminal device and the data network. This intermediary handles data forwarding without requiring control plane network elements (AMF, NEF) to process the actual data content, thus protecting data privacy while still utilizing core network infrastructure for routing.
2Productivity
If uplink data is transmitted via control plane network elements, then existing core network elements can be utilized, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting control plane and user plane functions, the patent allows data transmission to occur primarily through the user plane with minimal control plane involvement. This reduces the amount of signaling required compared to transmitting all data through control plane elements, thereby improving transmission efficiency while reducing signaling overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes continuous data transmission paths through the user plane that do not require repeated control plane signaling for each data packet. Once a user plane connection is established, data can flow continuously without requiring control plane elements to process each transmission, thus improving productivity while minimizing signaling overhead.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a communication method and a communication apparatus. The communication method includes: A first network element receives request information from a second network element, where the request information indicates to perform an operation on a terminal device; the first network element obtains first indication information based on the request information; the first network element determines, based on the first indication information, that transmission of uplink data of the terminal device is performed via a user plane; the first network element sends second indication information to an access network device, where the second indication information indicates that the transmission of the uplink data is performed via the user plane, or the second indication information indicates the access network device to determine that the transmission of the uplink data of the terminal device is performed via the user plane. Therefore, the transmission of the uplink data of the terminal device is performed via the user plane based on the indication of the first network element, instead of a control plane network element in some specific scenarios, thereby ensuring data privacy.