CN109314893B - Switching method and device - Google Patents

A switching method and a device are provided, wherein the method comprises the following steps: after the first SMF network element distributes a first IP address for the terminal, the first IP address is sent to the terminal, and the first IP address is sent to the UPF network element; thus, for the UPF network element, after receiving the first IP address, the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT can be updated to the first IP address, so that the destination IP address of the downlink data sent to the terminal is the first IP address; for the terminal, after receiving the first IP address, the terminal can monitor the downlink data by using the first IP address, so that the terminal can receive the downlink data after the destination IP address of the downlink data is updated to the first IP address, and the terminal switching is realized on the basis of effectively ensuring the continuity of the service.

Switching method and device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a handover method and apparatus.

Background

When the terminal is in the moving process of the connection state, the connected cell will change, and in order to ensure continuous uninterrupted service, the cell with the best quality will be selected to execute the switching operation.

Handover in existing LTE systems includes: (1) switching in the station: a terminal in a connected state is switched from one cell of a service base station to another cell; (2) inter-station handover by X2: the terminal in a connection state is switched from one cell of a service base station to one cell of another base station, the service base station and the another base station exist and are configured with an X2 interface; (3) inter-station handover through S1: the terminal in a connected state is switched from one cell of the service base station to one cell of another base station, and the service base station and the another base station are not configured with an X2 interface.

However, next generation wireless communication systems, for example: in a New Radio (NR) system, a core network architecture is different from a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, for example, a control plane Entity in the LTE system is separated in the NR system, that is, a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in the LTE system is separated into an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) network element and a Session Management Function (SMF) network element, where the SMF network element is responsible for Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation of a terminal. If the terminal is switched from one SMF network element to another SMF network element, the newly switched SMF network element is required to reassign the IP address to the terminal, and under such a condition, no clear scheme is currently available to ensure the service continuity of the terminal in the switching process.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a switching method and a switching device, which are used for solving the problem of how to ensure the service continuity of a terminal in the switching process when an SMF network element changes.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a handover method, where the method includes:

a first SMF network element receives a first message and allocates a first IP address for the terminal; the first message is used for indicating the terminal to need to perform relocation of the SMF network element;

the first SMF network element sends the first IP address to the terminal, and the first IP address is used for updating the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address after the terminal monitors downlink data by using the first IP address;

and the first SMF network element sends the first IP address to a UPF network element, and the first IP address is used for updating the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to the first IP address by the UPF network element.

Optionally, the method further comprises:

the first SMF network element acquires a second uplink TFT and a second downlink TFT which are allocated to the terminal by a second SMF network element; the second SMF network element is a source SMF network element switched by the terminal;

the first SMF network element generates a first uplink TFT for the terminal according to the second uplink TFT and the first IP address, and sends the first uplink TFT to the terminal; the first uplink TFT is used for updating the uplink TFT of the terminal to the first uplink TFT after the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address;

the first SMF network element generates a first downlink TFT for the terminal according to the second downlink TFT and the first IP address, and sends the first downlink TFT to the UPF network element; and the first downlink TFT is used for updating the downlink TFT of the terminal to the first downlink TFT after the UPF network element updates the IP address mapped by the downlink NAT of the terminal to the first IP address.

Optionally, the first message includes identification information of the second SMF network element;

the acquiring, by the first SMF network element, a second uplink TFT and a second downlink TFT that are allocated by a second SMF network element to the terminal includes:

and the first SMF network element acquires the second uplink TFT and the second downlink TFT from the second SMF network element according to the identification information of the second SMF network element.

Optionally, the first message includes the second uplink TFT and the second downlink TFT;

the acquiring, by the first SMF network element, a second uplink TFT and a second downlink TFT that are allocated by a second SMF network element to the terminal includes:

and the first SMF network element acquires the second uplink TFT and the second downlink TFT from the first message.

Optionally, the sending, by the first SMF network element, the first IP address to the terminal includes:

the first SMF network element sends the first IP address to the terminal through an AMF network element; or,

and the first SMF network element sends the first IP address to a second SMF network element so that the second SMF network element sends the first IP address to the terminal through an AMF network element.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a handover method, where the method includes:

the UPF network element receives a first IP address sent by a first SMF network element; the first IP address is allocated to the terminal after the first SMF network element receives the first message; the first message is used for indicating the terminal to need to perform relocation of the SMF network element;

the UPF network element updates the IP address after the terminal downlink NAT mapping to the first IP address;

and the UPF network element receives the uplink data sent by the terminal, and if the source IP address of the uplink data is the first IP address, the IP address mapped by the uplink NAT of the terminal is updated to the first IP address.

Optionally, the method further comprises:

the UPF network element receives a first downlink TFT allocated to the terminal by the first SMF network element;

and after the UPF network element updates the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to the first IP address, the downlink TFT of the terminal is updated to the first downlink TFT.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a handover method, where the method includes:

the terminal receives a first IP address sent by a first SMF; the first IP address is allocated to the terminal after the first SMF network element receives the first message; the first message is used for indicating the terminal to need to perform relocation of the SMF network element;

and after monitoring the downlink data by using the first IP address, the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address.

Optionally, before the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address, the method further includes:

the terminal monitors downlink data by using a second IP address; the second IP address is allocated to the terminal by a second SMF; the second SMF network element is a source SMF network element switched by the terminal;

optionally, the method further comprises:

the terminal receives a first uplink TFT allocated to the terminal by the first SMF;

and after updating the IP address of the terminal into the first IP address, the terminal updates the uplink TFT of the terminal into the first uplink TFT.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an SMF network element, where the SMF network element includes: a transceiver and a processor;

the processor is used for receiving a first message and allocating a first IP address to the terminal; the first message is used for indicating the terminal to need to perform relocation of the SMF network element;

the transceiver is configured to send the first IP address to the terminal, where the first IP address is used for updating an IP address of the terminal to the first IP address after the terminal monitors downlink data using the first IP address; and sending the first IP address to a UPF network element, wherein the first IP address is used for updating the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to the first IP address by the UPF network element.

Optionally, the transceiver is further configured to:

acquiring a second uplink TFT and a second downlink TFT which are distributed by a second SMF network element for the terminal; the second SMF network element is a source SMF network element switched by the terminal;

the processor is further configured to generate a first uplink TFT for the terminal according to the second uplink TFT and the first IP address, and send the first uplink TFT to the terminal through the transceiver; the first uplink TFT is used for updating the uplink TFT of the terminal to the first uplink TFT after the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address;

the processor is further configured to generate a first downlink TFT for the terminal according to the second downlink TFT and the first IP address, and send the first downlink TFT to the UPF network element through the transceiver; and the first downlink TFT is used for updating the downlink TFT of the terminal to the first downlink TFT after the UPF network element updates the IP address mapped by the downlink NAT of the terminal to the first IP address.

Optionally, the first message includes identification information of the second SMF network element;

the transceiver is specifically configured to:

and acquiring the second uplink TFT and the second downlink TFT from the second SMF network element according to the identification information of the second SMF network element.

Optionally, the first message includes the second uplink TFT and the second downlink TFT;

the transceiver is specifically configured to:

and acquiring the second uplink TFT and the second downlink TFT from the first message.

Optionally, the transceiver is specifically configured to:

sending the first IP address to the terminal through an AMF network element; or,

and sending the first IP address to a second SMF network element so that the second SMF network element sends the first IP address to the terminal through an AMF network element.

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a UPF network element, where the UPF network element includes: a transceiver and a processor;

the transceiver is used for receiving a first IP address sent by a first SMF network element; the first IP address is allocated to the terminal after the first SMF network element receives the first message; the first message is used for indicating the terminal to need to perform relocation of the SMF network element;

the processor is configured to update the IP address after the terminal downlink NAT mapping to the first IP address; and if the source IP address of the uplink data sent by the terminal and received by the transceiver is the first IP address, updating the IP address after uplink NAT mapping of the terminal to the first IP address.

Optionally, the transceiver is further configured to receive a first downlink TFT allocated by the first SMF network element to the terminal;

the processor is further configured to update the downlink TFT of the terminal to the first downlink TFT after the IP address mapped by the downlink NAT of the terminal is updated to the first IP address.

In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a terminal, where the terminal includes: a transceiver and a processor;

the transceiver is used for receiving a first IP address sent by a first SMF; the first IP address is allocated to the terminal after the first SMF network element receives the first message; the first message is used for indicating the terminal to need to perform relocation of the SMF network element;

and the processor is used for updating the IP address of the terminal into the first IP address after monitoring the downlink data by using the first IP address.

Optionally, before the processor updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address, the processor is further configured to:

monitoring downlink data using the second IP address; the second IP address is allocated to the terminal by a second SMF; the second SMF network element is a source SMF network element switched by the terminal;

optionally, the transceiver is further configured to receive a first uplink TFT allocated by the first SMF for the terminal;

the processor is further configured to update the uplink TFT of the terminal to the first uplink TFT after the IP address of the terminal is updated to the first IP address.

The embodiment of the present application further provides an apparatus, which includes various functional modules, such as a sending module, a receiving module, and a processing module, for executing the steps of the method. The apparatus may be a communication entity such as a terminal, an SMF network element, a UPF network element, etc.

An embodiment of the present application further provides an apparatus, where the apparatus includes a processor and a memory, where the memory is used to store a software program, and the processor is used to read the software program stored in the memory and implement the communication method provided by any of the above designs. The apparatus may be a communication entity such as a terminal, an SMF network element, a UPF network element, etc.

Embodiments of the present application further provide a computer storage medium, where a software program is stored, and when the software program is read and executed by one or more processors, the software program can implement the switching method provided by any one of the above designs.

Embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product containing instructions, which when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform any of the switching methods provided by the above designs.

In the application, after a first SMF network element allocates a first IP address to a terminal, the first IP address is sent to the terminal, and the first IP address is sent to a UPF network element; thus, for the UPF network element, after receiving the first IP address, the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT can be updated to the first IP address, so that the destination IP address of the downlink data sent to the terminal is the first IP address; for the terminal, after receiving the first IP address, the terminal can monitor the downlink data by using the first IP address, so that the terminal can receive the downlink data after the target IP address of the downlink data is updated to the first IP address; further, after receiving the downlink data with the destination IP address as the first IP address, the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address, and sends the uplink data with the source IP address as the first IP address to the UPF, so that after receiving the uplink data, the UPF updates the IP address mapped by the uplink NAT of the terminal to the first IP address. That is to say, in the terminal switching process, the UPF network element updates the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to the first IP address, and then updates the IP address mapped by the terminal uplink NAT to the first IP address, thereby realizing terminal switching on the basis of effectively ensuring service continuity.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system architecture suitable for use in the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of NAT mapping for uplink transmission and downlink transmission in an LTE system;

fig. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a handover method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating NAT mapping update in a terminal switching process;

fig. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a handover method according to a second embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a handover method according to a third embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of an SMF network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a UPF network element according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The handover method in the present application is applicable to various system architectures, and fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture applicable to the present application. As shown in fig. 1, the system architecture includes an Authentication server Function (AUSF) Network element, a Unified Data Management Function (UDM), an AMF Network element, an SMF Network element, a Policy Control Function (PCF) Network element, an Application Function (AF) Network element, a Radio Access Network (RAN) Network element (also referred to as an Access Network element), a User Plane Function (UPF) Network element, a Data Network (DN) Network element, and a terminal.

The SMF network element is responsible for session management, terminal Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation and management, and the like. The AMF network element is responsible for access and mobility Management, is a termination point of an NG2 (interface between the AMF and the RAN device) interface, terminates a Non-access stratum (NAS) message, completes registration Management, connection Management, reachability Management, mobility Management, and the like, and transparently routes a Session Management (SM) message to the SMF network element. The UPF network element is a user plane function device and is responsible for routing and forwarding of data packets, legal monitoring, downlink data packet caching, triggering downlink data packet notification messages and other functions.

In the present application, the terminal may be a wireless terminal for providing voice and/or data connectivity to a user. The wireless terminal may be a handheld device having wireless connection capabilities, or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a mobile terminal communicating with one or more core networks via a radio access network. For example, the wireless terminal may be a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Mobile Internet Device (MID), a wearable device, an electronic book reader (e-book reader), and the like. As another example, a wireless terminal may be a portable, pocket, hand-held, computer-included, or vehicle-mounted mobile device. As another example, a wireless terminal may be a mobile station (mobile station), an access point (access point), or a part of a User Equipment (UE).

In the existing LTE system, a terminal communicates with an external Packet Data Network (PDN) or the internet through a Packet Data Network gateway (PGW). Specifically, when performing uplink transmission, the PGW maps an internal IP address to a public IP address; when performing downlink transmission, the PGW maps the public IP address to an internal IP address. Wherein, the internal IP address is the IP address of the terminal in the LTE system. For example, the IP Address of the terminal is 192.168.0.100, the public IP Address is 61.759.62.130, and as shown in fig. 2, the mapping diagram is a Network Address Translation (NAT) mapping diagram for uplink transmission and downlink transmission.

In the LTE system, the IP address of the terminal is allocated by the PGW for the terminal, so the IP address of the terminal is usually not changed during the handover of the terminal. However, in the system architecture shown in fig. 1, the IP address of the terminal is allocated to the terminal by the SMF network element, and if the terminal is switched from one SMF network element to another SMF network element in the switching process, the newly switched SMF network element reallocates the IP address to the terminal, which causes the IP address of the terminal to change, and if the NAT mappings of the uplink transmission and the downlink transmission are not updated reasonably, the service of the terminal is interrupted.

Based on this, the application provides a handover method, which is used for effectively ensuring the service continuity of the terminal in the handover process when the SMF network element changes.

Example one

Referring to fig. 3, a schematic flow chart of a handover method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The method comprises the following steps:

step 301, a first SMF network element receives a first message and allocates a first IP address to the terminal; the first message is used for indicating the terminal to need to perform relocation of the SMF network element;

305, receiving a first IP address by a UPF network element, and updating the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to the first IP address;

step 306, after the terminal monitors the downlink data by using the first IP address, the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address;

It should be noted that the step numbers are only exemplary representations of an execution sequence, and the execution sequence is not specifically limited in this application.

In this application, the first SMF network element may be selected by the AMF according to the identifier information of the target serving base station to which the terminal is handed over, included in the Handover Request, after receiving the Handover Request (Handover Request) sent by the source serving base station to which the terminal is handed over.

The first message may be a Relocation Request (Relocation Request) message.

A first possible implementation manner is that the first message is sent to the first SMF network element by the AMF network element, specifically, after the AMF network element selects the first SMF network element, the first message is sent to the first SMF network element. Correspondingly, after receiving the first message, the first SMF network element allocates a first IP address to the terminal, and sends the first IP address to the terminal through the AMF network element.

In this way, the first message may include identification information of the second SMF network element, and thus, after receiving the first message, the first SMF network element may obtain, according to the identification information of the second SMF network element, a second uplink Traffic Flow Template (TFT) and a second downlink TFT from the second SMF network element, and further, the first SMF network element generates, according to the second uplink TFT and the first IP address, a first uplink TFT for the terminal and sends the first uplink TFT to the terminal, and generates, according to the second downlink TFT and the first IP address, a first downlink TFT for the terminal and sends the first downlink TFT to the UPF network element.

The first uplink TFT is used for updating the uplink TFT of the terminal to the first uplink TFT after the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address; and the first downlink TFT is used for updating the downlink TFT of the terminal to the first downlink TFT after the UPF network element updates the IP address mapped by the downlink NAT of the terminal to the first IP address.

In the application, the first SMF network element may carry both the first uplink TFT and the first IP address in the response message of the first message and send the response message to the AMF, and then the AMF sends the response message to the terminal; the first SMF network element may carry the first downlink TFT and the first IP address in a second message, and send the second message to the UPF, where the second message may specifically be a modify session request (modify session request) message.

A second possible implementation manner is that the first message is sent to the first SMF network element by the second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element is a source SMF network element for terminal handover. Specifically, after selecting the first SMF network element, the AMF network element sends a third message to the second SMF network element, where the third message includes the identification information of the first SMF network element, and the second SMF network element sends the first message to the first SMF network element. Correspondingly, after receiving the first message, the first SMF network element allocates the first IP address to the terminal, and then sends the first IP address to the second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element sends the first IP address to the terminal through the AMF network element.

In this way, the first message may include a second uplink TFT and a second downlink TFT, so that the first SMF network element may obtain the second uplink TFT and the second downlink TFT from the first message, and further the first SMF network element generates the first uplink TFT for the terminal according to the second uplink TFT and the first IP address, and transmits the first uplink TFT to the terminal, and generates the first downlink TFT for the terminal according to the second downlink TFT and the first IP address, and transmits the first downlink TFT to the UPF network element.

In the application, the first SMF network element may carry both the first uplink TFT and the first IP address in the response message of the first message and send the response message to the second SMF network element, and the second SMF network element sends the response message to the terminal through the AMF; the first SMF network element may carry the first downlink TFT and the first IP address in a second message, and send the second message to the UPF, where the second message may specifically be a modify session request (modify session request) message.

According to the above content, in the present application, after the first SMF network element allocates the first IP address to the terminal, the first SMF network element sends the first IP address to the terminal, and sends the first IP address to the UPF network element; thus, for the UPF network element, after receiving the first IP address, the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT can be updated to the first IP address, so that the destination IP address of the downlink data sent to the terminal is the first IP address; for the terminal, after receiving the first IP address, the terminal can monitor the downlink data by using the first IP address, so that the terminal can receive the downlink data after the target IP address of the downlink data is updated to the first IP address; further, after receiving the downlink data with the destination IP address as the first IP address, the terminal updates the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address, and sends the uplink data with the source IP address as the first IP address to the UPF, so that after receiving the uplink data, the UPF updates the IP address mapped by the uplink NAT of the terminal to the first IP address. That is to say, in the terminal switching process, the UPF network element updates the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to the first IP address, and then updates the IP address mapped by the terminal uplink NAT to the first IP address, thereby realizing terminal switching on the basis of effectively ensuring service continuity.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of NAT mapping update in the terminal handover process. The IP address before the terminal update (i.e., the second IP address) is 192.168.0.100, the IP address after the terminal update (i.e., the first IP address) is 192.169.2.101, and the public IP address is 61.759.62.130. As shown in fig. 4, after receiving the first IP address, the UPF network element updates the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to 61.759.62.130; and then, after receiving the uplink data of which the source IP address is the first IP address, updating the IP address mapped by the uplink NAT of the terminal into the first IP address.

The following describes the handover method in this application in detail with reference to the second embodiment and the third embodiment, respectively.

Example two: corresponding to the first possible implementation manner in the first embodiment

Fig. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a handover method according to a second embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 5, the method includes:

step 501, a source base station initiates handover to a target base station.

In step 502, the source base station sends a handover request (handover required) message to the AMF to request handover, where the handover request message may include an identifier of the target base station.

Step 503, after determining that the SMF of the terminal needs to be changed, the AMF selects a target SWF (T-SWF) for terminal switching, and sends a relocation request (relocation request) to the target SWF, where the relocation request includes an identifier of a source SWF (S-SWF) for terminal switching; wherein the AMF may select the target SWF based on the identity of the target base station.

Step 504, the target SWF sends a session management context request (SM contextrequest) of the terminal to the source SMF;

at step 505, the source SMF returns a session management context response (SM context response) to the target SWF.

Step 506, the target SWF allocates a new IP address (i.e. a first IP address) to the terminal, acquires a second uplink TFT and a second downlink TFT allocated to the terminal by the source SWF from the source SMF, generates a first uplink TFT for the terminal according to the second uplink TFT and the first IP address, and generates a first downlink TFT for the terminal according to the second downlink TFT and the first IP address; and the target SWF sends a relocation request response (relocation response) to the AMF, wherein the relocation request response comprises the first IP address, the first uplink TFT and session management context information of the terminal.

In step 507, the AMF sends a handover request to the target base station.

In step 508, the target base station sends a response (handover request ACK) to the AMF.

In step 509, the AMF sends a handover command (handover command) to the terminal through the original base station, where the handover command includes the first IP address and the first downlink TFT.

Step 510, the terminal sends a handover confirm to the target base station, and monitors downlink data using the second IP address (the IP address allocated to the terminal by the source SWF) and the first IP address.

At this time, the terminal still uses the second IP address to transmit the uplink data.

In step 511, the target base station sends a handover notification (handover notify) to the AMF.

In step 512, the AMF sends a handover notification (handover notify) to the target SWF.

Step 513, the target SWF sends a modify session request (modify session request) to the UPF, where the modify session request includes the first IP address and the first downlink TFT.

And 514, updating the IP address mapped by the terminal downlink NAT to the first IP address by the UPF, and updating the downlink TFT of the terminal to the first downlink TFT.

At step 515, the UPF sends a modify session response (modify session response) to the target SWF.

At this time, the UPF transmits downlink data to the terminal using the first IP address.

And 516, monitoring downlink data by the terminal by using the first IP address and the second IP address, updating the IP address of the terminal to the first IP address after monitoring the downlink data of which the target IP address is the first IP address, and updating the uplink TFT of the terminal to the first uplink TFT.

At this time, the terminal transmits uplink data to the UPF using the first IP address.

Step 517, after receiving the uplink data sent by the terminal using the first IP address, the UPF updates the IP address mapped by the uplink NAT of the terminal to the first IP address.

Example three: corresponding to the second possible implementation manner in the first embodiment

Fig. 6 is a schematic flowchart of a handover method provided in the third embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 6, the method includes:

step 601 and step 602 refer to the descriptions of step 501 and step 502 in embodiment two, respectively, and are not described herein again.

Step 603, after determining that the SMF of the terminal needs to be changed, the AMF selects a target SWF for terminal switching, and sends a third message to the source SWF, where the third message includes an identifier of the target SWF.

Step 604, the source SWF sends a relocation request message to the target SWF according to the identifier of the target SWF, where the relocation request message includes a second uplink TFT and a second downlink TFT that are allocated to the terminal by the source SWF.

Step 605, the target SWF allocates a first IP address to the terminal, generates a first uplink TFT for the terminal according to the second uplink TFT and the first IP address, generates a first downlink TFT for the terminal according to the second downlink TFT and the first IP address, and sends a relocation request response (relocation response) to the source SWF, where the relocation request response includes the first IP address and the first uplink TFT.

In step 606, the source SWF sends a response message of the third message to the AMF, where the response message may include the first IP address, the first uplink TFT, and session management context information of the terminal.

Step 607 to step 617 refer to step 507 to step 517 in the second embodiment, respectively, and are not described again.

For the above method flows, the present application provides an SMF network element, a terminal, and a UPF network element, and the specific implementations of the SMF network element, the terminal, and the UPF network element refer to the above method flows.

and (3) operating instructions: including various operational instructions for performing various operations.

Operating the system: including various system programs for implementing various basic services and for handling hardware-based tasks.

and (3) operating instructions: including various operational instructions for performing various operations.

Operating the system: including various system programs for implementing various basic services and for handling hardware-based tasks.

and (3) operating instructions: including various operational instructions for performing various operations.

Operating the system: including various system programs for implementing various basic services and for handling hardware-based tasks.

The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used for storing computer software instructions required to be executed for executing the processor, and which contains a program required to be executed for executing the processor.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present application may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present application may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present application may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein.

The present application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to the application. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is intended to include such modifications and variations as well.