CN119697705A

CN119697705A - Rate control method and communication device for terminal device group in network slice

Info

Publication number: CN119697705A
Application number: CN202311242940.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 封召; 辛阳; 王远
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2023-09-22
Filing date: 2023-09-22
Publication date: 2025-03-25
Also published as: WO2025060891A1

Abstract

A rate control method and communication device for a terminal device group within a network slice can control and adjust the bit rate at a granularity of per Slice per Application per UE Group. Within a network slice, the bit rate of a terminal device group corresponding to or belonging to the same application or service in the network slice can be controlled and adjusted as a whole. The terminal device group is composed of some terminal devices (or users) within the network slice, and belongs to or runs the same application. It can ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the terminal device group does not exceed a preset threshold to avoid affecting other terminal devices or other services. It can also ensure that the bit rate of the terminal device group meets the minimum requirements to ensure that the services or applications of the terminal device group can meet the minimum requirements for normal transmission and improve user experience.

Description

Rate control method and communication device for terminal equipment group in network slice

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly, to a method and a communications apparatus for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice.

Background

Federal learning (FEDERATED LEARNING, FL) defines a machine learning framework, which can effectively solve the problem of data island, and enables each participant to combine and model on the basis of not sharing data, so that the data island is technically broken and artificial intelligence (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AI) cooperation is realized. Federal learning can be divided into three categories, horizontal federal learning, vertical federal learning, and federal migration learning, depending on the characteristics of the participating data sources.

In the horizontal federal learning process, the aggregate bit rate of a group of selected terminal devices needs to be limited, that is, the aggregate bit rate of the granularity of the group of terminal devices needs to be monitored and adjusted, so that influence on other terminals or services is avoided.

Currently, the bit rate of a terminal device on a certain network slice is controlled and adjusted in a manner for limiting the aggregate data rate of all terminal devices in a network slice, and monitoring and adjusting of the aggregate data rate cannot be performed for a specific terminal device group in the network slice. Therefore, the terminal device group may affect other terminal devices or other services, so that the transmission rate of other terminal devices or other services cannot meet the requirement. Moreover, the transmission rate of the terminal equipment group cannot be guaranteed to meet the requirement, so that the service or application running by the terminal equipment group can be influenced, the communication efficiency is influenced, and the user experience is reduced.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a rate control method and a communication device for terminal equipment groups in a network slice, which can control and adjust the bit rate of granularity of each terminal equipment group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) per application per slice, so that the bit rate of the terminal equipment group meets the requirements of application or service. The method and the device avoid influencing other terminal equipment or other services, ensure that the service or application of the terminal equipment group can meet the minimum requirement of normal transmission, improve the communication efficiency and improve the user experience.

In a first aspect, a method for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, where the method includes a policy control function network element (PCF) obtaining first information, where the first information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a first terminal device group corresponding to a first application in the first network slice or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, the policy control function network element receiving second information from a data storage network element or a unified data management network element, the second information includes bit rate information, and determining an adjustment policy, where the condition is satisfied, for adjusting at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group, according to the first information and the bit rate information.

In the rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice provided in the first aspect, the PCF obtains at least one of aggregate bit rate information per slice per application per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) or UE minimum bit rate information in the UE group, and obtains at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold per slice per application per UE group, a threshold of UE group minimum aggregate bit rate, or a minimum bit rate threshold of UEs in the UE group. The PCF compares the aggregate bit rate of the UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group with a corresponding threshold value, judges whether the condition can be met, and if not, the PCF executes policy adjustment. The control and adjustment of the bit rate of a certain terminal equipment group (UE group) corresponding to or belonging to the same application (or service) in a network slice are realized. The aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or service is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the bit rate information comprises at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal equipment group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal equipment group, or a minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group, and if the condition is met, comprises at least one of meeting that the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group is greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal equipment group, the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal equipment group, or the minimum bit rate of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group. In the implementation manner, the accuracy of determining whether the aggregate bit rate of the UE group meets the condition can be improved, and the accuracy of adjusting the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group is ensured. The expression "first group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "third group of terminal devices", for example.

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the method further includes that the policy control function network element receives third information from the network open function network element, the third information includes first indication information, the first indication information is used for indicating that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the first terminal equipment group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is triggered, the third information further includes at least one of identification of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identification of the first terminal equipment group, identification of a first network slice and identification of a first application, and the policy control function network element sends a subscription request to the network analysis function network element in response to the third information, the subscription request is used for obtaining the first information, and the subscription request includes at least one of identification of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identification of the first terminal equipment group, identification of the first network slice, identification of the first application and analysis type identification. The analysis type identifier is used to indicate that an analysis of the data volume and session related of the terminal device or group of terminal devices is to be performed. In this implementation manner, the PCF may be enabled to explicitly need to perform bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the first terminal device group, and the PCF may be enabled to obtain an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group, or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group, so as to ensure that the PCF may perform adjustment of the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group. The expression "first group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "third group of terminal devices", for example.

The third information further includes, for example, a UE sub-list (UE sub-list) of all UEs in a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) served by the PCF, for identifying UE identities served by the PCF. The subsequent PCF performs policy adjustment only for the UE in the UE list served by the PCF. The subscription request also includes identifiers (UE sub-list) of all UEs in a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) served by the PCF, for identifying UE identifiers served by the PCF. The subsequent NWDAF may obtain, from each PCF, the SMF serving the UE based on the list of served UEs provided by that PCF.

In one possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the bit rate information includes a remaining group aggregate bit rate of a second terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, the first terminal device group is a subset of the second terminal device group (the second terminal device group includes the first terminal device group), the policy control function network element is a policy control function network element serving the first terminal device group, the terminal device included in the first terminal device group is a terminal device managed by the policy control function network element, and the method further includes updating the remaining group aggregate bit rate according to the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group in the first information, where the condition is satisfied, including that the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate is greater than a preset first threshold or less than a preset second threshold. In this implementation manner, each PCF obtains the aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group (for example, the first UE group) in charge of itself, and then updates the aggregate bit rate of the remaining groups (for example, the aggregate bit rate of the remaining groups of the third UE group) and determines whether the requirement is met, in this manner, monitoring and adjustment of the bit rate of the granularity of the sub-UE group are achieved, and communication efficiency is improved. The expression "second group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "third group of terminal devices", for example.

Illustratively, the remaining group aggregate bit rate (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) refers to the bit rate (i.e., the size of the remaining or available resources of a UE group) that is remaining or available to a certain UE group. The remaining set of aggregate bit rates is a dynamically changing value. The value of the remaining group aggregate bit rate may decrease as the bit rate of a portion of the UEs in the group of UEs increases and may increase as the bit rate of a portion of the UEs in the group of UEs decreases. For example, assuming that the identity of the inner UE group is the identity of the third UE group, the remaining group aggregate bit rate refers to the remaining or available bit rate of the third UE group, which is a dynamically changing value. The first threshold may be a preset value for comparison with the remaining set of aggregated bit rates.

In one possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the updating, by the policy control function network element, the remaining group of aggregated bit rates according to the aggregated bit rate of the first terminal device group in the first information includes determining a change value of the aggregated bit rate of the first terminal device group by the policy control function network element, and determining, by the policy control function network element, the remaining group of aggregated bit rates according to the change value, to obtain the updated remaining group of aggregated bit rates. In the implementation manner, the accuracy of the updated residual group aggregation bit rate can be improved, so that the accuracy of adjusting the aggregation bit rate of the first terminal equipment group is ensured. The expression "second group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "third group of terminal devices", for example. The first group of terminal devices is a subset of the second group of terminal devices (i.e., the second group of terminal devices includes the first group of terminal devices).

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the method further includes the policy control function network element sending the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate to a data storage network element or a unified data management network element. In this implementation, it may be ensured that the remaining group aggregate bit rate may accurately reflect the actual remaining group aggregate bit rate of the UE group.

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the method further includes that the policy control function network element receives fourth information from the network open function network element, the fourth information including first indication information, the first indication information indicating that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the first terminal equipment group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is triggered, the fourth information further including at least one of identification of all terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group or identification of the second terminal equipment group, at least one of identification of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identification of the first terminal equipment group, identification of the first network slice, identification of the first application, and the policy control function network element obtains the first information according to the fourth information. The first group of terminal devices is a subset of the second group of terminal devices. The expression "second group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "third group of terminal devices", for example. In this implementation manner, the PCF may be enabled to explicitly need to monitor and adjust the bit rate of the first terminal device group, and the PCF may be enabled to obtain the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group, or the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group, so that the PCF is ensured to be capable of adjusting the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group.

In one possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the policy control function network element receives second information from the data storage network element, and the policy control function network element sends a query request to the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, wherein the query request comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or identifiers of the first terminal device group, identifiers of a first network slice and identifiers of a first application, or the query request comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the second terminal device group or identifiers of the second terminal device group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application, wherein the second terminal device group comprises the first terminal device group, and the policy control function network element receives second information from the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, and the second information responds to the query request. In this implementation, the PCF may be enabled to obtain the second information, which ensures that the PCF may perform adjustment of the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group. The expression "second group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "third group of terminal devices", for example.

In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the adjustment policy comprises at least one of modifying a maximum bitrate value of the guaranteed bitrate quality of service stream if the quality of service stream of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group is the guaranteed bitrate quality of service stream, adjusting an Allocation Retention Priority (ARP), or a priority parameter, of the quality of service streams of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group, and releasing the quality of service streams of part of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group. The first terminal equipment group is a terminal equipment group served by the PCF, that is, when each PCF executes policy adjustment, adjustment is only performed for UEs in a UE list (UE sub-list) served by the PCF. In this implementation, the UE group aggregate bit rate may be made less than or equal to the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group and greater than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group, or the minimum bit rate for the UEs in the UE group is greater than the minimum bit rate threshold for the UEs in the UE group. Therefore, the influence on other terminal equipment or other services is avoided, the service or application of the terminal equipment group is ensured to meet the minimum requirement of normal transmission, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a second aspect, a method for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, where the method includes an application function network element (AF) sending a first parameter to a data storage network element or a unified data management network element, where the first parameter includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of a third terminal device group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of a terminal device in the third terminal device group, or a remaining aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group, where the first parameter further includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the third terminal device group or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of a first network slice, and an identifier of a first application, where the application function network element sends a first request message to a network opening function network element, where the first request message includes second indication information, an identifier of the first network slice, and an identifier of the first application, where the second indication information indicates that at least one of an aggregate bit rate monitoring of the third terminal device group, or an identifier of the minimum terminal device in the third terminal device group, or an identifier of the at least one of the third terminal device group is triggered, and the first request message includes the first terminal device identifier of the at least one of the terminal device in the third terminal device group. The expression "third group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "second group of terminal devices", for example. Or the expression "third group of terminal devices" may be replaced by "first group of terminal devices".

The method for controlling the rate of the terminal equipment group in the network slice according to the second aspect is that the AF configures at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold per slice per application per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group), a threshold of a minimum aggregate bit rate of the UE group, a minimum bit rate threshold of UEs in the UE group, and a remaining group aggregate bit rate per slice per application per UE group in the UDM or UDR. And instructs the PCF to monitor the aggregate bit rate of the group of terminal devices, so that the PCF can monitor and adjust the bit rate of the granularity of the group of UEs. And further, the aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or business is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a third aspect, a method for rate control of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, the method comprising that a network open function Network Element (NEF) receives a first request message from an application function network element, the first request message comprising second indication information for indicating that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a third terminal device group corresponding to a first application or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the third terminal device group in the first network slice is triggered, the first request message further comprising at least one of an identification of all terminal devices in the third terminal device group or an identification of the third terminal device group, an identification of the first network slice, an identification of a first application, the network open function network element determining a set of policy control function network elements according to the first request message, the set of policy control function network elements comprising a plurality of policy control function network elements serving terminal devices in the third terminal device group, the network open function network element sending third information to each policy control function network element in the set, the third information comprising at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the first terminal devices corresponding to the first application, the at least one of the first application node in the first network slice, the at least one of the first indication information for at least one of the first application node in the first network element group, the at least one of the first application node control function network element group, the first terminal equipment group and the third terminal equipment group are the same terminal equipment group.

According to the rate control method of the terminal equipment group in the network slice, NEF indicates to PCF to monitor and adjust the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group, so that PCF can monitor and adjust the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group. And further, the aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or business is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a fourth aspect, a method for rate control of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, the method comprising that a network open function element (NEF) receives a first request message from an application function network element, the first request message comprising second indication information for indicating that a policy control function element performs at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a third terminal device group corresponding to a first application or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the third terminal device group in the first network slice, the first request message further comprising at least one of an identity of a terminal device included in the third terminal device group or an identity of a first terminal device group, an identity of a first network slice, an identity of a first application, and a set of policy control function elements comprising a plurality of policy control function elements serving terminal devices in the third terminal device group according to the first request message, the network open function element sending a fourth information to each policy control function element in the set, respectively, the fourth information comprising at least one of an identity of terminal devices included in the third terminal device group or an identity of terminal devices in the first terminal device group, the first application function element comprising at least one of an identity of a first terminal device group and a minimum bit rate monitoring of at least one of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application function element, an identity of at least one of a first terminal device group, a first application function element comprising an identity of at least one of a first terminal device in the first terminal device group, a first application node element and a first application node, a set comprising at least one of a first application node element, a first node element comprising a first node element, a policy control function element serving a policy control function element set serving a policy control element group, and a policy control element network element group serving a policy element, the first application identifier, wherein the first terminal equipment group comprises terminal equipment managed by a policy control function network element, the second terminal equipment group comprises the first terminal equipment group, and the second terminal equipment group and the third terminal equipment group are the same terminal equipment group.

In the rate control method for terminal equipment groups in a network slice provided in the fourth aspect, the NEF indicates to the PCF to perform aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the first terminal equipment group, so that the PCF can monitor and adjust the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group. And further, the aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or business is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, the method further includes that the network opening function network element receives fifth information from each policy control function network element in the policy control function network element set, the fifth information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group, the network opening function network element determines at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group according to the fifth information, and the network opening function network element sends sixth information to the application function network element, the sixth information includes the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group, the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group is less than the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group.

In the implementation manner, the NEF aggregates the information fed back by different PCFs, determines aggregate bit rate information of the UEs and/or minimum bit rates of the UEs in the UE group, and compares the acquired aggregate bit rates of the UE group and/or the minimum bit rates of the UEs in the UE group with requirements in request information of the AF to determine whether the requirements can be met. If the bit rate is not satisfied, the AF is informed, and the AF triggers the execution of policy adjustment, so that the monitoring and adjustment of the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group are realized. The method can ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group does not exceed the requirement, avoid affecting other UE or service, and ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group is not lower than the set minimum aggregate bit rate so as to ensure the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted, thereby improving the communication efficiency.

In a fifth aspect, a method for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, where the method includes receiving, by a data storage network element (UDR) or a unified data management network element (UDM), a first parameter from an application function network element, where the first parameter includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of a third terminal device group, a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the third terminal device group, or a remaining group aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group in the first network slice, where the first parameter further includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the third terminal device group or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, and an identifier of the first application, and where the data storage network element or the unified data management network element stores the first parameter. The expression "third group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "second group of terminal devices", for example. Or the expression "third group of terminal devices" may be replaced by "first group of terminal devices".

According to the rate control method for the terminal equipment group in the network slice, the PCF can acquire the first parameter by storing the first parameter in the UDR or the UDM, so that the PCF can adjust the aggregation bit rate of the first terminal equipment group. And further, the aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or business is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a fifth possible implementation manner, the method further includes the data storage network element or the unified data management network element receiving a first query request from the policy control function network element, where the first query request is used to query at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of a first terminal device group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, or a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, the first query request includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or an identifier of the first terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, an identifier of the first application, and the data storage network element or the unified data management network element sends at least one of the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, or the minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the first terminal device group to the policy control function network element in response to the first query request. In the implementation mode, the PCF can acquire at least one of the maximum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the first terminal equipment group, the minimum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the first terminal equipment group or the minimum bit rate threshold value of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group, so that the PCF can adjust the aggregation bit rate of the first terminal equipment group. And further, the aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or business is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect, the method further includes the step that the data storage network element or the unified data management network element receives a second query request sent by the policy control function network element, the second query request is used for querying at least one of a residual group aggregation bit rate of a second terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application or a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group in the first network slice, the second query request includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group or an identifier of the second terminal equipment group, an identifier of the first network slice and an identifier of the first application, wherein the second terminal equipment group and the third terminal equipment group are the same terminal equipment group, and the data storage network element or the unified data management network element sends the residual group aggregation bit rate of the second terminal equipment group or at least one of the minimum bit rate threshold of terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group to the policy control function network element in response to the second query request, and the data storage network element or the unified data management network element receives the residual group aggregation bit rate from the policy control function network element after sending the updated residual group bit rate. In this implementation, the PCF may be enabled to obtain at least one of the remaining group aggregate bit rate of the second terminal device group or the minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the second terminal device group, which ensures that the PCF may perform adjustment of the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group (sub-UE group). And further, the aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or business is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a sixth aspect, a method for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, where the method includes an application function network element (AF) sending seventh information, where the seventh information includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in a third terminal device group corresponding to a first application in the first network slice or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, and an identifier of the first application, where the application function network element receives eighth information in response to the seventh information, where the eighth information includes an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, a minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, an indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, an indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or an indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate of the terminal device group, and where the policy adjustment of the function of the terminal device in response to the eighth information is met, and where the policy adjustment function of the at least one of the terminal device in the first terminal device group is applied is determined.

In the rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice provided in the sixth aspect, the AF obtains aggregate bit rate information of each UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) per application per slice, or a comparison result of the aggregate bit rate of the UE group and a threshold. AF judges whether the requirement can be satisfied. The AF triggers the execution strategy adjustment, thereby realizing the monitoring and adjustment of the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group. The method can ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group does not exceed the requirement, avoid affecting other UE or service, and ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group is not lower than the set minimum aggregate bit rate so as to ensure the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted, thereby improving the communication efficiency.

In a possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect, the seventh information further includes second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the third terminal device group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the third terminal device group is triggered. In this implementation, the PCF may be enabled to explicitly need to perform bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the first terminal device group, and may be enabled to obtain an aggregate bit rate of the UE sub-group served by the PCF or a minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the UE sub-group, so that the AF may monitor and adjust the bit rate of the UE group granularity. And further, the aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or business is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect, the seventh information further includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or a minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group.

In a possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect, when the condition is met, it includes at least one of that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group is less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group. In the implementation manner, the accuracy of determining whether the aggregate bit rate of the UE group meets the condition can be improved, and the accuracy of adjusting the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group is ensured.

In a possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect, the adjustment policy includes at least one of modifying a maximum bitrate value of the guaranteed bitrate quality of service if the quality of service flows of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group are guaranteed bitrate quality of service flows, adjusting an allocation retention priority, or a priority parameter, of the quality of service flows of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and releasing a portion of the quality of service flows of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group. In this implementation, the UE group aggregate bit rate may be made less than or equal to the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group and greater than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group, or the minimum bit rate for the UEs in the UE group is greater than the minimum bit rate threshold for the UEs in the UE group. Therefore, the influence on other terminal equipment or other services is avoided, the service or application of the terminal equipment group is ensured to meet the minimum requirement of normal transmission, and the communication efficiency is improved.

In a seventh aspect, a method for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, where the method includes a Policy Control Function (PCF) receiving fourth information from a network open function (network element), where the fourth information includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the first terminal device group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the first terminal device group in the first network slice is triggered, where the fourth information includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or an identifier of the first terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, an identifier of the first application, where the policy control function is a policy control function serving the first terminal device group, and where the policy control function obtains at least one of aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group according to the fourth information, and where the policy control function sends at least one of aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group to the network function.

According to the rate control method for terminal equipment groups in the network slice provided by the seventh aspect, the PCF may determine at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a sub-UE group (first terminal equipment group) served by the PCF or a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the sub-UE group, and send the aggregate bit rate or the minimum bit rate of the terminal equipment in the sub-UE group to the NEF, so that the NEF determines at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a third terminal equipment group or a minimum bit rate of the terminal equipment in the sub-third terminal equipment group, thereby judging whether the requirement can be met. If the requirement is not satisfied, triggering the execution strategy adjustment, and monitoring and adjusting the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group are realized.

In an eighth aspect, a method for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice is provided, where the method includes that a network analysis function network element (NWDAF) receives request information from a policy control function network element or a network opening function network element, where the request information includes at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in a third terminal device group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice or identifiers of the third terminal device group, identifiers of the first network slice, identifiers of the first application, and analysis type identifiers, and the network analysis function network element determines an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or at least one of minimum bit rates of terminal devices in the third terminal device group according to the request information, and the network analysis function network element sends ninth information to the policy control function network element or the network opening function network element, where the ninth information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group. The expression "third group of terminal devices" may also be replaced by "second group of terminal devices", for example. Or the expression "third group of terminal devices" may be replaced by "second group of terminal devices".

In the method for controlling a rate of a terminal device group in a network slice according to the eighth aspect, NWDAF may determine at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and send the at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the sub-third terminal device group to the NEF or the PCF, so that the NEF or the PCF determines at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the sub-third terminal device group, thereby determining whether the requirement can be met. If the requirement is not satisfied, triggering the execution strategy adjustment, and monitoring and adjusting the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group are realized.

In a possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect, the request information further includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or a minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and the ninth information further includes at least one of indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group is less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group.

A ninth aspect provides a communications apparatus comprising means or units for performing the steps of any of the above first to seventh aspects or any of the possible implementations of any of the first to eighth aspects. The module or unit may be a hardware circuit, or may be software, or may be implemented by combining a hardware circuit with software. The communication device may be a core network element (for example PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM, or UDR), or a device in the core network element (for example, a chip, or a system on a chip, or a circuit), or a device that can be used in cooperation with the core network element.

In a possible implementation manner of the ninth aspect, the communication device includes a transceiver unit (may also be referred to as an interface module) and a processing unit (may also be referred to as a processing module). The processing unit is used for controlling the transceiver unit to perform signal transceiving. The processing unit is used for processing data or information and the like.

In a tenth aspect, a communications apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to perform the method of any of the above first to eighth aspects or configured to perform the method of any of the possible implementations of any of the first to eighth aspects.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided a communications device comprising at least one processor and interface circuitry for outputting and/or inputting signals, the at least one processor being adapted to perform the method of any of the above first to eighth aspects or any of the possible implementations of any of the above first to eighth aspects.

A twelfth aspect provides a core network element comprising the communication device provided in the ninth aspect, or comprising the communication device provided in the tenth aspect, or comprising the communication device provided in the eleventh aspect.

The core network element may be PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR, for example.

In a thirteenth aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising a computer program for performing the method of any of the first to eighth aspects above, or the method of any possible implementation of any of the first to eighth aspects above, when executed by a processor.

In a fourteenth aspect, there is provided a computer readable storage medium having stored therein a computer program for performing the method of any of the above first to eighth aspects or any of the possible implementation manners of any of the above first to eighth aspects when the computer program is executed.

In a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a chip comprising a processor for executing a computer program or instructions in a memory for causing a communication device on which the chip is mounted to perform the method of any of the above first to eighth aspects or any of the possible implementations of any of the above first to eighth aspects.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one example of lateral federal learning.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of a lateral federal learning model training process using 5GS for intermediate result transmission.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the AF configuring corresponding parameters in the UDR through the external parameter providing process.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of corresponding parameters by the AF to the core network element.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary communication system architecture suitable for use in the method of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a schematic interaction diagram of an example of a rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice provided by the present application.

Fig. 7 is a schematic interaction diagram of another example of a rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice provided by the present application.

Fig. 8 is a schematic interaction diagram of a rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice according to still another example provided by the present application.

Fig. 9 is a schematic interaction diagram of a rate control method of a terminal device group in a network slice according to still another example provided by the present application.

Fig. 10 is a schematic interaction diagram of a rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice according to still another example provided by the present application.

Fig. 11 is a schematic block diagram of a communication apparatus structure of an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a communication apparatus structure of another embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 13 is a schematic block diagram of a system-on-chip architecture of one embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The technical scheme of the application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise indicated, "/" means or, for example, a/B may represent a or B, and "and/or" herein is merely an association relationship describing an association object, and means that there may be three relationships, for example, a and/or B, and that there may be three cases where a exists alone, while a and B exist together, and B exists alone. In addition, in the description of the embodiments of the present application, "plurality" means two or more than two.

The terms "first" and "second" are used below for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first" or "a second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more such feature. In the description of the present embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more.

Various aspects or features of the application may be implemented as a method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programming and/or engineering techniques. The term "article of manufacture" as used herein encompasses a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or media. For example, computer-readable media can include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, or magnetic strips, etc.), optical disks (e.g., compact disk, CD, digital versatile disk, DIGITAL VERSATILEDISC, DVD, etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM), cards, sticks, key drives, etc. Additionally, various storage media described herein can represent one or more devices and/or other machine-readable media for storing information. The term "machine-readable medium" can include, without being limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and/or carrying instruction(s) and/or data.

Federal learning defines a machine learning framework by which the problem of collaboration of different data owners without exchanging data can be solved, which can effectively help multiple institutions to perform data use and machine learning modeling while meeting the requirements of user privacy protection, data security and government regulations. The federal learning is used as a distributed machine learning framework, so that the problem of data island can be effectively solved, all the participants can jointly model on the basis of not sharing data, the data island is broken technically, and AI cooperation is realized. Federal learning can be divided into three categories, horizontal federal learning, vertical federal learning, and federal migration learning, depending on the characteristics of the participating data sources.

Under the condition that the user features of the two data sets overlap more and the user overlap is less, the data sets are segmented according to the transverse direction (namely the user dimension), and the part of data with the same user features and the incomplete users of the two data sets are taken out for training, and the method is called transverse federal learning. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, assume that the data set for operator A contains data for user 1, user 2, user 3, and user 4. Wherein the data for each user contains feature 1, feature 2, feature 3, feature 4, and feature 5. The data set of operator B contains data for user 4, user 5, user 6, user 7, and user 8, each of which contains feature 2, feature 3, feature 4, feature 5, and feature 6. It can be seen that the intersection of the user of the data set of the operator a and the data set of the operator B is very small, but the user features are mostly the same, and the model training of the transverse federal learning can be performed on the part of the data (i.e., feature 2, feature 3, feature 4, feature 5) in which the user features in the data set of the operator a and the data set of the operator B are the same but the users are not exactly the same.

Currently, in the horizontal federal learning model training process, the transmission of intermediate results can be performed using a 5G system (5G system,5 gs). For example, fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a lateral federal learning model training procedure for intermediate result transmission using 5GS, as shown in fig. 2, first, each user equipment (user equipment, UE) (UE 1 UE 2....ue K.) the latest training model needs to be downloaded from a Server (Server) via 5GS, then, an iteration of the model training process is performed, which generally comprises the following steps:

Each participant (namely, each UE) calculates a model gradient by using local data, and then the gradient encryption is uploaded to a server;

step two, the server performs aggregation of model gradients (for example, average value solving of the model gradients fed back by all UE, etc.), and updates the model gradients;

Step three, the server distributes the updated model gradient to each participant;

and step four, updating the local model gradient by all the participants according to the updated model gradient.

For the horizontal federal learning of the application layer, in order to ensure the efficiency and the model quality of the model training, the application function network element (application function, AF) needs to select a Group (Group) of suitable UEs (i.e., UE Group) to participate in the model training, and then the AF establishes a session (create session) with the selected Group of UEs to transmit intermediate data of the FL model training. In the FL model training process, other UEs or services are not affected. The application service provider (application service provider, ASP) and the mobile network operator (mobile network operator, MNO) typically subscribe to a service-level agreement (service-LEVEL AGREEMENT, SLA) to agree on a maximum aggregate bit rate between specific FL traffic endpoints (selected UE groups and application servers (application server, AS)), or possibly also between specific FL traffic endpoints (selected UE groups and AS) to guarantee minimum bit rate requirements for the FL traffic.

In other words, in the horizontal federal learning process of the application layer, the aggregate bit rate of a selected group of UEs needs to be limited, so as to avoid affecting other UEs or services. And the selected set of UEs and other UEs belong to or correspond to the same network slice.

Currently, the bit rate related technology of a UE on a certain network slice (in the present application, the network slice may also be referred to as a slice, and both represent the same meaning and may be replaced with each other) mainly includes the following three types. In the embodiment of the present application, the bit rate of the UE may be understood as the size of the transmission rate or the size of the occupied resources when the UE transmits data, and the bit rate of the UE may also be referred to as the bit rate of the UE, the data rate of the UE, and the like.

The first is that release 17 of the third generation partnership project (3rd Generation Partnership Project,3GPP) (3 GPP R17) introduced Slice (Slice) -Maximum Bit Rate (MBR) -per-single-network Slice selection assistance information (single network Slice selection assistance information, S-NSSAI), or may also be referred to as "Slice-MBR per S-NSSAI". Wherein S-NSSAI is used to identify a network slice type, or S-NSSAI is understood to be used to identify a network slice, or S-NSSAI is understood to be identification information of a network slice. The Slice-mbrer S-NSSAI is mainly used to limit the maximum aggregate data rate of guaranteed bit rates (guaranteed bit rate, GBR) and Non-guaranteed bit rates (Non-GBR) of all UEs within a certain Slice. In the embodiment of the present application, the aggregate data rate (i.e., the aggregate bit rate) may be understood as the sum of the bit rates respectively corresponding to the plurality of UEs. For example, the sum of the bit rates respectively corresponding to all UEs within a slice may be referred to as the aggregate bit rate of the UEs within the slice. The monitoring of the Slice-MBR per S-NSSAI (also referred to as Slice-MBR monitoring) is divided into two modes, namely Slice-MBR monitoring based on the assistance of network elements of a network data analysis function (network DATA ANALYTICS function, NWDAF) and Slice-MBR monitoring based on network elements of a policy control function (policy control function, PCF).

For NWDAF-assisted Slice-MBR monitoring, the network Slice-related policy control support operator limits the maximum aggregate data rate per Slice by configuring the "upstream and/or downstream maximum Slice data rate", NWDAF may provide the PCF with statistics of the data amount for all UEs on the Slice (Data Volume Dispersion Analytics), from which the PCF calculates the aggregate bit rate for all UEs on the network Slice and compares to the "maximum Slice data rate". One or more PCFs may be deployed on a network slice, each PCF may serve or otherwise be responsible for multiple UEs. If multiple PCFs are deployed on S-NSSAI, each PCF subscribes to NWDAF to the "maximum upstream and/or downstream slice data rates", respectively, and makes decisions.

For PCF-based Slice-MBR monitoring, if the PCF cannot obtain statistics of the data volume of all UEs within a Slice from NWDAF, the "remaining maximum Slice data rate" for one Slice is maintained by the unified data store (unified data repository, UDR). The "remaining maximum slice data rate" corresponding to a slice is a dynamically changing value, and as the data rate used by all UEs within the slice increases (i.e., the aggregate bit rate of all UEs within the slice increases), the value of the "remaining maximum slice data rate" will decrease. Each PCF interacts with the UDR to obtain and update the value, respectively. For example, the PCF may determine an increase value (i.e., an increase amount) of the data rates used by the UEs responsible for itself, i.e., the PCF may determine a change amount of the aggregate bit rate of the UEs responsible for itself, subtract the increase value (or the change amount) from the "remaining maximum slice data rate" obtained from the UDR to obtain an updated "remaining maximum slice data rate", and then store the updated "remaining maximum slice data rate" in the UDR continuously, and perform corresponding policy control according to the value. If multiple PCFs are deployed on S-NSSAI (i.e., multiple PCFs are deployed on one network slice), each PCF may obtain or update the value to the UDR and use the Etags mechanism to ensure that the "maximum remaining slice data rate" in the UDR is updated correctly. Each PCF may also subscribe to the UDR for notification of changes to the network slice specific policy control information, such that after a change in the "remaining maximum slice data rate" stored in the UDR, the UDR may timely send a notification of the "remaining maximum slice data rate change" to the PCF. When the "remaining maximum slice data rate" is relatively large, the PCF may configure a "local remaining maximum slice data rate" and interact with the UDR to obtain the "remaining maximum slice data rate" only when the "local remaining maximum slice data rate" reaches a certain threshold or a certain time window (time period) has elapsed. The PCF configures the local residual maximum slice data rate, so that the PCF can be prevented from frequently interacting with the UDR to acquire the residual maximum slice data rate, and the consumption of communication resources is reduced. For example, the PCF configures the value of "local remaining maximum slice data rate" to be less than the value of "remaining maximum slice data rate".

When the PCF finds that the data rate that the current network slice has used (i.e., the aggregate bit rate of the UEs on the current network slice) is about to exceed or has exceeded the "maximum slice data rate", or when the PCF finds that the "remaining maximum slice data rate" of the current network slice is close to zero, the PCF makes a corresponding policy adjustment. For example, specific policy adjustments may include the following:

The new session management (session management, SM) policy association is rejected. For example, the session management function network element (session management function, SMF) will refuse to establish a new packet data unit (PACKET DATA unit, PDU) session;

rejecting new GBR traffic data flows with high GBR requirements;

Modifying the value of the authorized Session aggregation maximum bit rate (Session-AMBR) (if allowed by the local public land mobile network (home public land mobile network, HPLMN);

modifying an MBR value in a GBR traffic data flow Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rule;

In addition, some adjustment criteria are met when the PCF performs policy adjustments. E.g. frequent policy decisions (like changing the grant Session-AMBR or changing the MBR of the GBR traffic data flow) that trigger signalling interactions with the UE are avoided as much as possible, and e.g. new PDU sessions or PCC rules belonging to the GBR traffic data flow may be accepted exceeding the maximum slice data rate and different charges applied to them, depending on the operator policy.

In summary, the first solution described above is used to limit the aggregate data rate of all UEs within a slice, and monitoring and adjustment of the aggregate data rate cannot be performed for a specific UE group.

Second, external parameter providing scheme:

AF may configure corresponding parameters in UDR through an external parameter providing flow, for example, as shown in fig. 3, the flow shown in fig. 3 includes:

Step 0, a network function element (NF) sends a subscription request (Nudm _sdm_ Subscribe request) for Subscription Data Management (SDM) to a unified data management element (unified DATA MANAGEMENT, UDM).

In step 0b, the AF subscribes to NWDAF and receives the UE's movement analysis result and/or UE communication analysis result (AF subscribes AND RECEIVES from NWDAF UE Mobility ANALYTICS AND/or UE Communication Analytics).

In step 0c, the AF validates the received data and generates the expected UE behavior parameters (AF VALIDATES THE RECEIVED DATA AND DERIVES THE Expected UE behaviour parameters).

Step 1 to step 2 the af sends a parameter provisioning Create/Update/Delete request (ParameterProvision _create/Update/Delete request) to the UDM via a network element (network exposure function, NEF) of the network open function.

Step 3 to step 4. The UDM configures parameters provided by the AF into the UDR.

Step 5 to step 6 the udm provides a Create/Update/Delete response message (ParameterProvision _create/Update/Delete response) to the AF send parameters via the NEF indicating if the operation was successful.

Step 7. The UDM sends SDM notification to the NF (Nudm _SDM_ Notification Notify).

In the second scheme, the configuration parameters are mainly provided to the network element by the AF, and are not used for limiting the aggregate data rate of the UE group in the slice.

Third, a scheme for establishing an AF session that meets the required quality of service flow (quality of service flows, qoS).

For example, as shown in fig. 4, the AF may request the PCF to create an AF session and specify QoS requirements for the AF session by the following procedure. The flow shown in fig. 4 includes:

Step 1-step 3 (including step 3a and step 3 b) the AF sends a request (sessionWithQoS _create request) to the PCF via the NEF to Create an AF session that meets the specific QoS requirements.

Step 4 to step 5 (including step 4, step 4a, step 4b, step 5) the PCF sends a response message to the AF through the NEF indicating whether the creation of the AF session meeting the specific QoS requirements was successful.

Steps 6 to 8 (including step 6, step 6a, step 7a, step 7b, step 8) the PCF sends a policy authorization notification to the AF via the NEF and time sensitive communication and time synchronization function network elements (TIME SENSITIVE communication and time synchronization function, TSCTSF).

In the third scheme, the AF is mainly used for requesting to set session QoS parameters from the network, and is not used for limiting the aggregate data rate of the UE group in the slice.

In view of this, the present application provides a method for controlling the rate of a terminal device group in a network slice and a communication device, which can control and adjust the bit rate of granularity per terminal device group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) per slice per application, so that the bit rate of the terminal device group meets the requirements of applications or services. In other words, within a network slice, the bit rate may be controlled and adjusted for a certain group of terminal devices within the network slice that correspond to or belong to the same application (or service). The group of terminal devices (user group) consists of part of the terminal devices (or users) within the network slice and belong to or run the same application. The aggregation bit rate of the terminal equipment group can be ensured not to exceed a preset threshold value, and the influence on other terminal equipment or other services is avoided. And the bit rate of the terminal equipment group can be ensured to meet the minimum requirement, so that the service or application of the terminal equipment group can meet the minimum requirement of normal transmission, thereby improving the communication efficiency and the user experience.

The method provided by the present application will be described below with reference to specific examples.

First a schematic diagram of a communication system architecture suitable for use with the present application is described.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a communication system architecture applicable to the present application. As shown in fig. 5, the communication system mainly includes a terminal device, an access network device, various core network elements, and a Data Network (DN).

The terminal device in fig. 5 may be used to connect to an access network device deployed by an operator through a wireless air interface, and then connect to a data network through a core network element (e.g. a user plane function (user plane funtion, UPF) network element), where the access network device is mainly used to implement functions such as radio physical layer function, resource scheduling and radio resource management, radio access control, and mobility management, and the core network element may be used for device registration, security authentication, mobility management, and location management of the terminal device, or may also be used to establish a channel with the terminal device, on which a data packet between the terminal device and an external data network is forwarded, and the data network may correspond to a variety of different service domains, such as an IP multimedia subsystem (IP multimedia subsystem, IMS), the Internet (Internet), an Internet protocol television (Internet protocol television, IPTV), other operator service domains, and the like, and is mainly used to provide a variety of data service for the terminal device.

It should be noted that fig. 5 is only an exemplary architecture diagram, and should not impose any limitation on the communication system applicable to the embodiment of the present application. For example, the network architecture may include other functional units or functional network elements in addition to the functional units shown in fig. 5, which are not limited by the embodiments of the present application. For another example, fig. 5 shows a fifth generation (5th Generation,5G) communication system network architecture, but embodiments of the present application are equally applicable to future new communication system network architectures, such as the sixth generation (6th Generation,6G) communication system network architecture.

In the architecture shown in fig. 5, the terminal device may be a device having a wireless transceiver function, and may also be referred to as a User Equipment (UE). The terminal device can be deployed on land, including indoor or outdoor, handheld or vehicle-mounted, on water surface (such as a ship, etc.), or in air (such as an airplane, a balloon, a satellite, etc.). The terminal device may be a mobile phone, a tablet (pad), a computer with wireless transceiving function, a Virtual Reality (VR) terminal, an augmented reality (augmented reality, AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in unmanned (SELF DRIVING), a wireless terminal in remote medical (remote medical), a wireless terminal in smart grid (SMART GRID), a wireless terminal in transportation security (transportation safety), a wireless terminal in smart city (SMART CITY), a wireless terminal in smart home (smart home), etc.

In the architecture shown in fig. 5, the access network device may be AN Access Network (AN)/radio access network (radio access network, RAN) device, a network consisting of a plurality of 5G-AN/5G-RAN nodes. For example, the 5G-AN/5G-RAN node may be AN Access Point (AP), a Base Station (BS), a Central Unit (CU), a Distributed Unit (DU), a gNB in a split configuration, a transceiving point (transmission receive point, TRP), a transmission point (transmission point, TP), or some other access node. It may also be a base station (NodeB, NB) in a wideband code division multiple access (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA) system, an evolved base station (Evolutional NodeB, eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, or an open access network (open RAN, O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (cloud radio access network, CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WIRELESS FIDELITY, wiFi) system. Or the access network device may be a relay station, an access point (WIRELESS FIDELITY ACCESS point, wiFi AP) in a wireless fidelity technology, a worldwide interoperability for microwave access point (worldwide interoperability for microwave access, wiMAX), a network device in a 5G network, or an access network device in a public land mobile network (public land mobile network, PLMN) for future evolution, etc., which are not limited by the embodiments of the present application.

In one possible scenario, the access network device, or radio access network device, may also be referred to as a RAN node, which may be a base station (bs), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an Access Point (AP), a transmission and reception point (transmission reception point, TRP), a next generation NodeB (gNB), a next generation base station in a sixth generation (6th generation,6G) mobile communication system, a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system, etc. The RAN node may be a macro base station, a micro base station or an indoor station, a relay node or a donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Alternatively, the RAN node may also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle or an in-vehicle device, etc. For example, the access network device in the vehicle extrapolating (vehicle to everything, V2X) technology may be a Road Side Unit (RSU). All or part of the functionality of the RAN node in the present application may also be implemented by software functions running on hardware or by virtualized functions instantiated on a platform, such as a cloud platform. The RAN node in the present application may also be a logical node, a logical module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the RAN node.

In another possible scenario, a plurality of RAN nodes cooperate to assist a terminal in implementing radio access, and different RAN nodes implement part of the functions of a base station, respectively. For example, the RAN node may be a Centralized Unit (CU), a Distributed Unit (DU), a CU-Control Plane (CP), a CU-User Plane (UP), or a Radio Unit (RU), etc. The CUs and DUs may be provided separately or may be included in the same network element, e.g. in a baseband unit (BBU). The RU may be included in a radio frequency device or unit, such as in a remote radio unit (remote radio unit, RRU), an active antenna processing unit (ACTIVE ANTENNA unit, AAU), or a remote radio head (remote radio head, RRH).

In the example shown in fig. 5, the core network elements may include unified data management network elements (unified DATA MANAGEMENT, UDM), operation, administration and management network elements (operations, administration AND MANAGEMENT, OAM), access and mobility management functions (ACCESS AND mobility function, AMF), session management functions (session management function, SMF), PCF, AF, binding support functions (binding support function, BSF) network elements, network opening function network elements (network exposure function, NEF), network storage function network elements (network repository function, NRF), NWDAF, UDR, and the like.

Illustratively, NWDAF network elements may provide network data analysis functions. For example, NWDAF has data collection, training, analysis, and reasoning functions, and may be used to collect relevant data from other network elements, third party service servers, terminal devices, or network management systems, perform analysis training based on the relevant data, and provide data analysis results to other network elements, third party service servers, terminal devices, or network management systems, where the analysis results may assist the network in selecting quality of service parameters for services, or assist the network in performing traffic routing, or assist the network in selecting background data transmission policies, and so on.

The AF may meet the requirements of the delivering application side to the network side, e.g. QoS requirements or user state event subscriptions, etc. The AF may be a third party functional entity or an application server deployed by an operator.

The NEF is mainly responsible for opening the capability and event of providing 5G network to the outside and receiving related external information.

The PCF is mainly responsible for the generation of UE access policies and QoS flow control policies.

UDR mainly provides storage capabilities for subscription data, policy data and capability openness related data.

It should be understood that the above description of the functions of the respective core network elements is only exemplary, and should not be construed as limiting the functions of the respective core network elements in the embodiments of the present application.

In the communication system shown in fig. 5, the devices can be connected through a next generation Network (NG) interface to realize communication, for example, a terminal device establishes AN air interface connection with a RAN device through a New Radio (NR) interface for transmitting user plane data and control plane signaling, AN access network device (for example, AN/RAN device) can establish a control plane signaling connection with AN AMF through AN NG interface 2 (for example, N2), AN access network device (for example, AN/RAN device) can establish a user plane signaling connection with a UPF through AN NG interface 3 (for example, N3), a UPF can establish a control plane signaling connection with AN SMF through AN NG interface 4 (for example, N4), and a UPF can interact user plane data with a data network through AN NG interface 6 (for example, N6).

In the communication system shown in fig. 5, communication between the core network elements may also be performed between the core network elements and other core network elements through provided interfaces. For example, the AMF may communicate with other core network elements through its own provided Namf interface, the SMF may communicate with other core network elements through its own provided Nsmf interface, the BSF may communicate with other core network elements through its own provided Nbsf interface, etc.

It should be understood that the names of interfaces between network elements in the embodiments of the present application are merely exemplary, and interfaces between network elements may also be other names, which are not limited by the present application.

The method provided by the present application will be described below with reference to specific examples. The method provided by the present application may be applied to the architecture shown in fig. 5, and of course, may also be applied to other architectures, where embodiments of the present application are not limited.

It should be understood that, in the embodiment of the present application, the method is described taking each network element as an execution body of the execution method as an example. By way of example, and not limitation, the network element of the present application may be a chip, a system-on-a-chip, or a processor that supports the network element to implement the method, or may be a logic node, a logic module, or software that is capable of implementing all or part of the network element function.

It is also understood that in the present application, "sending information to an..sub.m. (network element)" may be understood as the destination of the information being the network element. May include directly or indirectly sending information to the network element. "receiving information from (a network element) or receiving information from the network element" may be understood as the source of the information being the network element and may include receiving information directly or indirectly from the network element. The information may be subjected to necessary processing, such as format change, etc., between the source and destination of the information transmission, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in the present application can be understood similarly, and will not be described here again.

Fig. 6 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice according to an embodiment of the present application, where the method 600 may be applied to the scenario shown in fig. 5, and of course, may also be applied to other communication scenarios, and embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In the flow shown in fig. 6, the AF configures a maximum bit rate requirement (Group-MBR) and/or a minimum bit rate requirement per slice per application per UE Group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) in the UDR or UDM, and the PCF obtains an aggregate bit rate monitoring result per slice per application per UE Group from NWDAF, and then compares the aggregate bit rate monitoring result with the maximum bit rate requirement and/or the minimum bit rate requirement in the UDR or UDM, and when it is determined that the aggregate bit rate of the current UE Group does not meet the requirement, the PCF executes a corresponding adjustment policy. As shown in fig. 6, the method 600 shown in fig. 6 may include S601 to S613. The various steps in method 600 are described in detail below in conjunction with fig. 6.

S601, AF configures parameters and applicable conditions of the parameters in UDM or UDR through an external parameter providing flow (External Parameter Provisioning) flow.

The configured parameters include at least one of:

The maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) for the UE Group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) for the UE Group, the minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) for the UEs in the UE Group.

Wherein the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group represents the maximum aggregate bit rate requirement of the UE group upstream or downstream. Of course, the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE Group may also be referred to as "Group-MBR" or the like, and embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

The minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for a UE group indicates the minimum aggregate bit rate requirement for an uplink or downlink UE group. Of course, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE Group may also be referred to as "Group-Min-BR" or the like, and embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

The minimum bit rate threshold for a UE in a Group of UEs represents the minimum bit rate requirement to be met by each UE in the Group of UEs (Group) either upstream or downstream. Of course Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL may also be referred to as "Min BitRate of UE" or other names, etc., and embodiments of the application are not limited herein.

The applicable conditions of the parameters (or applicable conditions which may be referred to as configuration parameters) include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the internal UE group or the identities of the internal UE group, a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID).

Wherein the network slice identity (S-NSSAI) is used to identify a certain network slice, which corresponds to or comprises a plurality of UEs, which may run or correspond to different applications. An Application identification (Application ID) is used to identify an Application and an internal UE group identification (Internal Group ID) is used to identify a UE group.

In the embodiment of the present application, the identifier of the internal UE group may be understood as the identifier of the UE group that can be identified by each core network element (e.g., PCF, NWDAF, etc.) inside the core network, and the identifier of the external UE group (External Group ID) corresponding to the identifier of the UE group may be understood as the identifier of the UE group that can be identified by a network element (e.g., AF) outside the core network, and for the same group of UEs, the identifier of the external UE group corresponding to the UE group is different from the identifier of the internal UE group. But the UE included in the external UE group and the UE included in the internal UE group corresponding thereto are the same, i.e., the UE included in the external UE group and the internal UE group refer to the same UE group.

The applicable conditions of the above parameters can be understood as a UE Group (Group) consisting of UEs running or belonging to an Application ID identified in the network slice identified in S-NSSAI, or a UE Group (Group) consisting of identities of all UEs in the internal UE Group among all UEs running or belonging to an Application ID identified in the network slice identified in S-NSSAI. It is to be appreciated that other UEs may also be present, running or belonging to other applications on the network slice. In other words, the Group of UEs (Group) is a Group of UEs belonging to all or part of the UEs within the network slice identified by S-NSSAI.

It should also be appreciated that in S601, the UE group of the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, and the UE group identified by the identity (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group are the same UE group. In other words, the UE Group of the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) of the UE groups, and the minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) of the UEs in the UE Group is the UE Group (Group) of UEs running or belonging to the Application identified by the Application ID within the network slice identified by S-NSSAI. In other words, there is a correspondence (mapping) relationship between the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters and the configuration parameters described above.

For example, assuming that the parameter applicability in S601 includes a first network slice identifier, an identifier of a first application, and an internal identifier of a first UE group, S601 may also be described as that the AF configures a first parameter in the UDM or UDR, where the first parameter includes:

At least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for a first UE group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the first UE group, and a minimum bit rate threshold for UEs in the first UE group within the first network slice corresponding to the first application.

The first parameter further comprises at least one of an identity of all UEs in the first UE group or an identity of the first UE group, an identity of the first network slice, an identity of the first application.

It will be appreciated that the UDM or UDR may store a plurality of sets of configuration parameters and applicable conditions for the plurality of sets of configuration parameters, one set of configuration parameters corresponding to an applicable condition for one set of configuration parameters (i.e. the parameters and applicable conditions for the parameters are in a mapping relationship). Each set of configuration parameters includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for a group of UEs, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for a group of UEs, and a minimum bit rate threshold for UEs in a group of UEs. The applicable conditions for the different sets of configuration parameters are different, e.g. the applicable conditions for each set of configuration parameters include network slice identity (S-NSSAI), application identity (Application ID), identity of the internal UE group (Internal Group ID) or identity of all UEs in the internal UE group. At least one of the applicable conditions corresponding to the different sets of configuration parameters is different.

Based on the applicable parameters, i.e. network slice identification (S-NSSAI), application identification (Application ID), and internal UE group identification (Internal Group ID), the corresponding parameters, e.g. at least one of the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, and the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group, can be determined.

Alternatively, in some possible embodiments of the present application, the parameters in S601 and the applicable conditions of the parameters may be configured in UDM or UDR not by AF through an external parameter providing procedure but by pre-configured in UDM or UDR, for example, by an operator according to a protocol signed with a third party AF.

And S602, the AF sends first request information to the NEF, wherein the first request information carries the applicable conditions of the parameters and indication information.

Accordingly, the NEF receives the first request information.

Alternatively, the first request information may also be referred to as a first request message.

Alternatively, the first request information may be a session setting request.

For example, the first request information may be an AF session request (AF session with required QoS create request) that is established (create) to meet a specific QoS requirement.

For another example, the first request information may also be an AF session request (AF session with required QoS update request) that updates (updates) to meet a particular QoS requirement.

The indication information is used for indicating (or triggering) the PCF to perform aggregation bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group. For example, the indication information may include "Group Aggregated BitRate Monitoring", "Group Aggregated BitRate Monitoring" for instructing (or triggering) the PCF to perform aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group. Or the indication information may be used to indicate (or trigger) that the PCF is performing monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group. For example, the indication information may include "Min BitRate of UE Monitoring". "Min BitRate of UE Monitoring" is used to indicate (or trigger) that the PCF performs monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group.

In other words, the indication information may indicate (or trigger) at least one of the PCF performing aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group or the PCF performing monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group.

Alternatively, the indication information may also be referred to as second indication information.

The applicable conditions for the configuration parameters (i.e., applicable conditions for the parameters) may include network slice identification (S-NSSAI), application identification (Application ID), identification of the external UE group (External Group ID). The identity of the external UE group is the identity of the corresponding internal UE group in S601, i.e. the identity of the external UE group in S602 and the identity of the internal UE group in S601 are two different identities of the same UE group. And the applicable conditions of the two parameters in the network slice identifier (S-NSSAI), the Application identifier (Application ID) and S601 are the same, and the two parameters are the same slice and the same Application.

Optionally, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S602 may further include identities of all UEs included in the external UE group (i.e., identities of a group of UEs), where the group of UEs may be a group of common public user identities (generic public subscription identifier, GPSI), or may also be IP addresses of a group of UEs, etc., which embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In other words, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S602 may include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the external UE group or the identities of the external UE group, the first network slice identity, the identity of the first application.

For example, assuming that the parameter applicability in S601 includes a first network slice identifier, an identifier of a first application, and an internal identifier of a first UE group, in S602, the parameter applicability includes at least one of identifiers of all UEs in the first UE group, or an external identifier of the first UE group, a first network slice identifier, and an identifier of the first application.

S603, the NEF obtains the identity of the corresponding internal UE group and the UE identity list from the UDM.

For example, the NEF may retrieve and obtain, from the UDM, the identity of the corresponding internal UE group and the UE identity list, which is the identity list of the UEs included in the internal UE group, according to the identity of the external UE group.

In some implementations, a correspondence (mapping relationship) between the identity of the external UE group and the identity of the internal UE group may be stored in the UDM, and the NEF may send request information to the UDM, for example, the request information may be an SDM acquisition request (Nudm _sdm_get request), carrying the identity of the external UE group (e.g., the external identity of the first UE group), and requesting the identity of the corresponding internal UE group (e.g., the internal identity of the first UE group) and the identities of UEs included in the UE group (the first UE group) from the UDM. After receiving the request information, the UDM determines the identification of the internal UE group corresponding to the identification of the external UE group from the stored mapping relation according to the identification of the external UE group. Further, the UDM may determine, according to the determined identifier of the internal UE group, the identifier of each UE included in the internal UE group, and it should be understood that the UE included in the external UE group and the UE included in the internal UE group are the same, that is, the external UE group and the internal UE group are the same UE group. The UDM feeds back the determined identification of the internal UE group and the identification list of each UE included in the internal UE group to the NEF. For example, the UDM may send the identity of the internal UE group and the list of identities of the UEs to the NEF via an SDM acquisition response (Nudm _sdm_get response).

Illustratively, the identity of the UE may be a user permanent identity (Subscription PERMANENT IDENTIFIER, SUPI) of the UE, with SUPI being an internal UE identity. Of course, in other implementations of the present application, the UE identifier may also be other types of identifiers, and embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

For example, the UDM may send the identity of the internal UE group (Internal Group ID) and the UE identity list (SUPI list) to the NEF. The UE identity list is an identity list of UEs included in the internal UE group.

For example, assume that in S602, the applicable conditions for the parameters include a first network slice identity, an identity of a first application, an external identity of a first UE group. Then in S603 the NEF obtains the internal identity of the first UE group and the list of identities of all UEs comprised by the first UE group.

Alternatively, if the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S602 include the identities of all UEs included in the external UE group (e.g., the first UE group) (i.e., the identities of a group of UEs, e.g., a group of GPSIs, or a group of UE IP addresses), the "identities of all UEs included in the external UE group" in the method 600 may also be referred to as "external UE identity list". Then in S603, the NEF may also obtain an internal UE identity list from the external UE identity list.

For example, if the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S602 include a set of GPSIs, in S603, the NEF may obtain the SUPI corresponding to the GPSIs through the UDM, that is, obtain all UE identity lists (SUPI list) in the corresponding internal UE group.

For another example, if the applicable condition of the configuration parameters in S602 includes a set of IP addresses of the UE, and the NEF identifies that the UE IP address is an external IP address (i.e., public address (UE public IP ADDRESS)) based on the configuration, for each UE IP address, in S603, the NEF first discovers a UPF supporting network address translation (network address translation, NAT) for the UE from the NRF, then the NEF sends a request to the UPF, where the request includes the public address of the UE (UE public IP ADDRESS), the UPF obtains a UE private network address (UE PRIVATE IP ADDRESS) corresponding to the public address of the UE based on the NAT function, the UE private network address is a private IP address (i.e., internal address) used inside the core network, and then the UPF feeds back the UE private network address (UE PRIVATE IP ADDRESS) to the NEF. In this way, the NEF can obtain a list of UE identities (UE private network address list) for all the internal UE groups.

And S604, the NEF acquires a serving PCF set serving the UE from the BSF according to the UE identification list.

In some possible implementations, PCFs serving different UEs may be different. In other words, one PCF may serve, be responsible for, or manage one or more UEs, and the UEs comprised by the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group) may be served by different PCFs. Thus, in S604, the NEF may acquire a set of serving PCFs corresponding to all UEs in the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group), where the set of serving PCFs includes one or more serving PCFs (hereinafter, for convenience of description, the serving PCFs are referred to as PCFs). In this case, the NEF may also count which UEs each PCF corresponds to (or serves).

Alternatively, the PCF set may be expressed as PCF(s).

For example, assuming that the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group) includes 6 UEs, UE1 through UE6 respectively, the NEF finalized information may be in the form of < PCF1: UE1, UE2>, < PCF2: UE3, UE4, UE5>, < PCF3: UE6>, indicating that PCF1 serves UE1 and UE2, PCF2 serves UE3 through UE5, and PCF3 serves UE6.

The UE1 and the UE2 form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), which is responsible for or managed by the PCF1, and the identifier list of the UE included in the sub-UE Group may be referred to as a sub-UE Group identifier list (SUPI sub list), which is the identifiers of the UE1 and the UE2, respectively. PCF1 is a policy control function network element serving the sub-UE group.

Similarly, UEs 3 to 5 form another sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), which is responsible or managed by PCF2, and the list of identities of UEs included in this sub-UE Group may be referred to as a sub-UE Group identity list (SUPI sub-list), which is the identities of UEs 3 to 5, respectively, and PCF2 is a policy control function network element serving this sub-UE Group.

UE6 forms another sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) separately, the sub-UE Group is responsible for or managed by PCF3, the list of identities of UEs included in the sub-UE Group may be referred to as a sub-UE Group identity list (SUPI sub list), which is an identity of UE6, and PCF3 is a policy control function network element serving the sub-UE Group.

The three sub-UE groups form an internal UE Group, in other words, all the sub-UE groups (UE sub-groups) managed by the PCFs in the PCF set form an internal UE Group (UE Group), and the sub-UE groups are a subset of the first UE Group (or the internal UE Group).

Illustratively, in S604, the NEF may send a management discovery request (Nbsf _management_ discovery request) to the BSF, carrying a list of UE identities. After receiving the request, the BSF determines the (serving) PCF set for the service of the UE, and feeds back the PCF set to the NEF by sending a management discovery response (Nbsf _management_ discovery response).

And S605. The NEF sends a request message to each PCF in the service PCF set, wherein the request message carries the parameter applicable conditions and the indication information.

Accordingly, each PCF in the set of PCFs receives the request message.

For example, the request message may be a policy grant creation or update request (policy authorization create/update request).

Alternatively, the information carried in the request message in S605 may also be referred to as third information.

Wherein the indication information is used to instruct (or trigger) the PCF to perform the aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group, for example, the indication information may include "Group Aggregated BitRate Monitoring". Alternatively, the indication information may be used to indicate (or trigger) that the PCF performs monitoring and adjustment of the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE Group, e.g., the indication information may include "Min BitRate of UE Monitoring".

In other words, the indication information may indicate that the PCF performs at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group, or monitoring and adjustment of a UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group.

Alternatively, the indication information in S605 may also be referred to as first indication information.

In S605, the parameter applicability conditions may include at least one of a list of UEs (e.g., SUPI list, UE IP ADDRESS LIST) included in the internal UE group and an identity (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group, a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID).

It should also be understood that in S605, the parameter applicability condition further includes an identifier (UE sub-list) of all UEs in a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) served by the PCF, for identifying the UE identifier served by the PCF. And when the subsequent PCF executes policy adjustment, the policy adjustment is only performed for the UE in all UE lists (UE sub-lists) served by the PCF.

For example, assume that the network slice identifier in S601 to S604 is the identifier of the first network slice, the application identifier is the identifier of the first application, the identifier of the UE group is the identifier of the first UE group, the PCF set includes PCF1, where UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE group, and PCF1 is a policy control function network element serving the sub-UE group. The request message sent by the NEF to PCF1 in S605 includes at least one of the list of all UEs and the identity of the first UE Group included in the first UE Group, the first network slice identity, the identity of the first application, the identities (UE sub-list) of all UEs of the sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) served by PCF1, and the indication information.

Optionally, S605 may also be expressed as that the policy control function network element receives third information from the network element, where the third information includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of triggering (trigger) aggregate bit rate monitoring of the first terminal equipment group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group, and the third information further includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or an identifier of the first terminal equipment group, an identifier of a first network slice, an identifier of a first application, and an identifier (UE sub-list) of all UEs served by the policy control function network element.

S606, each PCF in the service PCF set respectively sends NWDAF a subscription message to subscribe (or request) at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the internal UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the internal UE group according to the request message.

In some possible implementations, the subscription message (or may also be referred to as a request message) may carry at least one of a list of UEs included in the internal UE group and an identity (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group, a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID).

It should also be understood that the subscription message in S606 also includes the identities (UE sub-list) of all UEs in the sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) served by the PCF, for identifying the UE identities served by the PCF. The subsequent NWDAF may obtain, from each PCF, the SMF serving the UE based on a list of serving UEs (UE sub-lists) provided by the PCF.

In some possible implementations, an analysis type identification (ANALYTICS ID) may also be included in the subscription message. Since NWDAF may perform multiple different types of analysis for the UE, for example, analyzing mobility of the UE, data amount or bit rate of the UE, multiple different types of analysis results may be generated, the subscription message may carry the type of analysis for instructing NWDAF to perform at least one of analysis of aggregate bit rate of the UE group, or analysis of minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group. For example, an analysis type identification may be included in the subscription message, which may be, for example, a hotspot analysis (Dispersion Analytics), indicating that the PCF requests NWDAF a hotspot analysis (i.e., an analysis of the amount of data and session related analysis of the UE or group of UEs at different locations or on different slices).

Correspondingly, NWDAF receives subscription messages sent by the PCFs respectively.

S607, NWDAF obtains, from the PCF included in the PCF set, an SMF set serving the internal UE group, the SMF set including one or more SMFs, according to the network slice identity, the application identity, and the UE identity list.

In some possible implementations, NWDAF may send a request message to each PCF in the set of serving PCFs, respectively, where the request message includes a network slice identifier, an application identifier, and identifiers of all UEs served by the PCF (UE sub-list), and the PCF determines a serving (serving) SMF for the UE based on these information and sends to NWDAF. It is understood that for a PCF, the serving SMF for all UEs served by the PCF may include one or more.

Optionally, for a PCF, the PCF may also discover from SERVING SMF of the UE as a serving (UPF) of the UE, the serving UPF comprising one or more UPFs.

Each PCF in the PCF set may send NWDAF the SMF corresponding to the UE served by itself. Optionally, each PCF in the PCF set may also send NWDAF a UPF corresponding to the UE served by itself. NWDAF based on the information fed back by each PCF in the PCF set, SMF (serving SMF) to serve the UEs included in the internal UE group may be determined. One SMF may serve one or more UEs, i.e. one SMF is responsible for one or more UEs. Optionally, NWDAF may also determine a set of UPFs corresponding to the internal UE group, where the UPFs serve a plurality of UEs included in the internal UE group. In other words, NWDAF may determine a set of SMFs including one or more SMFs serving a plurality of UEs included in the internal UE group in S607. Optionally, NWDAF may also determine a set of UPFs that includes one or more UPFs that serve multiple UEs included in the internal UE group. Alternatively, the SMF set may be expressed as SMF(s) and the UPF set may be expressed as UPF(s).

For example, assuming that the internal UE group (first UE group) includes 6 UEs, the information ultimately determined for each of UE1 through UE6, NWDAF may be in the form of < PCF1: UE1, SMF1, UE2, SMF2>, < PCF2: UE3, UE4, UE5; SMF3>, < PCF3: UE6; SMF4>: meaning that PCF1 serves UE1 and UE2, SMF1 serves UE1, SMF2 serves UE2, PCF2 serves UE3 through UE5, SMF3 serves UE3 through UE5, PCF3 serves UE6, SMF4 serves UE6.

For example, in combination with the above example, NWDAF may determine that SMF1, SMF2, SMF3, and SMF4, SMF1, SMF2, SMF3, and SMF4 include all SMFs serving multiple UEs included in the internal UE group.

As one possible implementation, NWDAF may send an event open subscription request (Npcf _ eventexposure _subscribe) to each PCF separately, carrying a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID), and a list of UE identities (all UEs in the list of UE identities are UEs served by the PCF). After receiving the subscription request, the PCF sends an event open subscription notification (Npcf _ eventexposure _notify) to NWDAF, where the event open subscription notification carries one or more SMFs corresponding to UEs managed by the PCF, and the NWDAF can determine, according to information fed back by each PCF in the PCF set, an SMF serving each UE, that is, determine an SMF (or an SMF set) serving an internal UE group, where the SMF set includes one or more SMFs. Each PCF managed UE may form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), and all PCF managed sub-UE groups in the PCF set form an internal UE Group. The list of identities of UEs comprised by one sub-UE group may also be referred to as sub-UE group identity list (SUPI sub list).

S608, NWDAF is obtained from the SMF included in the SMF set, or from the UPF through the SMF, the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the internal UE group.

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S601 to S607 is the identifier of the first network slice, the Application ID identifier is the first Application, and the identifier of the internal UE group is the first UE group, in S608, NWDAF may obtain a bit rate corresponding to each UE in the first UE group (i.e., the internal UE group) running the first Application on the first network slice identifier.

Illustratively, in S608, NWDAF may obtain from the SMF, or obtain from the UPF, through the SMF, a bit rate report corresponding to each UE in the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group), where the bit rate report of the UE includes parameters such as the bit rate of the UE.

S609, NWDAF, determining at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group according to the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the UE group.

In some possible implementations, NWDAF may determine the bit rate of each UE from the bit rate report of each UE in the UE Group, and then add the bit rates of each UE in the UE Group to obtain the UE Group aggregate bit rate (AGGREGATED BIT RATE PER S-NSSAI PER APP ID PER UE Group) corresponding to the UE Group.

In other possible implementations, NWDAF may determine the minimum bit rate of each UE in the group of UEs (Min BitRate per S-NSSAI PER APP ID PER UE) based on the bit rate report for each UE in the group.

It should be understood that the "UE group" in S609 is the internal UE group described above.

S610, NWDAF sends at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the internal UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the internal UE group to the PCF subscribed to NWDAF to analyze the result.

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S601 to S609 is the identifier of the first network slice, the application identifier is the identifier of the first application, and the identifier of the UE group is the identifier of the first UE group, optionally, S610 may also be expressed as that each PCF obtains first information, where the first information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, or a minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice.

Alternatively, the step S610 may be expressed as that the policy control function network element obtains first information, where the first information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a first terminal device group (i.e., a first UE group) corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice.

Optionally, S610 may also be expressed as NWDAF sending ninth information to PCFs subscribed to NWDAF analysis results, where the ninth information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices corresponding to the first application within the first network slice, or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices corresponding to the first application within the first network slice.

S611, each PCF obtains at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, and a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) of the UEs in the UE Group from UDM or UDR, respectively.

Assume that for PCF1, PCF1 is one of the set of serving PCFs and a subscription message is sent to NWDAF, PCF1 may send a query request (e.g., a first query request) to UDM or UDR, carrying at least one of an identification of an internal UE group (Internal Group ID) or a list of all UE identifications in the internal UE group, a network slice identification (S-NSSAI), an Application identification (Application ID). After receiving the query request, the UDM or UDR determines which one of the UE Group corresponds to the network slice identifier (S-NSSAI), the Application identifier (Application ID), the identifier (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE Group or the list of all UE identifiers in the internal Group, and then determines at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, and a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) of the UEs in the UE Group. Thereafter, the UDM or UDR may send a query response to the PCF1, wherein the query response includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, and a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) of the UEs in the UE Group.

It should be appreciated that for each PCF in the PCF set, at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the group of UEs, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the group of UEs, and a minimum bit rate threshold for the UEs in the group of UEs is obtained by a procedure similar to PCF 1.

For example, assume that the network slice identity in S601 to S610 is the identity of the first network slice, the application identity is the identity of the first application, and the identity of the UE group is the identity of the first UE group. PCF1 obtains from the UDM or UDR at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the first group of UEs, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the first group of UEs, and a minimum bit rate threshold for the UEs in the first group of UEs.

Optionally, S611 may be expressed as that the policy control function network element receives second information from the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, where the second information includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, or a minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group.

S612, each PCF determines whether the bit rate of the UE group meets the requirement.

For example, if the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (first UE group) is greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (first UE group), it is determined that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (first UE group) does not meet the requirement. In this case, although the requirement of normal transmission of traffic of the UE group (first UE group) can be satisfied, other UEs or traffic may be affected.

For another example, if the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (first UE group) is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (first UE group), it is determined that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (first UE group) does not meet the requirement. In this case, the minimum requirement for normal transmission of the service of the UE group may not be satisfied, and normal transmission of the service data may not be guaranteed.

For another example, if the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (first UE group) is less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (first UE group), it is determined that the bit rate of the UE group (first UE group) does not meet the requirement. In this case, the minimum requirement for normal transmission of the service of the UE group may not be satisfied, and normal transmission of the service data may not be guaranteed.

S613, each PCF generates an adjustment policy if the bit rate of the UE group does not meet the requirement.

It should be understood that in S613, each PCF performs policy adjustment only for UEs in the UE list (UE sub-list) served by the PCF.

In some possible implementations, the adjustment policy may include at least one of:

If the UE quality of service flow (QoS flow) in the sub-UE group is a guaranteed bit rate quality of service flow, modifying a maximum bit rate value of the guaranteed bit rate quality of service flow;

Adjusting an allocation maintenance priority (allocation retention priority, ARP), or priority parameter, of the qos flows of the UEs in the sub-UE group;

And releasing the service quality stream of part of the UE in the sub-UE group.

For example, UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE group (referred to as a sub-UE group), PCF1 is a policy control function network element serving the sub-UE group, and for PCF1, the adjustment policy may include at least one of:

Adjusting ARP (address resolution protocol) or priority parameters of service quality flows of the UE in the sub-UE group;

And releasing the service quality stream of part of the UE in the sub-UE group.

Of course, in other implementations of the application, the adjustment strategy may also include other bit rate adjustment strategies, and the UE group aggregate bit rate may be made to be less than or equal to the UE group maximum aggregate bit rate threshold and greater than the UE group minimum aggregate bit rate threshold, or the UE group minimum bit rate is greater than the UE group minimum bit rate threshold after adjustment by the adjustment strategy.

After determining the adjustment policy, the PCF may execute the adjustment policy.

Optionally, in the various steps of the method 600, the expression "first UE group (i.e. first terminal device group)" may be replaced by "third UE group (i.e. third terminal device group)". That is, in the embodiment illustrated by method 600, the first terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group.

It should also be understood that, in the method 600, the expression "the identities of the UEs in the UE group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the UE group, respectively, i.e. a UE identity list. For example, the expression "the identities of the UEs in the first group" refers to the identities of all the UEs in the first group, respectively. For another example, the expression "the identities of the UEs in the subgroup" refers to the identities respectively corresponding to all the UEs in the subgroup. For another example, the identities of the UEs included in the external UE group refer to identities of all UEs included in the external UE group. For another example, the identities of the UEs included in the internal UE group refer to identities of all UEs included in the internal UE group.

The method provided by the embodiment of the application subscribes NWDAF to at least one of aggregate bit rate information per slice per application per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) or minimum bit rate information of UE in the UE group through PCF, and configures at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold per slice per application per UE group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of UE group or a minimum bit rate threshold of UE in the UE group in UDM or UDR. The PCF compares the aggregate bit rate of the UE group obtained from NWDAF and/or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group with a threshold value stored in the UDM or the UDR, judges whether the conditions set in the UDM or the UDR can be met, and if the conditions are not met, the PCF executes strategy adjustment, so that the monitoring and adjustment of the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group are realized. The aggregate bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or service is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

Fig. 7 is a schematic interaction diagram of a method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice according to another embodiment of the present application, and the method 700 may be applied to the scenario shown in fig. 5, and of course, may also be applied to other communication scenarios, where embodiments of the present application are not limited.

In the flow shown in fig. 7, the AF configures a maximum bit rate requirement (Group-MBR) and/or a minimum bit rate requirement per slice per application per UE Group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) in the UDR or UDM, and the PCF obtains an aggregate bit rate monitoring result per slice per application per UE Group from NWDAF, and then compares the aggregate bit rate monitoring result with the maximum bit rate requirement and/or the minimum bit rate requirement in the UDR or UDM, and when it is determined that the aggregate bit rate of the current UE Group does not meet the requirement, the PCF executes a corresponding adjustment policy. As shown in fig. 7, the method 700 shown in fig. 7 may include S701 to S713. The various steps in method 700 are described in detail below in conjunction with fig. 7.

The AF configures parameters and applicable conditions of the parameters in the UDR or UDM through an external parameter providing flow S701.

The configured parameters include at least one of:

a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) for the UE Group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) for the UE Group, a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) for the UEs in the UE Group;

The parameters include at least one of an identity of a UE in the internal UE group or an identity of the internal UE group, a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), and an Application identity (Application ID). It should be understood that the identities of the UEs in the internal UE group refer to identities corresponding to all UEs in the internal UE group, respectively.

Alternatively, in some possible embodiments of the present application, the parameters in S701 and the applicable conditions of the parameters may be configured in UDM or UDR not by AF through an external parameter providing procedure but by pre-configured in UDM or UDR, for example, by an operator according to a protocol signed with a third party AF.

And S702. The AF sends first request information to the NEF, wherein the first request information carries parameter applicable conditions and indication information.

The indication information may indicate (or trigger) that the PCF performs at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group, or that the PCF performs monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group.

The configuration parameter applicability may include a network slice identification (S-NSSAI), an Application identification (Application ID), an identification of an external UE group (External Group ID).

Optionally, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S702 may further include identities of all UEs included in the external UE group (i.e., identities of a group of UEs), where the identities of the group of UEs may be a group of GPSIs, or may also be IP addresses of a group of UEs, etc., which embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In other words, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S702 may include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the external UE group or the identities of the external UE group, the first network slice identity, the identity of the first application.

And S703, the NEF acquires the corresponding identification of the internal UE group and the UE identification list from the UDM.

And S704, the NEF acquires a serving PCF set serving the UE from the BSF according to the UE identification list.

S705. the nef sends a request message to each PCF in the set of serving PCFs, where the request message carries configuration parameter applicable conditions, indication information, and a UE identity list (SUPI list).

The indication information may indicate that the PCF performs at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group, or the PCF performs monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group.

The configuration parameter applicable conditions may include at least one of a list of UEs included in the internal UE group and an identity (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group, and a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID).

For the specific description of S701 to S705, reference may be made to the above specific description of S601 to S605, and for brevity, the description will not be repeated here.

S706. the nef sends to NWDAF a subscription message for subscribing (or requesting) to at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the UE group or a minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group, the subscription message carrying indication information for instructing NWDAF to send the subscription result to each PCF, the subscription message including an identification or address of each PCF in the PCF set, and a list of UEs served by each PCF.

In some possible implementations, the subscription message (which may also be referred to as a request message) may also carry at least one of a list of UEs included in the UE Group and an identity (Internal Group ID) of the UE Group, as well as a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID), and an identity (UE sub-list) of UEs in a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) served by each PCF.

It is understood that the "UE group" in S706 is the "internal UE" group described in S703 to S705.

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S701 to S705 is the identifier of the first network slice, the application identifier is the identifier of the first application, and the identifier of the UE Group is the identifier of the first UE Group, the subscription message in S706 carries at least one of the UE list included in the first UE Group and the identifier of the first UE Group, and the identifier of the first network slice, the identifier of the first application, and the identifier of the UE (UE sub-list) in the sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) served by each PCF.

It should also be understood that S705 is an optional step, if the method 700 does not include S705, then S706 is directly performed after S704, and the NEF directly sends, at S706, a subscription message to NWDAF, where the subscription message may carry a configuration parameter applicable condition, a PCF list, and a UE list corresponding to (serving) each PCF, and the subscription message indicates NWDAF to send the analysis result to each PCF in the PCF set. The subscription message is for subscribing (or requesting) to at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the group of UEs or a minimum bit rate of the UEs in the group of UEs.

S707, NWDAF obtains, from the PCF included in the PCF set, an SMF set serving the internal UE group according to the subscription message sent by the NEF, the SMF set including one or more SMFs.

S708, NWDAF is obtained from the SMF included in the SMF set, or obtained from the UPF through the SMF, and the bit rate corresponds to each UE in the UE group.

It is understood that the "UE group" in S708 is the "internal UE" group described in S703 to S707.

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S701 to S707 is the identifier of the first network slice, the application identifier is the identifier of the first application, and the identifier of the UE group is the identifier of the first UE group, in S708, NWDAF obtains the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the first UE group corresponding to the first application on the first network slice.

S709, NWDAF determines at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group according to the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the UE group.

S710, NWDAF sends at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group to each PCF.

Optionally, if the method 700 does not include S705, then in S710 NWDAF further needs to send, to each PCF in the PCF set, a UE list (UE sub-list) corresponding to the PCF and indication information, where the indication information is used to instruct the PCF to perform aggregate bit rate adjustment of the UE Group, or perform adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group.

And S711, each PCF acquires at least one of a maximum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the UE group, a minimum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the UE group and a minimum bit rate threshold value of the UE in the UE group from the UDR.

S712, each PCF determines whether the bit rate of the UE group meets the requirement.

For example, if at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate being greater than the maximum bit rate threshold of the UE group, the UE group aggregate bit rate being less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UE group, or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group being less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group is satisfied, it is determined that the bit rate of the UE group does not satisfy the requirement.

S713, each PCF generates an adjustment policy in case the bit rate of the UE group does not meet the requirement.

It should be understood that in S713, each PCF performs policy adjustment only for UEs in the list of UEs served by the PCF.

For the specific description of S707 to S713, reference may be made to the above specific description of S607 to S613, and for brevity, the description will not be repeated here.

It should also be understood that, in the method 700, the expression "the identities of the UEs in the UE group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the UE group, respectively, i.e. a UE identity list. For example, the expression "the identities of the UEs in the first group" refers to the identities of all the UEs in the first group, respectively. For another example, the expression "the identities of the UEs in the subgroup" refers to the identities respectively corresponding to all the UEs in the subgroup. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the external UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the external UE group. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the internal UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the internal UE group.

The method provided by the embodiment of the application, NEF subscribes NWDAF to aggregate bit rate information per slice per application per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) and/or UE minimum bit rate information in the UE group, and indicates NWDAF to send the information to PCF. At least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate per slice per application per UE group threshold, a UE group minimum aggregate bit rate threshold, or a minimum bit rate threshold for UEs in a UE group is configured in UDM or UDR. The PCF compares the aggregate bit rate of the UE group obtained from NWDAF and/or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group with a threshold stored in the UDR, judges whether the conditions set in the UDM or the UDR can be met, and if the conditions are not met, the PCF executes strategy adjustment, so that the monitoring and adjustment of the bit rate of the granularity of the sub-UE group are realized. The aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or service is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the sub-UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

Fig. 8 is a schematic interaction diagram of another example of a rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice provided in the present application, where the method 800 may be applied to the scenario shown in fig. 5, and certainly may also be applied to other communication scenarios, and embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In the flow shown in fig. 8, the AF configures the remaining group aggregate bit rate (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) per slice per application per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) in the UDR or UDM. Each PCF obtains the aggregate bit rate of its own responsible sub-UE group, then obtains and updates the remaining group aggregate bit rate from UDR or UDM, and when the remaining group aggregate bit rate is close to zero or greater than a threshold, the PCF performs a corresponding adjustment strategy. As shown in fig. 8, the method 800 shown in fig. 8 may include S801 to S811. The various steps in method 800 are described in detail below in conjunction with fig. 8.

S801, AF configures parameters and applicable conditions of the parameters in UDM or UDR through an external parameter providing process (External Parameter Provisioning) process.

The parameters configured include a remaining set of aggregate bit rates (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) and a first threshold.

Optionally, in other possible implementations, the configured parameters may further include at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, and a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) of the UEs in the UE Group.

The applicable conditions of the parameters include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the internal UE group or the identity (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group, a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID).

The remaining Group aggregate bit rate (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) may be understood as the remaining aggregate bit rate of the UE Group (Group) corresponding to the internal UE Group identity running or belonging to the Application identified by the Application ID within the network slice identified by S-NSSAI. That is, the remaining group aggregate bit rate refers to the bit rate (i.e., the size of the remaining or available resources of a UE group) that is remaining or available to a UE group. The remaining set of aggregate bit rates is a dynamically changing value. The value of the remaining group aggregate bit rate may decrease as the bit rate of a portion of the UEs in the group of UEs increases and may increase as the bit rate of a portion of the UEs in the group of UEs decreases. For example, assuming that the identity of the inner UE group is the identity of the third UE group, the remaining group aggregate bit rate refers to the remaining or available bit rate of the third UE group, which is a dynamically changing value. The first threshold may be a preset value for comparison with the remaining set of aggregated bit rates.

For a specific description of other parameters in S801, reference may be made to the specific description of S601 in the above method 600, and for brevity, a detailed description is omitted here.

For example, assuming that the parameter applicability in S801 includes a first network slice identifier, an identifier of a first application, and an internal identifier of a third UE group, S801 may also be described as that the AF configures a first parameter in the UDR or UDM, where the first parameter includes:

The remaining group aggregate bit rate of the third UE group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice and the first threshold, optionally, may further include at least one of a minimum bit rate threshold for UEs in the third UE group or a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third UE group.

The first parameter further comprises at least one of an identity of all UEs in the third UE group or an identity of the third UE group, an identity of the first network slice, an identity of the first application.

Alternatively, in some possible embodiments of the present application, the parameters in S801 and the applicable conditions of the parameters may be configured in UDM or UDR not by AF through an external parameter providing procedure but by pre-configured in UDM or UDR, for example, by an operator according to a protocol signed with a third party AF.

Optionally, the third UE group may also be referred to as a third terminal device group, where the third UE group is the internal UE group in S801.

And S802.AF sends first request information to NEF, wherein the first request information carries the applicable conditions of parameters and indication information.

Accordingly, the NEF receives the first request information.

Alternatively, the first request information may be a session setting request.

Applicable conditions for the configuration parameters may include network slice identification (S-NSSAI), application identification (Application ID), identification of external UE groups (External Group ID). The identity (External Group ID) of the external UE group is the identity (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group corresponding to S801.

Optionally, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S802 may further include identities of all UEs included in the external UE group (i.e., identities of a group of UEs), where the identities of the group of UEs may be a group of GPSIs, or may also be IP addresses of a group of UEs, etc., which embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In other words, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S802 may include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the external UE group or the identities of the external UE group, the first network slice identity, the identity of the first application.

For example, it is assumed that the parameter applicability in S801 includes a first network slice identifier, an identifier of a first application, and an internal identifier of a third UE group, and that the parameter applicability in S802 includes at least one of identifiers of all UEs included in the third UE group or an external identifier of the third UE group, the first network slice identifier, and an identifier of the first application.

S803. the nef obtains the identity of the corresponding internal UE group and the UE identity list from the UDM.

For a specific description of S803, reference may be made to the description of S603 in the method 600, which is not repeated here for brevity.

And S804. The NEF acquires a serving PCF set serving the UE from the BSF according to the UE identification list.

In some possible implementations, PCFs serving different UEs may be different. In other words, one PCF may serve, be responsible for, or manage one or more UEs, and the UEs comprised by the internal group of UEs may be served by different PCFs. Thus, in S804, the NEF may acquire a serving PCF set corresponding to all UEs in the internal UE group, where the serving PCF set includes one or more serving PCFs (hereinafter, for convenience of description, the serving PCF set is referred to as a PCF set, and the serving PCF is referred to as a PCF). In this case, the NEF may also count which UEs each PCF corresponds to (or serves).

For example, assuming that the internal UE group (e.g., the third UE group) includes 6 UEs, UE1 through UE6 respectively, the NEF finalized information may be in the form of < PCF1: UE1, UE2>, < PCF2: UE3, UE4, UE5>, < PCF3: UE6>, indicating that PCF1 serves UE1 and UE2, PCF2 serves UE3 through UE5, and PCF3 serves UE6.

Wherein, UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE group (UE subGroup), which is responsible for or managed by PCF1, and the list of identities of UEs included in the sub-UE group may be referred to as a sub-UE group identity list (SUPI sub list), which is the identities of UE1 and UE2, respectively. In method 800, a sub-UE group of UE1 and UE2 may be referred to as a first terminal device group, which may also be referred to as a first UE group, and PCF1 is a policy control function network element serving the first terminal device group.

Similarly, UE3 to UE5 form another sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), which is responsible or managed by PCF2, and the list of identities of the UEs included in this sub-UE Group may be referred to as a sub-UE Group identity list (SUPI sub list) respectively being identities of UE3 to UE5, and the sub-UE Group formed by UE3 to UE5 may also be referred to as a first terminal device Group or a first UE Group, where PCF2 is a policy control function network element serving the first terminal device Group.

The UE6 forms another sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) separately, the sub-UE Group is responsible for or managed by the PCF3, the UE identification list included in the sub-UE Group may be called a sub-UE Group identification list (SUPI sub list) and is the identification of the UE6, the sub-UE Group formed by the UE6 may also be called a first terminal device Group or a first UE Group, and the PCF3 is a policy control function network element serving the first terminal device Group.

The three sub-UE groups form a third UE Group, in other words, all the sub-UE groups managed by the PCFs in the PCF set form an internal UE Group (UE Group), and the first UE Group is a subset of the third UE Group (or the internal UE Group), or the third UE Group includes the first UE Group.

Alternatively, in method 800, the sub-UE group of UEs for which each PCF is responsible may be referred to as a first terminal device group or a first UE group, the internal UE group may be referred to as a third terminal device group or a third UE group, the first UE group is a subset of the third UE group, or the third UE group includes the first UE group.

Alternatively, the PCF set may be expressed as PCF(s).

And S805. The NEF sends a request message to each PCF in the service PCF set, wherein the request message carries the parameter applicable condition, the indication information and a sub-UE identification list (SUPI sub list) corresponding to the PCF.

Accordingly, each PCF in the set of PCFs receives the request message.

Alternatively, the request information in S805 may also be referred to as fourth information.

For example, the request information may be a policy authorization creation or update request (policy authorization create/update request).

Wherein the indication information is used to instruct (or trigger) the PCF to perform aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE group (i.e., sub-UE group or first UE group) that is responsible for or served by the PCF itself. For example, the indication information may include "Group Aggregated BitRate Monitoring". Alternatively, the indication information may be used to indicate (or trigger) that the PCF performs monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE group (i.e., the sub-UE group or the first UE group) that it is responsible for or serving, e.g., the indication information may include "Min BitRate of UE Monitoring".

In other words, the indication information may indicate that the PCF is triggered to perform at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of a UE group (i.e., a sub-UE group or a first UE group) that is itself responsible or served, or monitoring and adjustment of a UE minimum bit rate in a UE group that is itself responsible or served.

Alternatively, the indication information in S805 may also be referred to as first indication information.

The parameter applicable conditions may include at least one of an identification of all UEs in the internal UE group or an identification of the internal UE group (e.g. the third UE group), a network slice identification (S-NSSAI), an Application identification (Application ID).

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S801 to S804 is the identifier of the first network slice, the application identifier is the identifier of the first application, and the identifier of the UE group is the identifier of the third UE group, for S805, the request message may carry at least one of the list of all UEs included in the third UE group and the identifier of the third UE group, and the first network slice identifier, the identifier of the first application.

It should also be understood that the request message in S805 also carries a list of UE identities (SUPI sub list) included in the sub-UE group to which the PCF corresponds (or is responsible).

For example, assuming that UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), and this sub-UE Group (i.e., the first UE Group) is responsible for or managed by PCF1, i.e., PCF1 is a policy control function network element serving the first UE Group, in S805, the NEF may send a request message to PCF1, where the request message carries:

At least one of an identifier of a sub UE group (first UE group) corresponding to (or responsible for) PCF1 or a UE identifier list (SUPI sub list) included in the sub UE group (first UE group), a network slice identifier, an application identifier, an internal UE group including at least one of an identifier of all UE lists (SUPI lists) or an internal UE group, and indication information. Wherein the internal UE group may also be referred to as a third UE group, the first UE group being a subset of the third UE group (or the internal UE group) (or the third UE group including the first UE group).

Optionally, S805 may also be expressed as that the network open function network element sends fourth information to each policy control function network element in the policy control function network element set, where the fourth information includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that an aggregate bit rate monitoring of a first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice is triggered (trigger), or at least one of minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the first terminal device group, and the fourth information further includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or an identifier of the first terminal device group, an identifier of all terminal devices in the third terminal device group, or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, an identifier of the first application, where the terminal devices included in the first terminal device group are terminal devices managed by one policy control function network element, and the first terminal device group is a subset of the second terminal device group, and the second terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group.

And S806, each PCF in the PCF set acquires the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the corresponding sub-UE group from the UPF according to the request message.

As a possible implementation manner, after each PCF receives the request information, it may determine an SMF serving the UE in the sub-UE group, that is, determine an SMF (or an SMF set) serving the sub-UE group, where the SMF set includes one or more SMFs. And then acquiring a UPF set serving the sub-UE group from SMFs included in the SMF set according to the SMF set, wherein the UPF set comprises one or more UPFs. Finally, the PCF obtains the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the sub-UE group from the UPF included in the UPF set.

Illustratively, in S806, each PCF may obtain, from the UPF, a bit rate report corresponding to each UE in the sub-UE group, where the bit rate report of the UE includes parameters such as a bit rate of the UE.

For example, assuming that UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) that is responsible for or managed by PCF1, PCF1 may obtain, in S806, from the UPF, a bit rate corresponding to each UE in the sub-UE Group (i.e., the first UE Group), i.e., the bit rates corresponding to UE1 and UE2, respectively.

S807, each PCF in the PCF set determines the aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group according to the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the corresponding sub-UE group.

In some possible implementations, each PCF may determine a bit rate of each UE according to the bit rate report of each UE in the sub-UE group, and then add the bit rates of each UE in the sub-UE group to obtain a sub-UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the sub-UE group.

Optionally, in S807, each PCF may further determine a minimum bit rate (Min BitRate per S-NSSAI PER APP ID PER UE) of the UEs in the sub-UE group according to the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the corresponding sub-UE group.

For example, assuming that UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), which is responsible for or managed by PCF1 (i.e., the first UE Group), PCF1 may determine the aggregate bit rate of the first UE Group, and optionally, the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the first UE Group in S807.

Optionally, S806 and S807 may also be expressed as that the policy control function network element obtains first information, where the first information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a first terminal device group (i.e. the first UE group or the sub-UE group) corresponding to the first application within the first network slice, or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice.

S808, each PCF in the PCF set obtains from UDR or UDM, respectively, a remaining group aggregate bit rate (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) and a first threshold.

Optionally, each PCF may also obtain a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) for the UEs in the UE group from UDR or UDM in S808.

Optionally, each PCF may also obtain a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) for the UE Group from UDR or UDM in S808.

Assume that for PCF1, PCF1 is one PCF in the serving PCF set, PCF1 may send a query request (e.g., a first query request) to UDM or UDR, carrying an identification of an internal UE group (Internal Group ID) or at least one of a list of all UE identifications in the internal UE group, a network slice identification (S-NSSAI), an Application identification (Application ID). After receiving the query request, the UDR or the UDM determines which UE group corresponds to the network slice identifier (S-NSSAI), the Application identifier (Application ID), and the identifier (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group, and then determines the remaining group aggregate bit rate (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) and the first threshold corresponding to the UE group. The remaining set of aggregate bit rates (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) and the first threshold are sent to PCF1.

Optionally, the UDR or UDM may also send at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the UE Group or a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) of the UEs in the UE Group to PCF1.

It should be understood that the remaining group aggregate bit rate in S808 corresponds to the remaining group aggregate bit rate of the internal UE group (i.e., the third UE group or the second UE group), rather than the remaining group aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group (i.e., the first UE group) consisting of UEs served by a PCF. Similarly, the UE group in the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group refers to an internal UE group (i.e., a third UE group or a second UE group) rather than a sub-UE group of UEs served by a PCF (i.e., a first UE group).

For example, assuming that UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group) that is either responsible for or managed by PCF1, PCF1 may obtain the remaining Group aggregate bit rate of the third UE Group and the first threshold from UDR in S808.

Optionally, in S808, PCF1 may also obtain a minimum bit rate threshold for the UEs in the third UE group from UDR or UDM. Optionally, in S808, PCF1 may also obtain a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third UE group from UDR or UDM. The first UE group is a subset of the third UE group (or the inner UE group).

Optionally, S808 may also be expressed as that the policy control function network element receives second information from the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, where the second information includes a remaining group aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group, and optionally the second information may further include at least one of a first threshold value or a minimum bit rate threshold value of the UE in the third terminal device group.

S809, each PCF in the PCF set updates the aggregation bit rate of the residual group according to the aggregation bit rate of the corresponding sub-UE group, and obtains the updated aggregation bit rate of the residual group.

As a possible implementation manner, each PCF may calculate, according to the change amount of the aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group (the first UE group), for example, the change value of the aggregate bit rate corresponding to the sub-UE group twice respectively, and update the remaining group aggregate bit rate with the update result in the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate (Modified Remaining Group-AGGREGATE BIT RATE).

For example, assuming that UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE group, which is responsible for or managed by PCF1 and is called a first UE group, the aggregate bit rate of the remaining group is M, the aggregate bit rate of the PCF1 in a sub-UE group (first UE group) calculated at a time is N1, and the aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group calculated at a time is N2, the change values corresponding to the aggregate bit rates twice are N2-N1, respectively, and then the change values are subtracted by the aggregate bit rate of the remaining group, that is, by M- (N2-N1), and the obtained value is the updated aggregate bit rate of the remaining group. It will be appreciated that the value of N2-N1 may be positive or negative. In other words, the updated residual group aggregate bit rate may be increased or decreased relative to the pre-updated residual group aggregate bit rate.

Alternatively, as a possible implementation, for the opportunity of the PCF to acquire and update the aggregate bit rate of the UE group, the acquisition and updating may be performed continuously or periodically before the end of the session established by the UE, i.e., S808 and S809 may be performed multiple times. Or when the PCF finds that the value of the remaining group aggregate bit rate is relatively large, the PCF may configure a "local remaining group aggregate bit rate" and only interact with the UDR or UDM to obtain and update the "remaining group aggregate bit rate" when the "local remaining group aggregate bit rate" reaches a certain threshold or a certain time window (time period) has elapsed. By the PCF configuring the "local remaining maximum slice data rate", frequent interaction of the PCF with UDR or UDM to obtain the "remaining group aggregate bit rate" can be avoided.

It should also be appreciated that for each PCF, as the PCF obtains updated residual group aggregate bit rates, the updated residual group aggregate bit rates need to be stored in the UDR or UDM in a timely manner. In this way, the residual group aggregate bit rate obtained by other PCFs from the UDR or UDM is the latest residual group aggregate bit rate, so that it can be ensured that the residual group aggregate bit rate stored in the UDR or UDM can accurately reflect the actual residual group aggregate bit rate of the UE group.

Alternatively, as one possible implementation, each PCF may use Etags mechanisms to ensure that the "remaining set of aggregate bit rates" in the UDR or UDM are updated correctly. Each PCF may also subscribe to the UDR or UDM for a notification of changes in network slice specific policy control information, so that after a "remaining group aggregate bit rate" stored in the UDR or UDM changes, the UDR or UDM may send the changed value of the remaining group aggregate bit rate to the PCF in time.

S810, each PCF in the PCF set determines whether the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate meets the requirement.

For example, if the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate is greater than the first threshold, the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate does not meet the requirement. The updated aggregation bit rate of the remaining group is greater than the first threshold, which means that the value of the aggregation bit rate of the remaining group is greater, the bit rate used by the UEs in the UE group is smaller, and for the sub-UE group (the first UE group) corresponding to the PCF, the aggregation bit rate of the sub-UE group may be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the sub-UE group may be smaller than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group, which may not meet the minimum requirement of normal transmission of the sub-UE group, and normal transmission of data may not be ensured.

Alternatively, the first threshold may be determined by a maximum bit rate threshold of the UE group (e.g., a third UE group) and a minimum bit rate threshold of the UE group. For example, the first threshold may be equal to a difference of a maximum bit rate threshold of the UE group minus a minimum bit rate threshold of the UE group.

For another example, if the updated residual group aggregate bit rate is less than approximately zero (or less than the second threshold), then the updated residual group aggregate bit rate does not meet the requirement. The updated aggregation bit rate of the remaining group is close to zero, which means that the value of the aggregation bit rate of the remaining group is smaller, the bit rate used by the UE in the UE group is larger, and for the sub-UE group corresponding to the PCF, the aggregation bit rate of the sub-UE group may be larger than the set maximum aggregation bit rate, and although the requirement of normal transmission of the UE group service can be met, the aggregation bit rate of the sub-UE group may affect other UEs or services. Alternatively, the second threshold may be a value less than zero, and when the second threshold is a value less than zero and the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate is less than the second threshold, this means that the bit rate used by the UEs in the UE group has exceeded the set maximum value, and thus may have an influence on other UEs or services.

Of course, for the case where the first threshold value and the second threshold value exist at the same time, if the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate is less than or equal to the first threshold value and greater than or equal to the second threshold value, it is determined that the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate satisfies the requirement.

Optionally, the PCF may further determine whether the bit rate of the UE in the sub-UE group meets the requirement according to a minimum bit rate of the UE in the sub-UE group (first UE group) and a minimum bit rate threshold of the UE in the UE group (third UE group). For example, if the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the sub-UE group is less than or equal to the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group, it is determined that the bit rates of the UEs in the sub-UE group do not meet the requirement. In this case, the minimum requirement for normal transmission of the service of the UE group may not be satisfied, and normal transmission of data may not be guaranteed.

S811, when the updated residual group aggregation bit rate does not meet the requirement, each PCF in the PCF set generates an adjustment strategy.

Of course, if the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the sub-UE group (first UE group) does not meet the requirement, e.g., the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the sub-UE group is less than or equal to the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (third UE group), the PCF (e.g., PCF 1) may also generate the adjustment policy.

It should be understood that in S811, each PCF performs policy adjustment only for UEs in the list of UEs served by the PCF.

If the UE quality of service stream in the sub-UE group (first UE group) is a guaranteed bit rate quality of service stream, modifying a maximum bit rate value of the guaranteed bit rate quality of service stream;

adjusting ARP, or priority parameters, of quality of service flows of UEs in a sub-UE group (first UE group);

and releasing the service quality stream of part of the UE in the sub-UE group (the first UE group).

After determining the adjustment policy, each PCF in the set of PCFs may execute the adjustment policy.

Of course, in other implementations of the present application, the adjustment policy may also include other bit rate adjustment policies, and the adjustment policy may be used to adjust the remaining group aggregate bit rate to meet the requirement (e.g., less than or equal to the first threshold, or greater than the second threshold, etc.), or to make the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the sub-UE group greater than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group.

Optionally, in the various steps of the method 800, the expression "third UE group (i.e. third terminal device group)" may also be replaced with "second UE group (i.e. second terminal device group)". That is, in an embodiment of the method 800, the second terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group, and the first UE group is a subset of the second UE group or the third UE group (i.e., the second UE group or the third UE group includes the first UE group).

It should also be understood that, in the method 800, the description of "the identities of the UEs in the UE group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the UE group, respectively, that is, a UE identity list. For example, the description of "the identities of the UEs in the third group" refers to the identities respectively corresponding to all the UEs in the third group of UEs. For another example, the description of "the identities of the UEs in the first group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the first group, respectively. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the external UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the external UE group. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the internal UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the internal UE group.

The method provided by the embodiment of the application, AF configures the residual group aggregation bit rate (REMAINING GROUP-AGGREGATE BIT RATE) of each UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) per slice per application in UDR or UDM. Each PCF obtains the aggregate bit rate of its own responsible sub-UE group (e.g., the first UE group), then obtains and updates the remaining group aggregate bit rate (e.g., the remaining group aggregate bit rate of the third UE group) from the UDR or UDM, and when the remaining group aggregate bit rate is close to zero or greater than a threshold, the PCF performs a corresponding adjustment strategy. Monitoring and adjustment of bit rate to sub-UE group granularity is achieved. The aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group can be ensured not to exceed the requirement, and the influence on other UE or service is avoided. The aggregation bit rate of the sub-UE group can be ensured not to be lower than the set minimum aggregation bit rate, so that the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted is ensured, and the communication efficiency is improved.

Fig. 9 is a schematic interaction diagram of another example of a rate control method for a terminal device group in a network slice provided in the present application, where the method 900 may be applied to the scenario shown in fig. 5, and certainly may also be applied to other communication scenarios, and embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In the flow shown in fig. 9, the AF sends to NWDAF, via the NEF, request information for requesting an aggregate bit rate monitoring result per slice per application per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group), and optionally, the request information includes a maximum bit rate requirement and/or a minimum bit rate requirement per slice per application per UE group. When NWDAF finds that the aggregate bit rate monitoring result of the UE group cannot meet the requirement, NWDAF sends a notification to the AF, and the AF triggers policy adjustment. As shown in fig. 9, the method 900 shown in fig. 9 may include S901 to S911. The various steps in method 900 are described in detail below in conjunction with fig. 9.

S901, the AF sends request information to the NEF, where the request information is used to subscribe (request) NWDAF to at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a UE group corresponding to an application on a slice, or a minimum bit rate of UEs in the UE group. The request information includes parameters and applicable conditions of the parameters.

Accordingly, the NEF receives the request information.

Alternatively, the request information in S901 may also be referred to as seventh information, that is, the AF transmits the seventh information to the NEF.

Wherein the parameters include at least one of:

The applicable conditions of the parameters (or applicable conditions which may be referred to as configuration parameters) include a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID), an identity of the external UE group (External Group ID).

Optionally, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S901 may further include identities of all UEs included in the external UE group (i.e., identities of a group of UEs), where the identities of the group of UEs may be a group of through GPSIs, or may also be IP addresses of a group of UEs, etc., which embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In other words, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S901 may include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the external UE group or the identities of the external UE group, the first network slice identity, the identity of the first application.

It should be understood that if the request information in S901 requests the aggregate bit rate of the first UE Group corresponding to the first application on the first slice, the parameters include at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the first UE Group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first UE Group, and a minimum bit rate threshold of UEs in the first UE Group. The parameters include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the first UE group or the external identity of the first UE group, the identity of the first network slice (S-NSSAI), the identity of the first Application (Application ID).

For a specific description of the parameters and the applicable conditions of the parameters, reference may be made to the description of S601 in the method 600, and for brevity, the description will not be repeated here.

Alternatively, the request information in S901 may not include the above parameters, that is, the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, and the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group. But includes applicable conditions for the parameters.

In some possible implementations, the request information in S901 may also include an analysis type identification (ANALYTICS ID). Since NWDAF may perform multiple different types of analysis for the UE, for example, analyzing mobility of the UE, data amount or bit rate of the UE, and so on, multiple different types of analysis results may be generated, and thus the request information may carry the type of analysis for instructing NWDAF to perform analysis related to data amount and session of the UE or the UE group at different positions or on different slices, that is, analyzing at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the UE group (for example, the first UE group) or a minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group. For example, the request information may include an analysis type identification. Illustratively, the analysis type identification may be a hotspot analysis (Dispersion Analytics) indicating that the AF requests a hotspot analysis (i.e., an analysis of the amount of data and session correlation of the UE or group of UEs at different locations or on different slices) from NWDAF.

Illustratively, the AF may send an analysis open subscription request (Nnef _ ANALYTICS EXPOSURE _subscore) to the NEF, for subscribing NWDAF to an aggregate bit rate of a UE group corresponding to a service on a slice, where the analysis open subscription request carries a parameter, an applicable condition of the parameter, and an analysis type identifier.

S902, the NEF forwards the request information to NWDAF.

In S902, as a possible implementation manner, the NEF may first obtain, from the UDM, the identity of the internal UE group corresponding to the identity of the external UE group and the identity of the internal UE group including all UEs, according to the identity of the external UE group.

For example, the UDM may store a correspondence (mapping relationship) between the identifier of the external UE group and the identifier of the internal UE group, and the NEF may send request information to the UDM, carrying the identifier of the external UE group (e.g., the external identifier of the first UE group), for requesting the identifier of the corresponding internal UE group (e.g., the internal identifier of the first UE group) from the UDM. After receiving the request information, the UDM determines the identification of the internal UE group corresponding to the identification of the external UE group from the stored mapping relation according to the identification of the external UE group. Further, the UDM may determine, according to the determined identifier of the internal UE group, the identifier of each UE included in the internal UE group, and it should be understood that the UE included in the external UE group and the UE included in the internal UE group are the same, that is, the UE included in the external UE group and the internal UE group refer to the same UE group. The UDM feeds back to the NEF the identity of the internal UE group and the list of identities of the individual UEs comprised by the internal UE group. For example, the UDM may send the identity of the internal UE group and the list of identities of the UEs to the NEF via an SDM acquisition response (Nudm _sdm_get response). In this case, in the request information forwarded by NEF to NWDAF in S902, applicable conditions of the configuration parameters include network slice identity (S-NSSAI), application identity (Application ID), identity of the internal UE group (Internal Group ID), and identity of each UE included in the internal UE group.

As another possible implementation, the NEF may first obtain the identity of the external UE group from the UDM according to the identity of the external UE group, in which case in S902, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in the request information forwarded by the NEF to NWDAF include the network slice identity (S-NSSAI), the Application identity (Application ID), and the identity of the internal UE group (Internal Group ID).

As yet another possible implementation, NNEF may forward the request information directly to NWDAF, in which case in S902, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters include network slice identity (S-NSSAI), application identity (Application ID), and identity of the external UE group (External Group ID) in the request information forwarded by the NEF to NWDAF.

For the relationship between the identifier of the external UE group and the identifier of the internal UE group, reference may be made to the description of the corresponding portion of S601 in the method 600, which is not repeated here.

Optionally, if the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S901 include the identities of all UEs in the external UE group (i.e. the external UE identity list, e.g. a group of GPSIs or a group of UE IP addresses), the NEF may also obtain the internal UE identity list according to the external UE identity list. In S902, the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in the request information forwarded by the NEF to NWDAF include the network slice identifier (S-NSSAI), the Application identifier (Application ID), and the identifier of each UE included in the internal UE group.

For example, if the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S901 include a set of GPSIs, in S902, the NEF may obtain the SUPI corresponding to the GPSIs through the UDM, that is, obtain the identification list (SUPI list) of all UEs in the corresponding internal UE group.

For another example, if the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in S901 include a set of IP addresses of the UE, and the NEF identifies that the UE IP address is an external IP address (i.e., public address (UE public IP ADDRESS)) based on the configuration, for each UE IP address, in S902, the NEF first discovers a UPF supporting NAT function for the UE from the NRF, then sends a request to the UPF, where the request includes the public address of the UE (UE public IP ADDRESS), the UPF acquires a UE private network address (UE PRIVATE IP ADDRESS) corresponding to the public address of the UE based on the NAT function, the UE private network address is a private IP address (i.e., internal address) used inside the network, and then the UPF feeds back the UE private network address (UE PRIVATE IP ADDRESS) to the NEF. In this way, the NEF can obtain an identification list (UE private network address list) of all UEs in the internal UE group.

For example, the NEF may send a analyze subscription request (Nnwsdf _ analytics _ subscription _subscription) to NWDAF for indicating that AF subscribes NWDAF to an aggregate bit rate of a UE group corresponding to a service on a slice, and/or a minimum bit rate of UEs in the UE group, the analyze subscription request carrying parameters, applicable conditions of the parameters, and an analyze type identifier.

Optionally, the above S901 and S902 may also be collectively referred to as "AF subscription, where the AF subscribes, through the NEF, to the aggregate bit rate of a UE group corresponding to a service on the NWDAF slice and/or the minimum bit rate of UEs in the UE group, and the subscription message carries the configuration parameters and applicable conditions of the configuration parameters.

For example, assume that the request information in S901 is for requesting at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a first UE group corresponding to a first application on a first network slice, or a minimum bit rate of UEs in the first UE group. The parameter applicable conditions in S901 include a first network slice identifier, an identifier of a first application, and an external identifier of a first UE group, and in S902, the parameter applicable conditions include the first network slice identifier, the identifier of the first application, an internal identifier of the first UE group, or the external identifier.

S903, NWDAF receives the request information, and obtains, from the UDM, an identifier list of the UE included in the internal UE group according to the identifier (Internal Group ID) of the internal UE group.

For example, the UDM may store therein the identities of the individual UEs in an internal UE group (e.g., a first UE group). The NEF may send request information to the UDM, which may be, for example, an SDM acquisition request (Nudm _sdm_get request), carrying an identity of an internal UE group (e.g., a first UE group), for requesting the UDM for an identity corresponding to a UE in the internal UE group. After receiving the request information, the UDM determines the identification of each UE included in the internal UE group according to the identification of the internal UE group. For example, the UDM may send an identification list of UEs included in the internal UE group to the NEF through an SDM acquisition response (Nudm _sdm_get response).

For example, the UDM may send a list of UE identities (SUPI list) determined to the NEF. The UE identity list is an identity list of UEs included in the internal UE group. The identification list of the UEs included in the internal UE group is the identification list of all UEs in the internal UE group.

It should be understood that, in the optional step of S903, if the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in the request information forwarded by the NEF to NWDAF in S902 include the identities of all UEs in the internal UE group, then NWDAF may directly perform S904 without performing S903.

If the applicable condition of the configuration parameters in the request information forwarded by the NEF to NWDAF in S902 includes the identification of the internal UE group, then NWDAF needs to perform S903.

If the applicable conditions of the configuration parameters in the request information forwarded by the NEF to NWDAF in S902 include the identifier of the external UE group, S903 may be replaced by NWDAF retrieving, from the UDM, the identifier of the corresponding internal UE group and the UE identifier list according to the identifier of the external UE group, where the UE identifier list is an identifier list of all UEs in the internal UE group.

For example, assume that in S902, the applicable conditions for the parameters include a first network slice identity, an identity of a first application, a first UE table.

S904, NWDAF obtains a set of serving PCFs for the UE from the BSF according to the UE identity list, the set of PCFs including one or more PCFs. The UE identity list is an identity list of all UEs in the internal UE group.

In some possible implementations, PCFs serving different UEs may be different. In other words, one PCF may serve, be responsible for, or manage one or more UEs, and the UEs comprised by the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group) may be served by different PCFs. Thus, in S804, NWDAF may obtain a set of serving PCFs corresponding to all UEs in the internal UE group, where the set of serving PCFs includes one or more serving PCFs (hereinafter, for convenience of description, the serving PCFs are referred to as PCFs). In this case NWDAF may also count which UEs each PCF corresponds to (or serves). Alternatively, the set of serving PCFs may also be expressed as PCFs(s).

For example, assuming that the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group) includes 6 UEs, UE1 through UE6 respectively, NWDAF the final determined information may be in the form of < PCF1: UE1, UE2>, < PCF2: UE3, UE4, UE5>, < PCF3: UE6>, indicating that PCF1 serves UE1 and UE2, PCF2 serves UE3 through UE5, and PCF3 serves UE6.

Illustratively, in S904, NWDAF may send a management discovery request (Nbsf _management_ discovery request) to the BSF, carrying a list of UE identities. Upon receiving the request, the BSF determines the serving PCF set for the UE and feeds back the PCF set to NWDAF by sending a management discovery response (Nbsf _management_ discovery response).

S905, NWDAF obtains, from the PCF included in the PCF set, an SMF set serving the internal UE group, the SMF set including one or more SMFs, according to the network slice identity (S-NSSAI), the Application identity (Application ID), and the UE identity list.

In some possible implementations, NWDAF may send a request message to each PCF in the set of serving PCFs, where the request message includes a network slice identifier, an application identifier, and an identifier of a UE served by the PCF (UE sub-list), and the PCF determines a serving (serving) SMF for the UE based on the information and sends the determined SMF to NWDAF. It is understood that for a PCF, the serving SMF for the UE served by the PCF may include one or more. Each PCF in the PCF set may send NWDAF the SMF corresponding to the UE served by itself. Thus, NWDAF, based on the information fed back by each PCF, can determine SMF (serving SMF) to serve the UEs included in the internal UE group.

In other words, NWDAF may determine a set of SMFs that includes one or more SMFs that serve multiple UEs included in the internal UE group. Alternatively, the SMF set may be expressed as SMF(s).

For example, assuming that the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group) includes 6 UEs, the information ultimately determined for UE1 through UE6, NWDAF, respectively, may be in the form of < PCF1: UE1, SMF1, UE2, SMF2>, < PCF2: UE3, UE4, UE5; SMF3>, < PCF3: UE6; SMF4>, indicating that PCF1 serves UE1 and UE2, SMF1 serves UE1, SMF2 serves UE2, PCF2 serves UE3 through UE5, SMF3 serves UE3 through UE5, PCF3 serves UE6, SMF4 serves UE6. In combination with the above example, NWDAF may determine that SMF1, SMF2, SMF3, and SMF4, SMF1, SMF2, SMF3, and SMF4 include all SMFs serving multiple UEs included in the internal UE group.

As one possible implementation, NWDAF may send an event open subscription request (Npcf _ eventexposure _subscribe) to each PCF, respectively, carrying a network slice identity (S-NSSAI), an Application identity (Application ID), and a list of UE identities. After receiving the subscription request, the PCF sends an event open subscription notification (Npcf _ eventexposure _notify) to NWDAF, where the event open subscription notification carries one or more SMFs corresponding to UEs managed by the PCF, or one or more SMFs serving UEs managed by the PCF, and the NWDAF may determine, according to information fed back by each PCF in the PCF set, an SMF serving each UE, that is, determine an SMF (or an SMF set) serving an internal UE group, where the SMF set includes one or more SMFs. Each PCF-managed UE may form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), and all PCF-managed sub-UE groups in the PCF set form a UE Group (UE Group), i.e., the internal UE Group or the external UE Group. The list of identities of UEs comprised by one sub-UE group may also be referred to as sub-UE group identity list (SUPI sub list).

S906, NWDAF, according to the SMF set, obtaining a UPF set serving the internal UE group from the SMFs included in the SMF set, where the UPF set includes one or more UPFs.

As one possible implementation, NWDAF may send an event open subscription request (Nsmf _ eventexposure _subscriber) to each SMF in the set of SMFs, respectively, carrying the SMF service or being responsible for the list of UE identities. After receiving the subscription request, the SMF sends an event open subscription notification (Nsmf _ eventexposure _notify) to NWDAF, carrying one or more UPFs corresponding to the plurality of UEs served by the SMF. NWDAF based on the information fed back by each SMF in the SMF set, a UPF for serving each UE in the internal UE group may be determined, i.e., a UPF (or a UPF set) for serving the internal UE group (serving) may be determined, where the UPF set includes one or more UPFs. Each UPF managed (or served) UE may constitute a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), and all the UPF managed sub-UE groups in the UPF set constitute a UE Group (first UE Group). The list of identities of UEs comprised by one sub-UE group may also be referred to as sub-UE group identity list (SUPI sub list).

Alternatively, the UPF collection can also be expressed as UPF(s).

S907, NWDAF obtains the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the internal UE group from the UPFs in the UPF set.

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S901 to S906 is the identifier of the first network slice, the Application ID identifier is the identifier of the first Application, and the identifier of the internal UE group is the first UE group, NWDAF may be obtained from the UPF in the UPF set, where the bit rate corresponds to each UE in the first UE group (i.e., the internal UE group) running the first Application on the first network slice identifier.

Illustratively, in S907, NWDAF may obtain, from the UPF, a bit rate report corresponding to each UE in the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group) via the SMF, where the bit rate report of the UE includes parameters such as a bit rate of the UE.

As one possible implementation, NWDAF may send an event open subscription request (Nupf _event exposure_subscription) to each UPF, respectively, carrying an Application ID (Application ID) and a list of the UPF services or responsible UE identities. Upon receiving the subscription request, the UPF sends to NWDAF an event open subscription notification (Npcf _ eventexposure _notify) carrying a respective bit rate report for each UE managed (served) by the UPF. NWDAF, based on the information fed back by each UPF, the bit rate of each UE in the UE group (i.e., the internal UE group) can be determined.

S908, NWDAF determines at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the UE group corresponding to the UE group or a minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group according to the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the UE group.

In some possible implementations, NWDAF may determine the bit rate of each UE from the bit rate report of each UE in the UE Group, and then add the bit rates of each UE in the UE Group to obtain the UE Group aggregate bit rate (AGGREGATE BIT RATE PER S-NSSAI PER APP ID PER UE Group) corresponding to the UE Group.

It should be understood that the "UE group" in S908 is the internal UE group described above.

S909, NWDAF transmits at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group to the AF through the NEF.

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S901 to S908 is the identifier of the first network slice, the application identifier is the identifier of the first application, and the identifier of the UE group is the identifier of the first UE group, NWDAF may transmit at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the first UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the first UE group to the AF through the NEF in S909.

Optionally, S909 may also be expressed as NWDAF sending ninth information to the AF, the ninth information including at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices within the first network slice corresponding to the first application, or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices within the first group of terminal devices within the first network slice corresponding to the first application.

Alternatively, in S909, as another possible implementation manner, NWDAF may further compare the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (for example, the first UE group) with the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (first UE group)), compare the aggregate bit rate of the UE group with the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, to obtain a comparison result, and then send the comparison result to the AF through the NEF. For example, the result of the comparison may include at least one of the UE group (first UE group) aggregate bit rate being greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group (first UE group), the UE group aggregate bit rate being less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group, or the UE group aggregate bit rate being less than or equal to a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group, and being greater than or equal to a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group.

Optionally, at S909, as yet another possible implementation, NWDAF may also compare the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (e.g., the first UE group) with the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (the first UE group) and then send the result of the comparison to the AF through NEF. For example, the result of the comparison may include at least one of the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (first UE group) being less than or equal to the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (first UE group), or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group being greater than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group.

Alternatively NWDAF may send the above comparison result to the AF via the NEF. I.e. the ninth information may also comprise the result of the comparison described above.

Alternatively, S909 may also be expressed as that the AF receives eighth information in response to the seventh information, the eighth information including at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a first terminal device group (i.e., a first UE group) corresponding to the first application within the first network slice, a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice, indication information indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, indication information indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group is less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, or indication information indicating that the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group is less than a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the first terminal device group.

Optionally, as a further possible implementation manner in S909, NWDAF may further compare the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (e.g. the first UE group) with a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (first UE group)), and in case the UE group (first UE group) aggregate bit rate is greater than or equal to the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (first UE group), or the UE group aggregate bit rate is less than or equal to the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, NWDAF may send an indication information to the AF through the NEF indicating that credit indicates that the AF needs to generate the adjustment policy.

Optionally, in S909, as a further possible implementation manner, NWDAF may further compare the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (e.g. the first UE group) with the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (the first UE group), and in case the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (the first UE group) is less than or equal to the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (the first UE group), NWDAF may send an indication information to the AF through the NEF indicating that the AF needs to generate the adjustment policy.

S910, the AF determines whether the bit rate of the UE group meets the requirement according to the information from NWDAF.

For example, if NWDAF sends at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the UE group (e.g., the first UE group) or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group to the AF. The AF may compare the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the UE group with a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group (e.g., the first UE group) or the UE group (e.g., the first UE group) aggregate bit rate with a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group, resulting in a comparison result. The result of the comparison may include at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the first UE group being greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first UE group, the aggregate bit rate of the first UE group being less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first UE group, or the aggregate bit rate of the first UE group being less than or equal to the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first UE group and being greater than or equal to the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first UE group.

If NWDAF the minimum bit rate for the UEs in the first UE group is sent to the AF. The AF may compare the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the first UE group with a minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the first UE group, to obtain a comparison result. For example, the result of the comparison may include at least one of the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the first UE group being less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the first UE group, or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the first UE group being greater than or equal to the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the first UE group.

Optionally, the AF may also determine whether the bit rate of the UE group meets the requirement using the comparison result sent by NWDAF.

Of course, if NWDAF sends indication information to the AF through NEF in S909 indicating that the AF needs to generate the adjustment strategy, S910 may be omitted, S909 is followed by S911, S911 may be replaced by AF generating the adjustment strategy according to the indication information.

S911, in the case where the bit rate of the UE group does not meet the requirement, the AF generates an adjustment policy.

modifying a maximum bitrate value of the guaranteed bitrate quality of service stream if the UE quality of service stream in the UE group (e.g., the first UE group) is the guaranteed bitrate quality of service stream;

Adjusting ARP, or priority parameters, of quality of service flows of UEs in a UE group (e.g., a first UE group);

The quality of service flows for a portion of the UEs in the internal UE group (e.g., the first UE group) are released.

Of course, in other implementations of the application, the adjustment strategy may also include other bit rate adjustment strategies, and the UE group aggregate bit rate may be made smaller than the UE group maximum bit rate threshold and greater than the UE group minimum bit rate threshold, or the UE group minimum bit rate may be greater than the UE group minimum bit rate threshold, after adjustment by the adjustment strategy.

In the case where the AF generates the adjustment policy, the AF may send the adjustment policy to the PCF, which ultimately is executed by the PCF.

Optionally, in the various steps of the method 900, the expression "first UE group (i.e. first terminal device group)" may be replaced by "third UE group (i.e. third terminal device group)". That is, in the embodiment illustrated in method 900, the first terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group.

It should also be understood that, in the method 900, the expression "the identities of the UEs in the UE group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the UE group, respectively, i.e. a UE identity list. For example, the description of "the identities of the UEs in the first group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the first group, respectively. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the external UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the external UE group. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the internal UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the internal UE group.

The AF subscribes to NWDAF at least one of aggregate bit rate information per slice per application per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) or minimum bit rate information of the UE in the UE group through NEF, and at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold per slice per application per UE group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group or a minimum bit rate threshold of the UE in the UE group is requested in the request message. NWDAF compares the acquired aggregate bit rate of the UE group and/or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group with the requirements in the request information of the AF, and determines whether the requirements can be met. If the bit rate is not satisfied, the AF is informed, and the AF triggers the execution of policy adjustment, so that the monitoring and adjustment of the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group are realized. The method can ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group does not exceed the requirement, avoid affecting other UE or service, and ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group is not lower than the set minimum aggregate bit rate so as to ensure the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted, thereby improving the communication efficiency.

Fig. 10 is a schematic interaction diagram of another method for rate control of a terminal device group in a network slice according to the present application, where the method 1000 may be applied to the scenario shown in fig. 5, and certainly may also be applied to other communication scenarios, and embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In the flow shown in fig. 10, request information is directly sent to the NEF through the AF, and is used to request the aggregate bit rate monitoring result per slice per UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group), where the request information includes a maximum bit rate requirement and/or a minimum bit rate requirement per slice per UE group applied. When the NEF finds that the aggregate bit rate monitoring result of the UE group cannot meet the requirement, the NEF sends a notification to the AF and the AF triggers policy adjustment. As shown in fig. 10, the method 1000 shown in fig. 10 may include S1001 to S1011. The various steps in method 1000 are described in detail below in conjunction with FIG. 10.

S1001, the AF sends request information to the NEF, the request information including applicable conditions of the parameters and instruction information.

Accordingly, the NEF receives the request information.

Alternatively, the request information in S1001 may also be referred to as seventh information, that is, the AF transmits the seventh information to the NEF.

For example, the request information may be an AF session request (AF session with required QoS create request) that is established (create) to meet a specific QoS requirement.

For another example, the request information may also be an update (update) AF session request (AF session with required QoS update request) meeting a specific QoS requirement.

The applicable conditions of the parameters (or applicable conditions which may be called configuration parameters) comprise network slice identification (S-NSSAI), application identification (Application ID), and identification of an external UE group (External Group ID).

Optionally, the applicable conditions of the parameters in S1001 may further include identities of all UEs included in the external UE group (i.e., identities of a group of UEs), where the group of UEs may be a group of GPSIs, or may also be IP addresses of a group of UEs, etc., which embodiments of the present application are not limited herein.

In other words, the applicable conditions of the parameters in S1001 may include at least one of the identities of all UEs in the external UE group or the identities of the external UE group, the network slice identity, the identity of the application.

The indication information may indicate (or trigger) that the PCF performs at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group, or that the PCF performs monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE Group. For example, the indication information may include "Group Aggregated BitRate Monitoring" for indicating (or triggering) that the PCF performs aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE Group. For another example, the indication information may include Min BitRate of UE Monitoring "for indicating (or triggering) that the PCF performs monitoring and adjustment of the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE Group.

Alternatively, the indication information in S1001 may also be referred to as second indication information.

Optionally, the request information may further include at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-MBR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold (Group-Min-BR for UL/DL) of the UE Group, and a minimum bit rate threshold (Min BitRate of UE for UL/DL) of the UEs in the UE Group. That is, parameters may also be included in the request information.

For example, assuming that the parameter applicable conditions in S1001 include at least one of an identification of all UEs in the third UE group or an external identification of the third UE group, a first network slice identification, an identification of the first application, the parameters in S1001 include at least one of a maximum bit rate threshold of the third UE group, a minimum bit rate threshold of the third UE group, and a minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the third UE group.

For the description of each parameter included in the request information, reference may be made to the description of each parameter in the above method 900, which is not repeated herein.

And S1002, the NEF acquires the identification of the internal UE group and the UE identification list from the UDM according to the identification of the external UE group. The UE identity list is an identity list of UEs included in the internal UE group.

S1003. the nef obtains a serving PCF set for the service of the UE from the BSF according to the UE identity list.

Alternatively, in the method 1000, the sub-UE group formed by the UEs responsible for each PCF may be referred to as a first terminal device group or a first UE group, and the internal UE may be referred to as a third terminal device group or a third UE group, where the first UE group is a subset of the third UE group, or the third UE group includes the first UE group.

Alternatively, the PCF set may be expressed as PCF(s).

And S1004, the NEF sends a request message to each PCF in the service PCF set, wherein the request message carries the parameter applicable conditions, the indication information and a sub-UE identification list (SUPI sub list) corresponding to the PCF.

Accordingly, each PCF in the PCF set (i.e., the serving PCF set) receives the request message.

Alternatively, the information carried in the request information in S1004 may also be referred to as fourth information.

In other words, the indication information may indicate (or trigger) that the PCF performs at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring and adjustment of the UE group (i.e., sub-UE group or first UE group) that it is responsible for or serving, or monitoring and adjustment of the UE minimum bit rate in the UE group that it is responsible for or serving.

Alternatively, the indication information in the request message may also be referred to as the first indication information.

The parameter applicability conditions may include a network slice identification (S-NSSAI), an Application identification (Application ID).

For example, assuming that the network slice identifier in S1001 and S1002 is the identifier of the first network slice, the application identifier is the identifier of the first application, and the identifier of the UE group is the identifier of the third UE group, the request message may carry the first network slice identifier and the identifier of the first application for S1004.

It should also be understood that the request message in S1004 also carries all UE identity lists (SUPI sub list) included in the sub UE group or the first UE group to which the PCF corresponds (or is responsible).

For example, assuming that UE1 and UE2 form a sub-UE Group (UE sub-Group), and this sub-UE Group (i.e., the first UE Group) is responsible for or managed by PCF1, i.e., PCF1 is a policy control function network element serving the first UE Group, in S1004, the NEF may send a request message to PCF1, where the request message carries:

At least one of an identifier of a sub-UE group (first UE group) corresponding to (or responsible for) PCF1 or a list of all UE identifiers (SUPI sub-lists) included in the sub-UE group (first UE group), a network slice identifier, an application identifier, and indication information.

S1005, each PCF in the PCF set acquires the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the corresponding sub-UE group from the UPF according to the request message.

S1006, each PCF in PCF set determines the aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group according to the bit rate corresponding to each UE in the corresponding sub-UE group.

For S1002 to S1006, reference may be made to the specific descriptions of S803 to S807 in the method 800, and for brevity, the description is omitted here.

S1007, each PCF in the PCF set sends the aggregate bit rate of the sub-UE group for which it is responsible to the NEF.

Optionally, in S1007, each PCF in the PCF set also sends the minimum bit rate of UEs in its own responsible sub-UE group (first UE group) to the NEF.

For example, each PCF in the PCF set may send an aggregate bit rate of its own responsible sub-UE group (first UE group) or a minimum bit rate of UEs in its own responsible sub-UE group (first UE group) to the NEF via a policy grant create or update response (policy authorization create/update response) message.

Alternatively, assuming that the sub-UE group of UEs for which each PCF is responsible may be referred to as a first terminal device group or a first UE group, and the UE groups (internal UE group or external UE group) in S1001 and S1002 are a third terminal device group or a third UE group, S1007 may also be described as that the NEF receives fifth information from each PCF in the PCF set, the fifth information including at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group. Wherein the first UE group is a subset of a third UE group (or an internal UE group), or the third UE group comprises the first UE group.

And S1008, the NEF determines at least one of the UE group aggregation bit rate corresponding to the UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group according to the information fed back by each PCF in the PCF set.

For example, the NEF may sum the aggregate bit rates of the sub-UE groups (e.g., the first UE group) fed back by each PCF in the PCF set to obtain the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (e.g., the third UE group). The UE group is the internal UE group described above.

Optionally, the NEF may further determine the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group (e.g. the third UE group) according to the minimum bit rate of the UE in the sub UE group (e.g. the first UE group) fed back by each PCF in the PCF set. For example, the minimum bit rate of the UE with the smallest value may be determined as the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group.

S1009, the NEF transmits at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the UE group or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group to the AF.

For example, the NEF may send at least one of the UE group aggregate bit rate corresponding to the third UE group, or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the third UE group to the AF.

Alternatively, in other possible implementations, if the request information (seventh information) in S1001 includes a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group and a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the UE group. The NEF may also compare the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (e.g., the third UE group) with a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (the third UE group), compare the aggregate bit rate of the UE group with a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, obtain a comparison result, and then send the comparison result to the AF. For example, the result of the comparison may include at least one of the third UE group aggregate bit rate being greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third UE group, the third UE group aggregate bit rate being less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third UE group, or the third UE group aggregate bit rate being less than or equal to a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third UE group, and being greater than or equal to a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third UE group.

Alternatively, as yet another possible implementation, if the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group is included in the request information in S1001. NEFF may also compare the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (e.g., the third UE group) with the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (e.g., the third UE group) to obtain a comparison result, and then send the comparison result to the AF. For example, the result of the comparison may include at least one of the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (third UE group) being less than or equal to the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (third UE group), or the minimum aggregate bit rate of the UEs in the UE group being greater than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group.

In this case, in S1009, the NEF may also transmit the above-described comparison result to the AF.

For example, assuming that in the method 1000, the sub-UE group formed by the UEs responsible for each PCF may be referred to as a first terminal device group or a first UE group, and the UE groups (internal UE group or external UE group) in S1001 and S1002 are a third terminal device group or a third UE group, S1009 may also be expressed as:

The NEF sends sixth information to the AF, wherein the sixth information comprises at least one of aggregate bit rate of a third terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group is larger than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal equipment group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group is smaller than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal equipment group, and indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group is smaller than a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group.

Or S1009 may also be expressed as:

The AF receives eighth information in response to the seventh information, wherein the eighth information comprises at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a third terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal equipment group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group is less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal equipment group, and indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group is less than a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group.

Optionally, in S1009, as a further possible implementation manner, the NEF may further compare the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (e.g. the third UE group) with a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (third UE group)), and in case the UE group (third UE group) aggregate bit rate is greater than or equal to the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (third UE group), or the UE group aggregate bit rate is less than or equal to the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, the NEF sends an indication information to the AF indicating that the AF needs to generate the adjustment policy.

Optionally, in S1009, as a further possible implementation manner, the NEF may further compare the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (e.g. the third UE group) with a minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (third UE group), and in case the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (third UE group) is less than or equal to the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the UE group (third UE group), the NEF sends an indication information to the AF indicating that the AF needs to generate the adjustment policy.

S1010, the AF determines whether the bit rate of the UE group meets the requirement according to the information from the NEF.

For example, if the NEF transmits at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the UE group (e.g., the third UE group) or a minimum bit rate of the UEs in the UE group (e.g., the third UE group) to the AF. The AF may compare the aggregate bit rate of the UE group (e.g., the third UE group) with a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group (the third UE group) or the aggregate bit rate of the UE group with a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group, resulting in a comparison result. The result of the comparison may include at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third UE group being greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third UE group, the aggregate bit rate of the third UE group being less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first UE group, or the aggregate bit rate of the third UE group being less than or equal to the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third UE group and being greater than or equal to the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third UE group.

If the NEF sends the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the third UE group to the AF. The AF may compare the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the third UE group with a minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the third UE group, to obtain a comparison result. For example, the result of the comparison may include at least one of the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the third UE group being less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the third UE group, or the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the third UE group being greater than or equal to the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the third UE group.

Optionally, the AF may also determine whether the bit rate of the UE group meets the requirement by using the comparison result sent by the NEF.

For example, if the aggregate bit rate of the third UE group is greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third UE group, it is determined that the aggregate bit rate of the third UE group does not meet the requirement. In this case, although the requirement of normal transmission of the traffic of the third UE group may be satisfied, other UEs or traffic may be affected.

For another example, if the aggregate bit rate of the third UE group is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third UE group, it is determined that the aggregate bit rate of the third UE group does not meet the requirement. In this case, the minimum requirement for normal transmission of the service of the third UE group may not be satisfied, and normal transmission of the service data may not be guaranteed.

For another example, if the minimum bit rate of the UEs in the third UE group is less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the UEs in the third UE group, it is determined that the bit rate of the third UE group does not meet the requirement. In this case, the minimum requirement for normal transmission of the service of the third UE group may not be satisfied, and normal transmission of the service data may not be guaranteed.

Of course, if in S1009 the NEF sends indication information to the AF indicating that credit is indicating that the AF needs to generate an adjustment policy, S1010 may be omitted, S1009 followed by S1011 may be performed directly, S1011 may be replaced by the AF generating an adjustment policy based on the indication information.

S1011, when the bit rate of the UE group does not meet the requirement, the AF generates an adjustment strategy.

If the UE quality of service stream in the UE group (e.g., the third UE group) is a guaranteed bit rate quality of service stream, modifying a maximum bit rate value of the guaranteed bit rate quality of service stream;

Adjusting ARP, or priority parameters, of quality of service flows of UEs in a UE group (e.g., a third UE group);

And releasing the service quality stream of part of the UE in the UE group (such as the third UE group).

Optionally, in the various steps of the method 1000, the expression "third UE group (i.e. third terminal device group)" may also be replaced with "second UE group (i.e. second terminal device group)". That is, in the embodiment illustrated by method 1000, the second terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group, and the first UE group is a subset of the second UE group or the third UE group.

It should also be understood that, in the method 1000, the description of "the identities of the UEs in the UE group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the UE group, respectively, that is, a UE identity list. For example, the description of "the identities of the UEs in the third group" refers to the identities respectively corresponding to all the UEs in the third group of UEs. For example, the description of "the identities of the UEs in the first group" refers to the identities corresponding to all the UEs in the first group, respectively. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the external UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the external UE group. For another example, "identities of UEs included in the internal UE group" refers to identities of all UEs included in the internal UE group.

The method provided by the embodiment of the application requests the aggregate bit rate information of each UE group (PER SLICE PER Application per UE Group) and/or the minimum bit rate information of the UE in the UE group to the NEF through AF, and at least one of the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of each UE group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the UE group or the minimum bit rate threshold of the UE in the UE group is applied to each slice in the request message. The NEF aggregates the information fed back by different PCFs, determines the aggregate bit rate information of the UE and/or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group, compares the acquired aggregate bit rate of the UE group and/or the minimum bit rate of the UE in the UE group with the requirements in the request information of the AF, and judges whether the requirements can be met or not. If the bit rate is not satisfied, the AF is informed, and the AF triggers the execution of policy adjustment, so that the monitoring and adjustment of the bit rate of the granularity of the UE group are realized. The method can ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group does not exceed the requirement, avoid affecting other UE or service, and ensure that the aggregate bit rate of the UE group is not lower than the set minimum aggregate bit rate so as to ensure the minimum requirement that the service can be normally transmitted, thereby improving the communication efficiency.

It should be understood that the above description is only intended to assist those skilled in the art in better understanding the embodiments of the present application, and is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present application. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing examples that various equivalent modifications or variations can be made, for example, in which some steps of the methods described above are not required, or in which some steps are newly added, etc. Or a combination of any two or more of the above. Such modifications, variations, or combinations are also within the scope of embodiments of the present application.

It should also be understood that the manner, the case, the category, and the division of the embodiments in the embodiments of the present application are merely for convenience of description, should not be construed as a particular limitation, and the features in the various manners, the categories, the cases, and the embodiments may be combined without contradiction.

It should also be understood that the various numbers referred to in the embodiments of the present application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present application. The sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes do not mean the sequence of execution sequence, and the execution sequence of each process should be determined by its functions and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiment of the present application.

It should also be understood that the foregoing description of embodiments of the present application focuses on highlighting differences between the various embodiments and that the same or similar elements not mentioned may be referred to each other and are not repeated herein for brevity.

The embodiment may divide the functional modules for each network element (including PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM, UDR, SMF, UPF and so on) according to the method described above. For example, each function may be divided into each functional module, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The integrated modules described above may be implemented in hardware. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the division of the modules is schematic, only one logic function is divided, and another division manner may be implemented in actual implementation.

It should be noted that, the relevant content of each step related to the above method embodiment may be cited to the functional description of the corresponding functional module, which is not described herein.

PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM, or UDR, etc. provided by the embodiment of the present application are used to execute the rate control method of the terminal device group in any network slice provided by the embodiment of the method, so that the same effect as the above method can be achieved. In the case of an integrated unit, PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM, UDR, SMF, or UPF, may include a processing module, a storage module, and a communication module. The processing module may be configured to control and manage actions of the network element. For example, may be used to support the network element to perform the steps performed by the processing unit. Memory modules may be used to support storage of program code, data, and the like. And the communication module can be used for supporting the communication between the network element and other devices.

Wherein the processing module may be a processor or a controller. Which may implement or perform the various exemplary logic blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with this disclosure. A processor may also be a combination that performs computing functions, e.g., including one or more microprocessors, digital Signal Processing (DSP) and a combination of microprocessors, and the like. The memory module may be a memory. The communication module may be a radio frequency circuit, a Wi-Fi chip, or other devices that interact with each other.

Fig. 11 shows a schematic block diagram of an example of a communication device provided according to an embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 11, the communication device 1100 may include a processing unit 1110 and a communication unit 1120. Optionally, the communication device 1100 may further include a storage unit 1130.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to the PCFs described in methods 600-800 above. Or a chip or component applied to the PCF, and each module or unit in the communication device 1100 is configured to perform each action or process performed by the PCF described in the methods 600-800, respectively.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to obtain first information, where the first information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice;

The communication unit 1120 is further configured to receive second information from the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, where the second information includes bit rate information;

The processing unit 1110 is configured to determine, based on the first information and the bit rate information, an adjustment policy for adjusting at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices, if a condition is met.

In some possible implementations, the bit rate information includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the first group of terminal devices, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the first group of terminal devices, or a minimum bit rate threshold for terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices;

In the case where the condition is satisfied, it includes:

At least one of the aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices being greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first group of terminal devices, the aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices being less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first group of terminal devices, if the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices is less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices is satisfied.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is further configured to receive third information from the network element with the network open function, where the third information includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the first terminal device group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the first terminal device group, and the third information further includes at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices included in the first terminal device group or identifiers of the first terminal device group, and identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application, and send, in response to the third information, a subscription request to the network element with the network analysis function, where the subscription request is used to obtain the first information, where the subscription request includes at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or identifiers of the first terminal device group, and identifiers of the first network slice, identifiers of the first application, and identifiers of the analysis type.

In some possible implementations, the bit rate information includes a remaining group aggregate bit rate of a second terminal device group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice, the first terminal device group being a subset of the second terminal device group (the second terminal device group including the first terminal device group), the policy control function network element being a policy control function network element serving the first terminal device group, the method further including the processing unit 1110 further being configured to update the remaining group aggregate bit rate according to the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group in the first information, and, if the condition is met, including meeting that the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate is greater than a preset first threshold, or less than a preset second threshold.

In some possible implementations, the processing unit 1110 is further configured to determine a change value of the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group, and determine the remaining group aggregate bit rate according to the change value, to obtain the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is further configured to send the updated remaining set of aggregated bit rates to a data storage network element or a unified data management network element.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is further configured to receive fourth information from the network element with the network open function, where the fourth information includes first indication information, where the first indication information indicates that aggregation bit rate monitoring of the first terminal device group is triggered, and the fourth information further includes at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the second terminal device group or identifiers of the second terminal device group, at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or identifiers of the first terminal device group, identifiers of the first network slice, identifiers of the first application, and obtain the first information according to the fourth information.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is further configured to send a query request to the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, where the query request includes at least one of an identification of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or an identification of the first terminal device group, an identification of the first network slice, an identification of the first application, or the query request includes at least one of an identification of all terminal devices in the second terminal device group or an identification of the second terminal device group, an identification of the first network slice, an identification of the first application, the second terminal device group includes the first terminal device group, and receive second information from the data storage network element or the unified data management network element in response to the query request.

In some possible implementations, the adjustment policy includes at least one of modifying a maximum bitrate value of the guaranteed bitrate quality of service stream if the quality of service streams of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group are guaranteed bitrate quality of service streams, adjusting an allocation retention priority, or priority parameter, of the quality of service streams of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group, and releasing a portion of the quality of service streams of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to the AF described in the methods 600 to 800, or may be a chip or a component applied to the AF, and each module or unit in the communication device 1100 is configured to perform each action or process performed by the AF described in the methods 600 to 800, respectively.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to send a first parameter to the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, where the first parameter includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of a third terminal device group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of a terminal device in the third terminal device group, or a remaining aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, the first parameter further includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the third terminal device group or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, an identifier of the first application, and send a first request message to the network opening function network element, where the first request message includes second indication information, an identifier of the first network slice, and an identifier of the first application, and the second indication information indicates that the trigger policy control function network element performs aggregate bit rate monitoring of the third terminal device group, performs minimum bit rate monitoring of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group, or performs aggregate bit rate monitoring of at least one of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and further includes at least one of the identifier of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group or the first request message.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to the NEF described in the methods 600 to 800, or may be a chip or a component applied to the NEF, and each module or unit in the communication device 1100 is configured to perform each action or process performed by the NEF described in the methods 600 to 700, respectively.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to receive a first request message from the application function network element, where the first request message includes second indication information, where the second indication information is configured to instruct the trigger policy control function network element to perform at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a third terminal device group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice, or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and the first request message further includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the third terminal device group or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, and an identifier of the first application;

The processing unit 1110 is configured to determine, according to the first request message, a set of policy control function network elements, where the set of policy control function network elements includes a plurality of policy control function network elements serving terminal devices in the third terminal device group;

The communication unit 1120 is further configured to send third information to each policy control function network element in the policy control function network element set, where the third information includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that aggregate bit rate monitoring of a first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice is performed, or at least one of minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the first terminal device group is performed, and the third information further includes at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or identifiers of the first terminal device group, identifiers of terminal devices served by the policy control function network element, identifiers of the first network slice, identifiers of the first application, and the first terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to the NEF described in the method 900 and the method 1000, or may be a chip or a component applied to the NEF, and each module or unit in the communication device 1100 is configured to perform each action or process performed by the method 900 and the method 1000, respectively.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to receive a first request message from the application function network element, where the first request message includes second indication information, and the second indication information is configured to instruct the trigger policy control function network element to perform at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a third terminal device group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice, or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and the first request message further includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the third terminal device group or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, and an identifier of the first application.

The communication unit 1120 is further configured to send fourth information to each policy control function network element in the policy control function network element set, where the fourth information includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the first terminal device group is triggered, at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or identifiers of the first terminal device group, at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in the second terminal device group or identifiers of the second terminal device group, identifiers of the first network slice, identifiers of the first application, a terminal device included in the first terminal device group is a terminal device managed by one policy control function network element, and the first terminal device group is a subset of the second terminal device group (or the second terminal device group includes the first terminal device group), where the second terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group.

In some possible implementations the communication unit 1120 is further configured to receive fifth information from each of the set of policy control function network elements, the fifth information comprising at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the first terminal device group, the processing unit 1110 is further configured to determine at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group based on the fifth information, the communication unit 1120 is further configured to send sixth information to the application function network element, the sixth information comprising the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group, the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group, the indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, the indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or the indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group is less than at least one of the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to the UDR or UDM described in the methods 600 to 800, or may be a chip or a component applied to the UDR or UDM, and each module or unit in the communication device 1100 is configured to perform each action or process performed by the UDR or UDM described in the methods 600 to 800, respectively.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to receive a first parameter from the application-function network element, where the first parameter includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of a third terminal device group, a minimum bit rate threshold of a terminal device in the third terminal device group, or a remaining group aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group within the first network slice, and the first parameter further includes an identification of the first network slice, an identification of the first application, and the processing unit 1110 is configured to store the first parameter.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is further configured to receive a first query request from the policy control function network element, where the first query request is used to query at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of a first terminal device group, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, or a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the first terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, and the first query request includes at least one of an identity of all terminal devices of the first terminal device group or an identity of the first terminal device group, an identity of the first network slice, an identity of the first application, and the first terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group, and send, to the policy control function network element, in response to the first query request, at least one of the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first terminal device group, or the minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the first terminal device group.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is further configured to receive a second query request sent from the policy control function network element, where the second query request is used to query at least one of a remaining group aggregate bit rate of a second terminal device group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice or a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the second terminal device group, and the second query request includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices in the second terminal device group or an identifier of the second terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, an identifier of the first application, the second terminal device group and the third terminal device group are the same terminal device group, send, to the policy control function network element in response to the second query request, at least one of a remaining group aggregate bit rate of the second terminal device group or a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the second terminal device group, and receive the updated remaining group aggregate bit rate sent from the policy control function network element.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to the AF described in the method 900 and the method 1000, or may be a chip or a component applied to the AF, and each module or unit in the communication device 1100 is configured to perform each action or process performed by the AF described in the method 900 and the method 1000, respectively.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to send seventh information, where the seventh information includes at least one of an identifier of all terminal devices of the third terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice or an identifier of the third terminal device group, an identifier of the first network slice, and an identifier of the first application, receive eighth information in response to the seventh information, where the eighth information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, an indication that indicates that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, an indication that indicates that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or an indication that indicates that the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group is less than a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and a processing unit for determining, based on the first policy, that the processing unit determines the at least one of the first policy adjustment policy and the second policy adjustment function to the terminal device is further based on the at least one of the first policy adjustment unit.

In some possible implementations, the seventh information further includes second indication information, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the policy control function network element is triggered to perform at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the third terminal device group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the third terminal device group.

In some possible implementations, the seventh information further includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, or a minimum bit rate threshold for terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices.

In some possible implementations, the condition is met including at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third group of terminal devices being greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third group of terminal devices, the aggregate bit rate of the third group of terminal devices being less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third group of terminal devices, or the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices being less than a minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices.

In some possible implementations, the adjustment policy includes at least one of modifying a maximum bit value of the guaranteed bit rate quality of service stream if the quality of service stream of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group is the guaranteed bit rate quality of service stream, adjusting an allocation retention priority, or priority parameter, of the quality of service streams of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group, and releasing a portion of the quality of service streams of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to the PCF described in the method 1000, or may be a chip or a component applied to the PCF, and each module or unit in the communication device 1100 is configured to perform each action or process performed by the PCF described in the method 1000.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to receive fourth information from a network element with a network open function, where the fourth information includes first indication information, where the first indication information is configured to indicate that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a first terminal device group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal devices in the first terminal device group within a first network slice is triggered, and the fourth information includes at least one of identification of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or identification of the first terminal device group, identification of the first network slice, identification of the first application, and the policy control function is a policy control function serving the first terminal device group, and according to the fourth information, obtain at least one of aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group, and send at least one of aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group to the network open function.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1100 may correspond to NWDAF described above in methods 600, 700, and 1000. Or may be a chip or component applied to NWDAF, and the modules or units in the communications apparatus 1100 are configured to perform the actions or processes, respectively, performed by the methods 600, 700, and NWDAF described in the method 1000.

In some possible implementations, the communication unit 1120 is configured to receive request information from a policy control function network element or a network openness function network element, where the request information includes at least one of an identification of all terminal devices in a third terminal device group corresponding to the first application within the first network slice or an identification of the third terminal device group, an identification of the first network slice, an identification of the first application, an analysis type identification, where the analysis type identification is used to indicate that analysis related to a data volume and a session of the terminal device or the terminal device group is performed, the processing unit 1110 is configured to determine at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of the terminal device in the third terminal device group according to the request information, and the communication unit 1120 is further configured to send ninth information to the policy control function network element or the network openness function network element, where the ninth information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of the terminal device in the third terminal device group.

In some possible implementations, the request information further includes at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, or a minimum bit rate threshold for the terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices, and the ninth information further includes at least one of indication information indicating that the aggregate bit rate for the third group of terminal devices is greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, indication information indicating that the aggregate bit rate for the third group of terminal devices is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, or indication information indicating that the minimum bit rate for the terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices is less than the minimum bit rate threshold for the terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices.

It should be understood that, for the specific process of each unit in the communication apparatus 1100 performing the corresponding steps described above, reference is made to the foregoing related description of PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR performing steps described in connection with the respective embodiments shown in fig. 6 to 10, and for brevity, a detailed description is omitted here.

Optionally, the communication unit 1120 may include a receiving unit (module) and a sending unit (module) configured to perform the steps of receiving information and sending information by PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR in the foregoing method embodiments. The storage unit 1130 is used to store instructions executed by the processing unit 1110 and the communication unit 1120. The processing unit 1110, the communication unit 1120, and the storage unit 1130 are communicatively connected, the storage unit 1130 stores instructions, the processing unit 1110 is configured to execute the instructions stored in the storage unit, and the communication unit 1120 is configured to perform specific signal transceiving under the driving of the processing unit 1110.

It is to be appreciated that communication unit 1120 may be a transceiver, an input/output interface, or interface circuitry, etc., that the storage unit may be a memory, and that processing unit 1110 may be implemented by a processor. Fig. 12 is a schematic block diagram of another example communication apparatus provided by the present application, and as shown in fig. 12, the communication apparatus 1200 may include a processor 1210, a memory 1220, a transceiver 1230, and a bus system 1240. The various components of the communications device 1200 are coupled together by a bus system 1240, where the bus system 1240 may include a power bus, a control bus, a status signal bus, and the like, in addition to a data bus. But for clarity of illustration, the various buses are labeled as bus system 1240 in fig. 12. For ease of illustration, fig. 12 is only schematically drawn.

It should also be appreciated that the communications apparatus 1200 of fig. 12 can be PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM, or UDR. Either PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM, or UDR may comprise the communications apparatus 1200 of fig. 12.

The communications device 1100 of fig. 11 or the communications device 1200 of fig. 12 is capable of implementing the steps performed by PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR in the embodiments shown in the foregoing methods 600-1000. Similar descriptions can be made with reference to the descriptions in the corresponding methods previously described. In order to avoid repetition, a description thereof is omitted.

Embodiments of the present application also provide a chip system, as shown in FIG. 13, that includes at least one processor 1310 and at least one interface circuit 1320. The processor 1310 and the interface circuit 1320 may be interconnected by wires. For example, interface circuit 1320 may be used to receive signals from other devices. For another example, interface circuit 1320 may be used to send signals to other devices. Illustratively, the interface circuit 1320 may read instructions stored in the memory and send the instructions to the processor 1310. The instructions, when executed by the processor 1310, may cause the chip system to perform the steps performed by PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR in the embodiments described above. Of course, the system-on-chip may also include other discrete devices, which are not particularly limited in accordance with embodiments of the present application.

It should also be understood that the division of the units in the above apparatus is merely a division of a logic function, and may be fully or partially integrated into a physical entity or may be physically separated. The units in the device can be realized in the form of software calling through the processing element, can be realized in the form of hardware, can also be realized in the form of software calling through the processing element, and can be realized in the form of hardware. For example, each unit may be a processing element that is set up separately, may be implemented as integrated in a certain chip of the apparatus, or may be stored in a memory in the form of a program, and the functions of the unit may be called and executed by a certain processing element of the apparatus. The processing element, which may also be referred to herein as a processor, may be an integrated circuit with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the above method or each unit above may be implemented by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in a processor element or in the form of software called by a processing element. In one example, the elements in any of the above apparatuses may be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the above methods, such as one or more Application SPECIFIC INTEGRATED Circuits (ASICs), or one or more digital signal processors (DIGITAL SIGNAL processors, DSPs), or one or more field programmable gate arrays (field programmable GATE ARRAY, FPGAs), or a combination of at least two of these integrated circuit forms. For another example, when the units in the apparatus may be implemented in the form of a scheduler of processing elements, the processing elements may be general-purpose processors, such as a central processing unit (central processing unit, CPU) or other processor that may invoke a program. For another example, the units may be integrated together and implemented in the form of a system-on-a-chip (SOC).

The embodiment of the application also provides a device which is contained in PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR and has the function of realizing PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR in any one of the methods. The functions can be realized by hardware, and can also be realized by executing corresponding software by hardware. The hardware or software includes at least one module or unit corresponding to the functions described above. For example, a detection module or unit, a display module or unit, a determination module or unit, a calculation module or unit, and the like.

The embodiment of the application also provides a system for controlling the rate of the terminal equipment group in the network slice, which comprises at least one of PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR provided in the embodiment of the method.

The embodiment of the application also provides a computer readable storage medium for storing a computer program code, where the computer program includes instructions for executing any one of the rate control methods of terminal equipment groups in a network slice provided by the embodiment of the application. The readable medium may be read-only memory (ROM) or random access memory (random access memory, RAM), to which embodiments of the application are not limited.

The application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed, cause PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM or UDR to perform a corresponding operation corresponding to any of the methods described above.

The embodiment of the application also provides a chip in the communication device, which comprises a processing unit and a communication unit, wherein the processing unit can be a processor, and the communication unit can be an input/output interface, a pin, a circuit or the like. The processing unit may execute the computer instructions to cause the communication device to execute any of the rate control methods for terminal equipment groups in a network slice provided in the embodiments of the present application.

Optionally, the computer instructions are stored in a storage unit.

Alternatively, the storage unit is a storage unit in the chip, such as a register, a cache, etc., and the storage unit may also be a storage unit in the terminal located outside the chip, such as a ROM or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random RAM, etc. The processor mentioned in any of the above may be a CPU, microprocessor, ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the program of the rate control method of the terminal device group in the network slice. The processing unit and the storage unit may be decoupled and respectively disposed on different physical devices, and the respective functions of the processing unit and the storage unit are implemented by wired or wireless connection, so as to support the system chip to implement the various functions in the foregoing embodiments. Or the processing unit and the memory may be coupled to the same device.

The PCF, NEF, AF, NWDAF, UDM, UDR, computer readable storage medium, computer program product or chip provided in this embodiment are used to execute the corresponding method provided above, so that the benefits achieved by the method can refer to the benefits in the corresponding method provided above, and are not described herein.

It will be appreciated that the memory in embodiments of the application may be volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile memory may be a ROM, a Programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable ROM (erasable PROM), an electrically erasable programmable EPROM (EEPROM), or a flash memory, among others. The volatile memory may be RAM, which acts as external cache. There are many different types of RAM, such as sram (STATIC RAM, SRAM), DRAM (DYNAMIC RAM, DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (doubledata RATE SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ENHANCED SDRAM, ESDRAM), SDRAM (SYNCH LINK DRAM, SLDRAM), and DRAM (direct rambus RAM, DR RAM).

Various objects such as various messages/information/devices/network elements/systems/devices/actions/operations/processes/concepts may be named in the present application, and it should be understood that these specific names do not constitute limitations on related objects, and that the named names may be changed according to the scenario, context, or usage habit, etc., and understanding of technical meaning of technical terms in the present application should be mainly determined from functions and technical effects that are embodied/performed in the technical solution.

In various embodiments of the application, where no special description or logic conflict exists, terms and/or descriptions between the various embodiments are consistent and may reference each other, and features of the various embodiments may be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logic.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, or combinations of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

The methods in embodiments of the present application may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are performed in whole or in part. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable apparatus. The computer program or instructions may be stored in or transmitted across a computer-readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server that integrates one or more available media.

In the several embodiments provided by the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods may be implemented in other manners. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative, e.g., the division of the units is merely a logical function division, and there may be additional divisions when actually implemented, e.g., multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be omitted or not performed. Alternatively, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed with each other may be an indirect coupling or communication connection via some interfaces, devices or units, which may be in electrical, mechanical or other form.

The units described as separate units may or may not be physically separate, and units shown as units may or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

In addition, each functional unit in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units may be integrated in one unit.

The functions, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application may be embodied essentially or in a part contributing to the prior art or in a part of the technical solution, in the form of a software product stored in a readable storage medium, comprising several instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present application. The readable storage medium includes various media capable of storing program codes, such as a USB flash disk, a mobile hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art will readily recognize that variations or substitutions are within the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

The strategy control function network element acquires first information, wherein the first information comprises at least one of an aggregate bit rate of a first terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice or a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice;

the policy control function network element receives second information from the data storage network element or the unified data management network element, wherein the second information comprises bit rate information;

And the strategy control function network element determines an adjustment strategy according to the first information and the bit rate information under the condition that the condition is met, wherein the adjustment strategy is used for adjusting at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group or the minimum bit rate of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bit rate information comprises at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the first group of terminal devices, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the first group of terminal devices, or a minimum bit rate threshold for terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices;

the condition is satisfied, including:

At least one of the aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices being greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first group of terminal devices, the aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices being less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the first group of terminal devices, or the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices being less than the minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the first group of terminal devices is satisfied.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the method further comprises:

The policy control function network element receives third information from a network open function network element, wherein the third information comprises first indication information, and the first indication information is used for indicating at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the first terminal equipment group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group, and the third information also comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identifiers of the first terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application;

And responding to the third information, the strategy control function network element sends a subscription request to a network analysis function network element, wherein the subscription request is used for acquiring the first information, and the subscription request comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identifiers of the first terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice, identifiers of the first application and analysis type identifiers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bit rate information comprises a remaining set of aggregate bit rates for a second set of terminal devices within the first network slice corresponding to the first application, the second set of terminal devices comprising the first set of terminal devices, the policy control function network element being a policy control function network element serving the first set of terminal devices, the method further comprising:

the strategy control function network element updates the aggregation bit rate of the rest groups according to the aggregation bit rate of the first terminal equipment group in the first information;

the condition is satisfied, including:

the updated remaining set of aggregate bit rates is satisfied to be greater than a preset first threshold or less than a preset second threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the policy control function network element updates the remaining group aggregate bit rate according to the aggregate bit rate of the first group of terminal devices in the first information, comprising:

The policy control function network element determines a change value of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group;

and the strategy control function network element determines the updated residual group aggregation bit rate according to the change value.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the method further comprises:

And the strategy control function network element sends the updated residual group aggregation bit rate to the data storage network element or the unified data management network element.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising:

The policy control function network element receives fourth information from a network open function network element, wherein the fourth information comprises first indication information, and the first indication information indicates at least one of aggregation bit rate monitoring of the first terminal equipment group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is triggered, and the fourth information further comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group or identifiers of the second terminal equipment group, at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identifiers of the first terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application;

and according to the fourth information, the strategy control function network element acquires the first information.

8. The method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the policy control function network element receives second information from a data storage network element, comprising:

The strategy control function network element sends a query request to the data storage network element or the unified data management network element;

the inquiry request comprises at least one of the identifiers of all terminal devices in the first terminal device group or the identifiers of the first terminal device group, the identifier of the first network slice and the identifier of the first application, or

The query request comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in a second terminal device group or identifiers of the second terminal device group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application, wherein the second terminal device group comprises the first terminal device group;

The policy control function network element receives the second information from the data storage network element or the unified data management network element in response to the query request.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the adjustment strategy comprises at least one of:

if the service quality stream of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is the guaranteed bit rate service quality stream, modifying the maximum bit rate value of the guaranteed bit rate service quality stream;

adjusting the distribution maintaining priority or priority parameter of the service quality flow of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group;

And releasing the service quality stream of part of the terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group.

10. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

The application function network element sends a first parameter to a data storage network element or a unified data management network element, wherein the first parameter comprises at least one of a maximum aggregation bit rate threshold value of a third terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice, a minimum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the third terminal equipment group, a minimum bit rate threshold value of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group or a residual group aggregation bit rate of the third terminal equipment group, and the first parameter also comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group or identifiers of the third terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application;

The application function network element sends a first request message to a network opening function network element, wherein the first request message comprises second indication information, an identifier of the first network slice and an identifier of the first application;

The second indication information indicates at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of the third terminal equipment group or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group, and the first request message further comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group or identifiers of the third terminal equipment group.

11. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

The network opening function network element receives a first request message from an application function network element, wherein the first request message comprises second indication information, and the second indication information is used for indicating at least one of aggregation bit rate monitoring of a third terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group in a first network slice, and the first request message also comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group or identifiers of the third terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application;

the network opening function network element determines a strategy control function network element set according to the first request message, wherein the strategy control function network element set comprises a plurality of strategy control function network elements serving terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group;

The network element of the network opening function sends third information to each policy control function network element in the policy control function network element set, wherein the third information comprises first indication information, the first indication information is used for indicating that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a first terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is triggered, and the third information also comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identifiers of the first terminal equipment group, identifiers of terminal equipment served by the policy control function network element, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application, wherein the first terminal equipment group and the third terminal equipment group are the same terminal equipment group.

12. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

The network element of the network opening function sends fourth information to each policy control function network element in the policy control function network element set, wherein the fourth information comprises first indication information, the first indication information is used for indicating that the aggregate bit rate monitoring of a first terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice or at least one of the minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is triggered, the fourth information also comprises at least one of the identifications of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or the identifications of the first terminal equipment group, at least one of the identifications of all terminal equipment in a second terminal equipment group or the identifications of the second terminal equipment group, the identifications of the first network slice and the identifications of the first application, wherein the terminal equipment included in the first terminal equipment group is one policy control function network element management terminal equipment, and the second terminal equipment group comprises the first terminal equipment group and the third terminal equipment group is the same terminal equipment group.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

The network opening function network element receives fifth information from each policy control function network element in the policy control function network element set, wherein the fifth information comprises at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group or a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group;

The network element determines at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group or a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group according to the fifth information;

The network element sends sixth information to the application element, where the sixth information includes at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group, a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group is less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the third terminal device group is less than a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal devices in the third terminal device group.

14. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

The data storage network element or the unified data management network element receives a first parameter from an application function network element, wherein the first parameter comprises at least one of a maximum aggregation bit rate threshold value of a third terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice, a minimum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the third terminal equipment group, a minimum bit rate threshold value of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group or a residual group aggregation bit rate of the third terminal equipment group, and the first parameter also comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group or identifiers of the third terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application;

the data storage network element or the unified data management network element stores the first parameter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

The data storage network element or the unified data management network element receives a first query request from a policy control function network element, where the first query request is used for querying at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold value of a first terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold value of the first terminal equipment group, or a minimum bit rate threshold value of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group in a first network slice, and the first query request includes at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identifiers of the first terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice, and identifiers of the first application, where the first terminal equipment group and the third terminal equipment group are the same terminal equipment group;

And responding to the first inquiry request, and transmitting at least one of a maximum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the first terminal equipment group, a minimum aggregation bit rate threshold value of the first terminal equipment group or a minimum bit rate threshold value of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group to the strategy control function network element by the data storage network element or the unified data management network element.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the method further comprises:

the data storage network element or the unified data management network element receives a second query request sent by a policy control function network element, wherein the second query request is used for querying at least one of the residual group aggregate bit rate of a second terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice or the minimum bit rate threshold of terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group, and the second query request comprises at least one of the identifiers of all terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group or the identifiers of the second terminal equipment group, the identifier of the first network slice and the identifier of the first application, wherein the second terminal equipment group and the third terminal equipment group are the same terminal equipment group;

responding to the second inquiry request, the data storage network element or the unified data management network element sends at least one of the rest group aggregation bit rate of the second terminal equipment group or the minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal equipment in the second terminal equipment group to the strategy control function network element;

and the data storage network element or the unified data management network element receives the updated aggregation bit rate of the residual group sent by the strategy control function network element.

17. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

The application function network element sends seventh information, wherein the seventh information comprises identifiers of all terminal equipment in a third terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice or at least one of the identifiers of the third terminal equipment group, the identifier of the first network slice and the identifier of the first application;

The application function network element receives eighth information responding to the seventh information, wherein the eighth information comprises at least one of aggregate bit rate of a third terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice, minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group corresponding to the first application in the first network slice, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group is greater than a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal equipment group, indication information for indicating that the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group is less than a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal equipment group, or indication information for indicating that the minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group is less than a minimum bit rate threshold of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group;

The application function network element determines an adjustment strategy according to the eighth information under the condition that the condition is met, wherein the adjustment strategy is used for adjusting at least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group or the minimum bit rate of the terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group;

and the application function network element sends the adjustment strategy to the strategy control function network element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the seventh information further comprises second indication information indicating at least one of an aggregate bit rate monitor for triggering the third group of terminal devices or a minimum bit rate monitor for terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices.

19. The method of claim 17 or 18, wherein the seventh information further comprises at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, or a minimum bit rate threshold for terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices.

20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that, in case the condition is met, it comprises:

At least one of the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group being greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, the aggregate bit rate of the third terminal device group being less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold of the third terminal device group, or the minimum bit rate of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group being less than the minimum bit rate threshold of the terminal devices in the third terminal device group is satisfied.

21. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the adjustment strategy comprises at least one of:

If the service quality stream of the terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group is the guaranteed bit rate service quality stream, modifying the maximum bit rate value of the guaranteed bit rate service quality stream;

Adjusting the allocation maintenance priority or priority parameter of the service quality flow of the terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group;

and releasing the service quality stream of part of the terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group.

22. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

The policy control function network element receives fourth information from a network open function network element, wherein the fourth information comprises first indication information, the first indication information is used for indicating that at least one of aggregate bit rate monitoring of a first terminal equipment group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice or minimum bit rate monitoring of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group is triggered, and the fourth information comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group or identifiers of the first terminal equipment group, identifiers of the first network slice and identifiers of the first application, and the policy control function network element is a policy control function network element serving the first terminal equipment group;

according to the fourth information, the policy control function network element obtains at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal equipment group or a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the first terminal equipment group;

The policy control function network element sends at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the first terminal device group or a minimum bit rate of terminal devices in the first terminal device group to a network open function network element.

23. A method for rate control of a group of terminal devices within a network slice, the method comprising:

the network analysis function network element receives request information from a strategy control function network element or a network opening function network element, wherein the request information comprises at least one of identifiers of all terminal devices in a third terminal device group corresponding to a first application in a first network slice or identifiers of the third terminal device group, the identifier of the first network slice, the identifier of the first application and an analysis type identifier;

the network analysis function network element determines at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group or a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group according to the request information;

The network analysis function network element sends ninth information to the strategy control function network element or the network opening function network element, wherein the ninth information comprises at least one of an aggregate bit rate of the third terminal equipment group or a minimum bit rate of terminal equipment in the third terminal equipment group.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the request information further comprises at least one of a maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, a minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, or a minimum bit rate threshold for terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices, and wherein the ninth information further comprises at least one of indication information indicating that the aggregate bit rate for the third group of terminal devices is greater than the maximum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, indication information indicating that the aggregate bit rate for the third group of terminal devices is less than the minimum aggregate bit rate threshold for the third group of terminal devices, or indication information indicating that the minimum bit rate for terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices is less than the minimum bit rate threshold for terminal devices in the third group of terminal devices.

25. A communication device comprising means for performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or the steps of the method according to claim 10, or the steps of the method according to claim 11, or the steps of the method according to claim 12 or 13, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, or the steps of the method according to any one of claims 17 to 21, or the steps of the method according to claim 22, or the steps of the method according to claim 23 or 24.

26. A communication device comprising at least one processor and interface circuitry, the at least one processor configured to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method of claim 10, or the method of claim 11, or the method of claim 12 or 13, or the method of any one of claims 14 to 16, or the method of any one of claims 17 to 21, or the method of claim 22, or the method of claim 23 or 24.

27. A computer readable storage medium, having stored therein a computer program or instructions which, when read and executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method of claim 10, or the method of claim 11, or the method of claim 12 or 13, or the method of any one of claims 14 to 16, or the method of any one of claims 17 to 21, or the method of claim 22, or the method of claim 23 or 24.

28. A chip comprising a processor for executing a computer program or instructions in a memory to cause a communication device on which the chip is mounted to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method of claim 10, or the method of claim 11, or the method of claim 12 or 13, or the method of any one of claims 14 to 16, or the method of any one of claims 17 to 21, or the method of claim 22, or the method of claim 23 or 24.