RU2800767C2 - Transmission method and network device - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: communications.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the transmission method and a network device. The transmission method includes sending an inactive mode instruction for a terminal device to a first network device, receiving an indication sent by the first network device indicating that the terminal device is entering the inactive mode. In response to the inactive mode instruction, the second network device is indicated that the terminal device is entering the inactive mode.

EFFECT: managing the context of a terminal device when the functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

31 cl, 36 dwg

Description

The present application claims priority based on Chinese Patent Application No. 201710685352.9, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on August 11, 2018, entitled "TRANSMISSION METHOD AND NETWORK DEVICE", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The technical field to which the invention belongs

This application relates to the field of communications and, more specifically, to a transmission method and a network device.

State of the art

In the 5th Generation mobile communication technology (5G) mobile communication system, a base station may include a Centralized Unit (CU) and a Distributed Unit (DU). In particular, the functions of the base station in the source access network are separated, some of the functions of the base station are deployed on one CU, and the remaining functions are deployed on a plurality of DUs. Many DUs share one CU, thereby reducing costs and facilitating network expansion.

CU and DU may be separated based on the protocol stack. A possible method is as follows: deploying a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer and a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer on the CU; and deploying the remaining Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, Media Access Control (MAC) layer and physical layer on the DU.

After a terminal device accepts access to a cell, the corresponding terminal device context is established on the network device. After the state of the terminal device changes, the network device handles the terminal device context appropriately. For example, when a terminal device enters idle mode from connected mode, the network device releases the terminal device context. In addition, in 5G, a new RRC status/RRC sub-status is introduced for the terminal device, called the sleep mode (also called the third mode). When the RRC status of the terminal device changes, the CU shall issue a DU command to perform joint context processing. At present, there is no corresponding solution for providing a method for managing by CU and DU the context of a terminal device when the functions of a network device are separated.

In addition, there is no corresponding solution for providing a way to manage, by CU and DU, the context of the terminal device in a handover (Hand Over, HO) scenario or when the network device detects that the terminal device detects a radio link failure (Radio Link Failure, RLF).

The essence of the invention

According to the transmission method and the network device in the embodiments of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

According to the first aspect, a transmission method is provided. The transmission method includes: receiving, by the first network node, a first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; sending, by means of the first network node, a first message to the first system; and receiving, by the first network node, a second message sent by the first system based on the first message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node, or the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

In some possible implementations, the first network node receives the first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; the first network node sends the first message to the second network node; and the first network node receives a second message sent by the second network node based on the first message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the first network node, or the second message includes terminal device context information.

In some possible implementations, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the first aspect, in the first possible implementation of the first aspect, before the step of receiving by the first network node the first message sent by the terminal device, the method further includes the steps of: receiving by the first network node a third message sent by the first system; and storing, by the first network node, the terminal device context information based on the third message, or releasing the terminal device context information.

In some possible implementations, before the step of receiving, by the first network node, the first message sent by the terminal device, the method further includes the steps of: receiving, by the first network node, an instruction message sent by the first system, where the instruction message is used to issue a command to the terminal device the device to switch to inactive mode; and sending, via the first network node, an instruction message to the terminal device.

With reference to the first aspect or the first possible implementation of the first aspect, in the second possible implementation of the first aspect, the step of sending by the first network node the first message to the first system includes the step of: sending by the first network node, the first message to the second network node where the second network node is the control plane node of the first system; and the step of receiving, by the first network node, the second message sent by the first system based on the first message, includes the step of: receiving, by the first network node, the second message sent by the second network node based on the first message.

With reference to any of the first aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the first aspect, in the third embodiment of the first aspect, the terminal device identification information is at least one of the terminal device resume identification information, the terminal device identification information in the first interface, the temporary a cellular radio network ID and physical cell ID information; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

With reference to any of the first aspect, or the first to third possible implementations of the first aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the first aspect, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, a terminal device identification information, cell ID information and connection information of the first interface; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

With reference to any of the first aspect, or the first to fourth possible implementations of the first aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the first aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to the second aspect, a transmission method is provided. The transmission method includes: receiving by the first system a first message from the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; and sending by the first system a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node, or the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

In some possible implementations, the second network node receives a first message from the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; and the second network node sends a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node, or the second message includes terminal device context information.

In some possible implementations, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the second aspect, in the first possible implementation of the second aspect, the step of receiving by the first system the first message from the terminal device includes the step of: receiving by the second network node the first message from the terminal device, where the second network node is a node of the control plane of the first systems; and the step of sending, by the first system, a second message to the first network node based on the first message, which includes: sending, by the second network node, a second message to the first network node based on the first message.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the second aspect, in the second possible implementation of the second aspect, the method further includes: sending, by means of the second network node, a fourth message to the third network node, where the fourth message includes identification information of the terminal device, and the terminal device identification information is used by the third network node to obtain the terminal device context information stored in the third network node, or the fourth message includes the terminal device context information, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

In some possible implementations, prior to the step of receiving, by the first system, a first message from the terminal device, the method further includes: sending, by the first system, an instruction message to the first network node, where the instruction message is used to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep. ; and sending, via the first network node, an instruction message to the terminal device.

With reference to any one of the second aspect, or the first or second possible implementation of the second aspect, in the third implementation of the second aspect, the first network node includes at least one of the radio link control protocol layer functions, the media access control layer functions, and the functions physical layer; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control functions.

According to a third aspect, a transmission method is provided. The method includes the steps of: receiving by a third network node a fourth message sent by a second network node, wherein the fourth message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the third network node to obtain terminal device context information, which is stored in the first network node, or the fourth message includes terminal device context information; and setting, by the third network node, terminal device context information based on the fourth message, where the terminal device context information is access layer context information, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

In some possible implementations, the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

With reference to the third aspect, in the first possible implementation of the third aspect, before the step of receiving by the third network node the fourth message sent by the second network node, the method further includes the steps of: receiving by the third network node the fifth message sent by the second network node node; and storing, by means of the third network node, the context information of the terminal device based on the fifth message, or releasing a part of the context information of the terminal device.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the third aspect, in the second possible implementation of the third aspect, the terminal device context information includes at least one of the second interface connection information, the third interface connection information, the fourth interface connection information, the radio resource control configuration, the transmission radio bearer parameter data, current security context information, packet data convergence protocol status, cell ID information, and identification information used to identify the terminal device; the second interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the core network; the third interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the second network node; and the fourth interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the first network node.

In some possible implementations, the terminal device context information that is stored in the third network node includes first interface connection information, second interface connection information, current security context information, packet data convergence protocol status, and identification information used to identify the terminal device; and the terminal device context information that is released by the third network node includes at least one of the packet data convergence protocol status and the connection information of the fourth interface.

With reference to any one of the third aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the third aspect, in the third possible implementation of the third aspect, the first network node includes at least one of the radio link control protocol layer functions, the media access control layer functions, and the physical level; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control functions.

According to a fourth aspect, a transmission method is provided. The method includes: receiving, by the first network node, a first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; determine by the first network node identification information of the terminal device based on the first message; and obtain, by the first network node, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the context information of the terminal device, which is stored in the first network node; or receive, by the first network node, based on the identification information of the terminal device, a second message sent by the first system, where the second message includes the context information of the terminal device, and the context information of the terminal device is a layer of access context information.

In some possible implementations, the first network node receives the first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; the first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message; and the first network node obtains, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the context information of the terminal device, which is stored in the first network node; or the first network node receives, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the second message sent by the second network node, where the second message includes the context information of the terminal device.

In some possible implementations, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the fourth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the fourth aspect, before the step of receiving by the first network node the first message sent by the terminal device, the method further includes the steps of: receiving by the first network node a third message sent by the first system; and storing, by the first network node, the terminal device context information based on the third message, or releasing the terminal device context information.

In some possible implementations, before the step of receiving, by the first network node, the first message sent by the terminal device, the method further includes the steps of: receiving, by the first network node, an instruction message sent by the first system, where the instruction message used to issue a command to the terminal device to enter the sleep mode; and sending, via the first network node, an instruction message to the terminal device.

With reference to the fourth aspect or the first possible implementation of the fourth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the step of receiving, by the first network node based on the identification information of the terminal device, the second message sent by the first system includes the step of: receiving by the first network node based on the identification information of the terminal device, the second message sent by the second network node, where the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

With reference to any of the fourth aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the fourth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the terminal device identification information is at least one of the terminal device identification information, the terminal device identification information in the first interface, the temporary cell ID information radio network and physical cell ID information; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

Referring to any of the fourth aspect, or the first to third possible implementations of the fourth aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, and a first interface connection information; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

With reference to any of the fourth aspect, or the first to fourth possible implementations of the fourth aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, a physical the radio resource control layer and functions; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to a fifth aspect, a transmission method is provided. The method includes: receiving, by the first system, a sixth message sent by the first network node, where the sixth message includes terminal device identification information, and the sixth message is used to instruct the first system to obtain the terminal device context information , which is stored in the first system; and sending, by the first system, a second message to the first network node based on the sixth message, where the second message includes terminal device context information and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

In some exemplary implementations, the second network node receives a sixth message sent by the first network node, where the sixth message includes terminal device identification information, and the sixth message is used to instruct the second network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the second network node. ; and the second network node sends a second message to the first network node based on the sixth message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node, or the second message includes terminal device context information.

In some possible implementations, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the fifth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the step of receiving the sixth message sent by the first network node by the first system includes the step of: receiving by the second network node the sixth message sent by the first network node, where the second the network node is a control plane node of the first system; and the step of sending, by the first system, a second message to the first network node based on the sixth message, which includes: sending, by the second network node, a second message to the first network node based on the sixth message.

In some possible implementations, before the step of receiving by the first system the sixth message sent by the first network node, the method further includes the steps of: sending by the first system an instruction message to the first network node, where the instruction message is used to instruct the terminal device to transition to inactive mode; and sending, via the first network node, an instruction message to the terminal device.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the fifth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the method further includes: sending, by means of the second network nodes, a seventh message to the third network node, where the seventh message includes identification information of the terminal device, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain the terminal device context information which is stored in the first network node, or the seventh message includes the terminal device context information, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

With reference to any of the fifth aspect or the first or second possible implementations of the fifth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, a physical layer function, and radio resource control layer functions; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to a sixth aspect, a transmission method is provided. The method includes the steps of: determining by the first network node that a radio link failure has occurred between the first network node and the terminal device, where the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, an access control layer function to the environment and functions of the physical layer; and sending, by means of the first network node, a sixth message to the first system, where the sixth message is used to indicate to the second network node that a radio link failure occurs between the first network node and the terminal device, and the second network node includes at least one of the convergence protocol layer functions packet data, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

With reference to the sixth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the method further includes: receiving, by the first network node, a seventh message sent by the first system, where the seventh message is used to instruct the first network node to release the terminal device context .

With reference to the sixth aspect or the first possible implementation of the sixth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the step of sending by the first network node a sixth message to the first system includes the step of: sending by the first network node a sixth message to the second network node, where the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

With reference to any of the sixth aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the sixth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the sixth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and a temporary cellular radio network identifier.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

According to a seventh aspect, a transmission method is provided. The method includes the steps of: receiving by the first system a sixth message sent by the first network node, where the sixth message is used to indicate to the first system that a radio link failure has occurred between the first network node and the terminal device, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function, and the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation layer protocol function, and a radio resource control layer function ; set by the first system a timer based on the sixth message; and if the timer expires, sending by the first system a seventh message to the first network node, where the seventh message is used to command the first network node to release the terminal device context; or if the first system receives the radio resource control connection message before the timer expires, stopping the timer by the first system.

With reference to the seventh aspect, in the first possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the step of receiving by the first system the sixth message sent by the first network node includes the step of: receiving by the second network node the sixth message sent by the first network node, where the second the network node is a control plane node of the first system; and the step of setting by the first timer system based on the sixth message includes the step of: setting by the second network node the timer based on the sixth message.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the seventh aspect, in the second possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the method further includes: if the timer expires, sending by the second network node an eighth message to the third network node, where the eighth message is used to issue a command to the third network node to release a portion of the terminal device context information, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

With reference to any of the seventh aspect or the first or second possible implementations of the seventh aspect, in the third possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the sixth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and a temporary cellular radio network identifier.

According to an eighth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a transceiver module configured to receive a first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; and a processing module configured to control the transceiver module to send the first message to the first system, where the transceiver module is further configured to receive a second message sent by the first system based on the first message, where the second message includes identification information of the terminal device, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain the terminal device context information which is stored in the first network node, or the second message includes the terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is the access layer context information.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the eighth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to receive a third message sent by the first system; and the first network node stores the terminal device context information or releases the terminal device context information based on the third message.

In some possible implementations, the transceiver module is further configured to receive an instruction message sent by the first system, where the instruction message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep; and the first network node sends an instruction message to the terminal device.

With reference to the eighth aspect or the first possible implementation of the eighth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the transceiver module is specifically configured to send the first message to the second network node and receive the second message sent by the second network node based on the first message, where the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

With reference to any one of the eighth aspect, or the first or second possible implementation of the eighth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the terminal device identification information is at least one of the terminal device resume identification information, the terminal device identification information in the first interface, temporary cellular radio network ID and physical cell ID information; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

With reference to any of the eighth aspect, or the first to third possible implementations of the eighth aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, and a first interface connection information; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

With reference to any of the eighth aspect, or the first to fourth possible implementations of the eighth aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function. ; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control functions.

According to a ninth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a transceiver module configured to receive a first message from the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; and a processing module configured to send a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node, or the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the ninth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the transceiver module is the transceiver module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the ninth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to send a fourth message to the third network node, where the fourth message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the third network node to obtaining terminal device context information stored in the third network node, or the fourth message includes terminal device context information, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

In some possible implementations, the transceiver module is further configured to send an instruction message to the first network node, where the instruction message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep; and the first network node sends an instruction message to the terminal device.

With reference to any one of the ninth aspect or the first or second possible implementations of the ninth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the ninth aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function ; and/or the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control function.

According to a tenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a transceiver module configured to receive a fourth message sent by the second network node, where the fourth message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the third network node to obtain terminal device context information, which stored in the first network node, or the fourth message includes terminal device context information; and a processing unit configured to establish terminal device context information based on the fourth message, where the terminal device context information is access layer context information, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the tenth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the tenth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to receive the fifth message sent by the second network node; and the processing module is further configured to store the terminal device context information based on the fifth message or release a portion of the terminal device context information based on the fifth message.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the tenth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the tenth aspect, the terminal device context information includes at least one of the second interface connection information, the third interface connection information, the fourth interface connection information, the radio resource control configuration, the transmission radio bearer parameter data, current security context information, packet data convergence protocol status, cell ID information, and identification information used to identify the terminal device; the second interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the core network; the third interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the second network node; and the fourth interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the first network node.

With reference to any of the tenth aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the tenth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the tenth aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function; and/or the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control function.

According to an eleventh aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a transceiver module configured to receive a first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; and a processing module, configured to determine terminal device identification information based on the first message, where the processing module is further configured to obtain, based on the terminal device identification information, terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node; or the processing module is further configured to receive, based on the terminal device identification information, a second message sent by the first system, where the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the eleventh aspect, in the first possible implementation of the eleventh aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to receive a third message sent by the first system; and the processing module is further configured to store the terminal device context information based on the third message or release the terminal device context information based on the third message.

In some possible implementations, the transceiver module is further configured to receive an instruction message sent by the first system, where the instruction message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep; and the first network node sends an instruction message to the terminal device.

With reference to the eleventh aspect or the first possible implementation of the eleventh aspect, in the second possible implementation of the eleventh aspect, the processing module is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

With reference to any of the eleventh aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the eleventh aspect, in the third possible implementation of the eleventh aspect, the terminal device identification information is at least one of the terminal device resume identification information, the terminal device identification information at the first interface, the temporary identifier information cellular radio network and physical cell ID information; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network nodes and the first system.

With reference to any of the eleventh aspect, or the first to third possible implementations of the eleventh aspect, in the fourth possible implementation of the eleventh aspect, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, and a connection information of the first interface ; and the first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network nodes and the first system.

With reference to any of the eleventh aspect, or the first to fourth possible implementations of the eleventh aspect, in the fifth possible implementation of the eleventh aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, a physical layer and radio resource control layer functions; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to the twelfth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a transceiver module configured to receive a sixth message sent by the first network node, where the sixth message includes terminal device identification information, and the sixth message is used by the first system to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first system; and a processing module configured to send a second message to the first network node based on the sixth message, where the second message includes terminal device context information and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the twelfth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the twelfth aspect, the transceiver module is the transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the twelfth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the twelfth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to send a seventh message to the third network node, where the seventh message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtaining terminal device context information stored in the first network node, or the seventh message includes terminal device context information, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

With reference to any of the twelfth aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the twelfth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the twelfth aspect, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, a physical layer function, and radio resource control layer functions; and/or the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to a thirteenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a processing module configured to determine that a radio link failure occurs between the first network node and the terminal device, where the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, an access control layer function to the environment and functions of the physical layer; and a transceiver module configured to send the sixth message to the first system, where the sixth message is used to indicate to the second network node that a radio link failure occurs between the first network node and the terminal device, and the second network node includes at least one of the layer functions packet data convergence protocol, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the thirteenth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the thirteenth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to receive a seventh message sent by the first system, where the seventh message is used to command the first network node to release the terminal device context.

With reference to the thirteenth aspect or the first possible implementation of the thirteenth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the thirteenth aspect, the transceiver module is the transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

With reference to any of the thirteenth aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the thirteenth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the thirteenth aspect, the sixth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and a temporary cellular radio network identifier.

According to a fourteenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a transceiver module configured to receive a sixth message sent by the first network node, where the sixth message is used to indicate to the first system that a radio link failure has occurred between the first network node and the terminal device, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function, and the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control layer function ; and a processing module configured to set a timer based on the sixth message, where if the timer expires, the first system sends a seventh message to the first network node, and the seventh message is used to command the first network node to release the terminal device context; or if the first system receives the radio resource control connection message before the timer expires, then the first system stops the timer.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

With reference to the fourteenth aspect, in the first possible implementation of the fourteenth aspect, the transceiver module is the transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

With reference to the first possible implementation of the fourteenth aspect, in the second possible implementation of the fourteenth aspect, the transceiver module is further configured to: if the timer expires, send an eighth message to a third network node, where the eighth message is used to instruct the third network node to release the terminal device context information , and the third network node is the user plane node of the first system.

With reference to any one of the fourteenth aspect, or the first or second possible implementations of the fourteenth aspect, in the third possible implementation of the fourteenth aspect, the sixth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and temporary cellular radio network identifier.

According to a fifteenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a memory, a transceiver, and at least one processor. The memory, transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. The transceiver is configured to perform information sending/receiving operations that are performed on a network device in a method in accordance with any of the first aspect or possible implementations of the first aspect. At least one processor invokes an instruction stored in memory to perform processing operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the first aspect or possible implementations of the first aspect.

According to the sixteenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a memory, a transceiver, and at least one processor. The memory, transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. The transceiver is configured to perform send/receive information operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the second aspect or possible implementations of the second aspect. At least one processor invokes an instruction stored in memory to perform processing operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the second aspect or possible implementations of the second aspect.

According to a seventeenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a memory, a transceiver, and at least one processor. The memory, transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. The transceiver is configured to perform send/receive information operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the third aspect or possible implementations of the third aspect. At least one processor invokes an instruction stored in memory to perform processing operations that are performed on a network device in a method in accordance with any of the third aspect or possible implementations of the third aspect.

According to an eighteenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a memory, a transceiver, and at least one processor. The memory, transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. The transceiver is configured to perform send/receive information operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the fourth aspect or possible implementations of the fourth aspect. At least one processor invokes an instruction stored in memory to perform processing operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the fourth aspect or possible implementations of the fourth aspect.

According to a nineteenth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a memory, a transceiver, and at least one processor. The memory, transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. The transceiver is configured to perform send/receive information operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the fifth aspect or possible implementations of the fifth aspect. At least one processor invokes an instruction stored in memory to perform processing operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the fifth aspect or possible implementations of the fifth aspect.

According to the twentieth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a memory, a transceiver, and at least one processor. The memory, transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. The transceiver is configured to perform send/receive information operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the sixth aspect or possible implementations of the sixth aspect. At least one processor invokes an instruction stored in memory to perform processing operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the sixth aspect or possible implementations of the sixth aspect.

According to the twenty-first aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes: a memory, a transceiver, and at least one processor. The memory, transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. The transceiver is configured to perform send/receive information operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the seventh aspect or possible implementations of the seventh aspect. At least one processor invokes an instruction stored in memory to perform processing operations that are performed on a network device in a method according to any of the seventh aspect or possible implementations of the seventh aspect.

According to the twenty-second aspect, a chip system is provided. The chip system is applied to a network device, and the chip system includes: at least one processor, at least one memory, and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is responsible for the exchange of information between the chip system and the external environment. At least one memory, an interface circuit, and at least one processor are connected to each other via a line. An instruction is stored in at least one memory. An instruction is executed by at least one processor to perform network device operations in the methods according to the above aspects.

According to a twenty-third aspect, a communication system is provided, including a network device and/or a terminal device. The network device is a network device according to the above aspects.

According to a twenty-fourth aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product is applied to a network device, and the computer program product includes a set of instructions. When the instructions are executed, the operations of the network device are performed in the methods according to the above aspects.

According to a twenty-fifth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. A computer-readable storage medium stores an instruction. When an instruction is executed on a computer, the computer may perform the methods in accordance with the above aspects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 2 is another schematic representation of an application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application;

3 is another schematic representation of an application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application;

4 is another schematic representation of an application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 5 is another schematic representation of an application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 7 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 8 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 9 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 10 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 11 is another flow chart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 12 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 13 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 14 is another flow chart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 15 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 16 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 17 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 18 is another flow chart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 19 is another flow chart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 20 is another flow chart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 21 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 22 is another flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 23 is a block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 24 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 25 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 26 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 27 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 28 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 29 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 30 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 31 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 32 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 33 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 34 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 35 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application; And

Fig. 36 is another block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Description of Embodiments

Technical solutions according to this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present application are applicable to various forms of systems in which some functions of a network device are separated. Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 1, some functions of a network device are divided into a first network node and a second network node.

In particular, Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of another application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 2, CU-DU separation has been introduced into the CRAN architecture. The DU may correspond to the first network node in FIG. 1 and the CU corresponds to the second network node in FIG. 1.

It should be understood that the first network node and the second network node may be two physically or logically separate modules in the entire network architecture, or may be two completely independent elements of a logical network.

In addition, it should be understood that the separation of the control plane/user plane can be performed at the second network node to form the user plane of the second network node and the control plane of the second network node.

The CU has Radio Resource Control (RRC) functions or some RRC functions, and includes all or some of the protocol layer functions of an existing base station, for example, including only RRC functions or some RRC functions; or including RRC layer functions or Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer functions; or including RRC/Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer functions; or including RRC/PDCP layer functions and some Radio Link Control (RLC) layer functions; or including RRC/PDCP/Media Access Control (Media Access Control, MAC) layer functions and even some or all of the PHY physical layer functions. There may be any other possibilities.

The DU has all or some of the protocol layer functions of the existing base station, namely, some RRC/SDAP/RCP/MAC/PHY protocol layer functional blocks, for example, including some RRC functions and PDCP/RLC/MAC/PHY protocol layer functions; or including PDCP/RLC/MAC/PHY protocol layer functions; or including RLC/MAC/PHY protocol layer functions, or including some RLC/MAC/PHY functions; or including only all or some of the PHY functions. It should be noted that the functions of the protocol layers mentioned here are subject to change, and all changes fall within the protection scope of this application.

It should be understood that in this embodiment of the present application, different protocol layers may be separately deployed on the first network node and the second network node. Possible implementation: deploy at least the first protocol layer on the second network node and deploy at least the second protocol layer and the third protocol layer on the first network node.

For example, the first protocol layer may be an RRC layer, the second protocol layer may be a MAC layer, and the third protocol layer may be a PHY layer.

It should be understood that the examples of the first protocol layer, the second protocol layer, and the third protocol layer are merely exemplary of the description and should not constitute any limitation of the present application. The first protocol layer and the second protocol layer may alternatively be other protocol layers defined in an existing protocol (eg, LTE protocol) or a future protocol. This is not specifically limited in the present application.

In another example, the 5G network has also made a new technological advance for a new transit node. For example, a protocol stack architecture that includes only layer 2 (eg, including the resource link control (RLC) layer and MAC layer) and layer 1 (eg, including the PHY layer) is deployed at the transit node, and none of the stack functions protocols above layer 2, such as RRC layer functions, are not deployed. Therefore, data or signals generated by the main base station must be sent to the terminal device through the transit node.

It should be understood that in this embodiment of the present application, the first network node may correspond to a DU in the CU-DU architecture, or may correspond to the aforementioned transit node; and the second network node may correspond to a CU in a CU-DU architecture, or may correspond to the aforementioned main base station.

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of another application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 3, the RRC layer is hosted on the CU and the MAC layer is hosted on the DU. For the uplink RRC message, the DU receives, via the air interface, a message sent by the terminal apparatus, and the DU processes the message, and then sends the RRC message to the CU via the interface between the CU and the DU. For the downlink RRC message, after generating the message, the CU sends a message to the DU via the interface between the CU and the DU, and the DU processes the message and then sends the RRC message to the terminal device via the air interface.

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of another application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 4, the DU has some RRC functions, such as processing of the data transmission radio bearer SRB0. Therefore, the RRC message can be processed by the DU.

It should be understood that the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) currently refers to the interface between CU and DU as F1. The F1 interface includes a control plane (Control Plane, CP) and a user plane (User Plane, UP). The control plane transport layer protocol is a Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) and the application layer message sent is an F1AP (Application Protocol) message. The user plane transport layer protocol is the GPRS Tunneling Protocol-User plane (GTP-U) tunneling plane.

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of another application scenario for a technical solution according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 5, when control plane/user plane separation is performed on the CU, the CU-CP is responsible for control plane functions such as SRB processing, and may have an RRC layer and a PDCP layer that is responsible for SRB processing; and the CU-UP is responsible for user plane functions, for example, DRB management is associated with a core network user plane network element and may have an SDAP layer and a PDCP layer that are responsible for DRB processing.

Interface E1 is the interface between CU-CP and CU-UP. Between CU-UP and DU there is an F1-U connection and between CU-CP and DU there is an F1-C connection. There is an Ng-U connection between the CU-UP and the core network, and an Ng-C connection between the CU-CP and the core network.

It should be understood that the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, for example, a Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) system, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system Long Term Evolution (LTE) system LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system LTE Time Division Duplex (Time Division) system Duplex, TDD), a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), a future 5th generation (5th-Generation, 5G) communication system, and a communication system such as CRAN.

It should also be understood that the network device in the embodiments of the present application may be a device configured to communicate with a terminal device. For example, a network device may be a combination of a Base Station (Base Transceiver Station - Base Transceiver Station, BTS) and a Base Station Controller (BSC) in a GSM or CDMA system, may be a combination of a NodeB (NodeB, NB) and a Radio Network Controller (Radio Network Controller, RNC) in a WCDMA system, or may be an evolved NodeB (Evolutionary Node B, eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system. Alternatively, the network device may be a transit station, an access point, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a network access device in the future 5G network such as a next generation base station, a network access device in the future Public Land Mobile Network. , PLMN) or the like.

In particular, in a UMTS system in 3rd-Generation (3G) mobile communication technology, there is a scenario in which the radio network control node is separated from the base station. In the LTE system, there are: a scenario in which the baseband module is separated from the RF module, namely the remote radio scenario; a Data Center (DC) scenario that requires a connection between two different networks; a macro small cell scenario in which there is an interface for a connection between a macro cell and a small cell; and scenario of LTE and Wi-Fi aggregation (LTE-Wi-Fi aggregation, LWA). In the 5G system, there are: various non-cell scenarios (a terminal can be arbitrarily transferred between cells, and there is no clear boundary between cells), in which one control node is associated with all cells or transmission nodes are connected with one cell; CRAN script including BBU split script; a CRAN virtualization scenario in which some BBU functions are centrally deployed and virtualized, other functions are deployed separately, and the two parts can be physically deployed separately. It should be understood that scenarios in which different systems/standards coexist fall within the scope of this application.

The present application describes embodiments with reference to a terminal device. A terminal device may also be referred to as User Equipment (UE), access terminal, user equipment, subscriber station, mobile station, mobile console, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent or user device. The access terminal may be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a portable device having a wireless communication function, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a device in a vehicle, a wearable device, a terminal device in a future 5G network, a terminal device in a PLMN, or the like.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 6, the transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S110. The first network node receives the first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

S120. The first network node sends the first message to the first system.

S130. The first network node receives a second message sent by the first system based on the first message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node , or the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

Optionally, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a data radio bearer parameter, terminal device identification information, cell ID information, and first interface connection information. The first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

S140. The first network node, based on the terminal device identification information carried in the second message, obtains the terminal device context information stored in the first network node or re-establishes the terminal device context information.

Optionally, the first message is an RRC Connection Restart Request message or an RRC Connection Reconnect Request message.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of radio link control protocol layer functions, media access control layer functions, and physical layer functions; and/or the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control function.

Specifically, the terminal device sends the first message to the first network node. The first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device. Since the first network node does not have some RRC functionality, the first network node forwards the first message to the first system. After receiving the first message and processing the first message, the first system sends a second message to the first network node. The first network node receives the second message sent by the first system based on the first message. The second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node. Alternatively, the second message includes terminal device context information. For example, the first network node is a DU and the first system is a CU. The terminal device sends an RRC connection request message to the DU. The DU forwards the RRC connection reconnect request message to the CU via the F1 interface. After the CU receives the message, if the CU can resume the RRC connection of the terminal device, the CU sends an F1 interface control plane message to the DU to instruct the DU to find the terminal device context information that is stored in the DU or issue a command to the DU to re-establish the terminal device context information. devices. After receiving the control plane message, the DU finds the stored terminal device context information or resets the terminal device context information. The CU sends an RRC message to the terminal device (where the RRC message is sent to the DU via the F1 interface and forwarded by the DU to the terminal device) to indicate that the RRC connection establishment succeeded or failed.

7 is another flowchart of a transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 7, the transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S101. The first system sends a first command to the terminal device, where the first command is used to command the terminal device to go to sleep.

In particular, the first system sends the first command to the first network node. The first command is used to command the terminal device to go to sleep. The first network node does not parse or modify the content of the first command, but performs appropriate processing of the first command at the protocol layer deployed on the first network node and sends the first command to the terminal device.

For example, the first command may be an RRC message. The CU instructs the terminal device to enter the sleep mode via an RRC message. The RRC message contains a terminal device resume ID and a sleep instruction. Alternatively, the first command may include an instruction as to whether one or more signaling radio bearers (SRBs)/data radio bearers (DRBs) should be suspended and/or corresponding data radio bearer identification information. The RRC message is sent by the CU to the DU via the F1 interface. The DU processes the RRC message and sends the RRC message to the terminal device.

Optionally, the message is an RRC Connection Release message or the message is an RRC Connection Suspend message.

It should be noted that step S102 may alternatively be performed before step S101.

S102. The first system sends a third message to the first network node, where the third message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep.

Optionally, the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

Specifically, the terminal device accesses the cell managed by the first network node and the first system and establishes an RRC connection. The first system decides to put the terminal device into inactive mode and sends a third message to the first network node. The third message is used by the first network node to issue a command to the terminal device to go to sleep.

For example, the CU sends an instruction message to the DU via the F1 interface to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep. The instruction is sent via an F1 interface control plane message. The instruction message includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: terminal device identification information on the F1 interface (terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the CU, terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the DU, or independent terminal device identification information on the interface) ; a sleep instruction; Resume Identifier Resume ID (an identifier allocated to the UE when the network instructs the UE to go to sleep, where the identifier is carried when the UE requests the network to resume the RRC connection so that the network accesses the stored context); cellular radio network temporary C-RNTI for the terminal device, terminal device context identification information (used to correlate with the terminal device context that is stored in the DU; for example, the terminal device context identification information may be a terminal device context ID or an identifier in another format); and an instruction on whether to suspend one or more signaling radio bearers (SRBs)/data radio bearers (DRBs) and/or the corresponding radio bearer identification information.

In addition, optionally, when the CU sends the first command to the DU via the F1 interface, the first command is used as an RRC container and, together with the third message in step S102, is carried in the same F1AP message to be sent.

It should be understood that in order to transmit data on the downlink of the terminal device, the first system sends to the first network node data that belongs to the terminal device and which comes from the core network, and the first network node is responsible for scheduling radio interface transmission resources for the terminal device and further sends the data downlink to the terminal device; similarly, for uplink data, the terminal device first requests the uplink data transmission resource from the first network node, and further sends the uplink data to the first network node over the allocated uplink resource, and then the first network node sends the uplink data to the first system.

It can be learned that the first system does not necessarily know whether the uplink/downlink data transmission of the terminal device over the air interface is in progress, for example, whether the downlink data buffer of the second network node still has data to be sent, and whether it has terminal device the uplink data to be sent. For example, the first system has sent to the second network node all the data that belongs to a particular terminal device and that comes from the core network, and is preparing to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep. Therefore, the first system sends the first command to the terminal device and sends the third message to the first network node. In this case, uplink data and/or downlink data is still sent between the first network node and the terminal device. If the terminal device immediately goes to sleep after receiving the first command, downlink data may be lost; and/or if the first network node suspends sending/receiving data by the terminal device after receiving the third message, uplink data may be lost.

Optionally, before the first system sends the first command to the terminal device, method 100 further includes:

it is determined by the first system that the uplink or downlink data transmission at the first network node is completed.

In particular, before sending the third message and the first command, the first system negotiates with the first network node, and sends the first command and the third message after the first network node is ready (for example, after the uplink or downlink data transmission is completed) . Specifically, the first system may send a data sending status request message to the first network node, where the data sending status request message is used to query whether the first network node has completed data transmission between the first network node and the terminal device; and the first network node sends a response message to the first system, where the response message is used to indicate to the first system whether the data transmission between the first network node and the terminal device has been completed.

Optionally, the first system sends the first command to the terminal device, and method 100 further includes:

sending, by means of the first system, a first command to the first network node; And

when the first network node determines that the transmission of data on the uplink or downlink on the first network node is completed, the first command is sent via the first network node to the terminal device.

Specifically, the first network node determines the content of the first command, that is, the first network node determines that the first system is to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep, and therefore performs appropriate processing. After the first network node is ready (eg, after the uplink or downlink data transmission is completed), the first network node sends the first command to the terminal device and processes the terminal device context information based on the specific content of the third message. The ways in which the first network node can learn the content of the first command can be as follows:

(1) The first network node can read the content of the first command, for example, is able to decode the RRC message.

(2) The F1 interface message carrying the first command contains an indication used to indicate the content of the first command, for example, the content of the first command instructs the terminal device to go to sleep.

(3) The content of the first command is obtained by inference based on the type of message F1AP carrying the first command. For example, the first command and the third message are sent in the same F1AP message. From the output based on the content of the third message, it can be learned that the content of the first command instructs the terminal device to go to sleep.

Optionally, before the first system sends the first command to the terminal device, method 100 further includes:

determine by the first system based on the information of the first interface that the data transmission between the first network node and the terminal device is completed.

For example, the first system can know, based on the flow control information of the user plane interface F1, that the data transmission between the first network node and the terminal device is completed.

Optionally, the first network node reports the data buffer status correlated with the terminal device to the first network node. When the downlink data buffer is 0, it indicates that the downlink data transmission is completed.

Optionally, the first system configures the first network node to report the data buffer status when the first network node's data buffer status is 0.

Optionally, the first network node periodically notifies the first system of the data buffer status of the first network node.

Optionally, periodic notifications are configured by the first network node.

Optionally, the first system sends the first command to the terminal device, and method 100 further includes:

sending, by means of the first system, a first command and a third message to the first network node via an F1 message; and if the data/signaling is transmitted between the first network node and the terminal apparatus, sending, via the first network node, to the first system an F1 message indicating a failure of the command issuing procedure; or if the data/signaling transmission between the first network node and the terminal device is completed, sending an F1 message indicating the success of the command issuing procedure to the first system, and sending the first command to the terminal device. The sequence of sending by the first network node to the first system the message F1 indicating the success of the command issuing procedure and sending by the first network node of the first command to the terminal device is not limited.

S103. The first system stores terminal device context information.

Specifically, the terminal device context information that is stored in the first system includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: RRC configuration information, current security context, PDCP status, C-RNTI, ECGI global cell identifier, physical PCI cell, resume ID, S1/NG interface connection-related information (e.g., S1/NG interface connection-related information may be an interface control-plane UE ID, an interface user-plane tunnel TEID, and an IP address), and a connection-related F1 interface information (eg, connection-related F1 interface information may be a UE ID in the control plane of the interface, tunnel information TEID in the user plane of the interface, and an IP address).

S104. The first network node stores terminal device context information.

For example, the terminal device context information that is stored in the DU includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: RRC configuration information, DRB parameter (e.g., DRB identification information and QoS parameter information), Resume ID (if the CU provides Resume ID, terminal device context information that is stored in the DU includes a resume ID; otherwise, the DU may match the terminal device identification information on the interface with the DU's internal terminal device identification information), F1 interface connection-related information (for example, to the connection, the F1 interface information may be a UE ID in the interface control plane, tunnel TEID information in the user plane of the interface, and an IP address) and MAC configuration information (e.g., logical channel identification information and scheduling priority information (such as PBR priority bit rate and size duration). BSD segment).

Optionally, the DU resets the MAC configured for the terminal device.

Additionally, optionally, the DU resets the RLC corresponding to the radio bearer (Radio Bear, RB) suspended for the terminal device.

S105. The terminal device stores the terminal device context information in accordance with the first command.

For example, after receiving the RRC message, the terminal device stores the context information of the terminal device. The terminal device context information specifically includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: RRC configuration, current security context, PDCP status, C-RNTI, source primary service cell cell ID and corresponding PCI, and resume ID .

Optionally, the terminal device resets the MAC.

Also, optionally, the terminal device suspends DRBs and SRBs other than SRB0. Alternatively, the terminal device suspends one or more SRBs/DRBs and stores the remaining RBs as instructed in the first command. Accordingly, the terminal device resets the RLC for the suspended RB.

It should be understood that steps S101-S105 describe the processing performed when the terminal apparatus enters the sleep mode.

S111. The terminal device sends the first message to the first network node, where the first message is used to request the resumption of the radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

For example, the terminal device initiates an RRC connection resume procedure and sends an RRC connection resume request message to resume the RRC connection of the terminal device. The RRC connection request message contains the terminal device's resume ID.

It should be understood that if the eNB from which the UE is requesting the renewal is not the source eNB, the target base station (TeNB) can find the source base station (SeNB) based on the cell ID (eg, PCI) included in the UE resume message, and then query the SeNB for a UE context corresponding to the C-RNTI or Resume ID.

S121. The first network node sends the first message to the first system.

In particular, since the first network node does not have some RRC functions, after receiving the first message, the first network node does not parse or modify the content of the first message, but performs appropriate processing of the first message in the protocol layer deployed in the protocol layer in the first network node, and sends the first message to the first system via the F1 interface.

For example, after receiving the RRC connection resume request message, the DU processes the RRC connection resume request message and sends the message to the CU via the F1 interface. For example, a message is carried in an RRC container in an F1AP message (eg, an original UE message or an original UL RRC message).

S131. The first system sends a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message is used to instruct the first network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the first network node, and the second message includes terminal device identification information.

For example, after receiving the first message carried in the F1 interface message, the CU analyzes the content of the message to determine that the first message is a message used by the terminal device to request the resumption of the RRC connection, and then resumes the RRC connection of the terminal device. If the terminal device's RRC connection can be successfully resumed, an F1 interface control plane message is sent to the DU to instruct the DU to find and use the terminal device context information stored in the DU and resume the terminal device's RRC connection.

Optionally, the control plane message carries one or a combination of the following information: terminal device identification information on the F1 interface (terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the CU and terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the DU or independent identification information for the terminal device on the interface), ID UE resume and SRB/DRB identification information and/or corresponding configuration information.

S141. The first network node, based on the terminal device identification information carried in the second message, obtains the terminal device context information stored in the first network node.

Specifically, after receiving the second message, the first network node obtains the context information stored in the first network node and resumes the corresponding configuration and the corresponding transmission resource of the terminal device.

For example, the DU finds, based on the terminal device identification information in the F1 interface or the terminal device resume ID, the terminal device context information stored in the DU, and resumes the corresponding configuration and the corresponding transmission resource of the terminal device.

Optionally, if the second message carries SRB/DRB identification information and/or corresponding configuration information, the first network node uses the SRB/DRB identification information and/or corresponding configuration information that/is carried in the second message.

In addition, optionally, the first network node generates the protocol stack configuration information (for example, the protocol stack configuration information may be an RLC layer configuration, a MAC layer configuration, or a PHY layer configuration) of the terminal device based on the second message, and sends the protocol stack configuration information to the first system. via the F1 interface. The first system encapsulates the protocol stack configuration information in the first indication information and sends the first indication information to the terminal device.

S150. The first system sends the first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

For example, the first indication information may be an RRC message. The CU sends an RRC message to the terminal device to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed. The RRC message is sent to the DU via the F1 interface. The DU processes the RRC message and forwards the RRC message to the terminal device.

Optionally, if the first network node cannot recover the terminal device context information, the first network node sends a response message to the first system to indicate to the first system that the terminal device context cannot be correlated. In addition, optionally, the first system sends the first indication information to the UE to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

Optionally, when the first indication information indicates that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully reopened, the first indication information may further include one or a combination of the following information: SRB/DRB identification information and corresponding configuration information, and protocol stack configuration information.

It should be understood that S111, S121, S131, S141, and S150 describe the processing performed when the terminal apparatus wakes up from the sleep mode.

8 is another flow diagram of a transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 8, the transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S161. The second network node sends the first pause instruction information to the third network node, where the first pause instruction information is used to instruct the terminal device to enter the sleep mode.

Optionally, the second network node is a control plane node of the aforementioned first system. The first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

Optionally, the second network node includes an RRC layer and a PDCP layer that is used to process the RRC message. The third network node includes an SDAP layer and a PDCP layer, which is used to process user plane data.

It should be understood that the second network node and the third network node correspond to the control plane node and the user plane node of the first system, respectively.

For example, the first system is a CU, the second network node is a CU-CP, and the third network node is a CU-UP.

Specifically, the terminal device accesses the cell managed by the first network node and the second network node and establishes an RRC connection. The second network node decides to set the terminal device to inactive mode. The second network node stores the terminal device context information and sends the pause instruction information to the third network node. The pause instruction information is used by the third network node to instruct the terminal apparatus to enter the sleep mode.

For example, the UE accesses a cell controlled by the CU-DU and establishes an RRC connection. The CU determines to set the UE to the sleep mode.

The CU-CP stores the AS context of the UE. The AS context of the UE includes one or more of the following: RRC configuration, current security context, PDCP status, C-RNTI, primary service cell and corresponding PCI cell ID, resume ID, S1 (LTE)/NG interface connection-related information ( where the interface between the base station and the core network in 5G is referred to as the NG interface), the connection-related information of the F1 interface and the corresponding information of the E1 interface.

The CU-CP sends a suspend command to the CU-UP via the E1 interface indicating that the UE is transitioning to the sleep mode. The instruction is sent via an E1 interface control plane message. The message includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: terminal device identification information on the E1 interface (terminal device identification information on the E1AP side of the CU and terminal device identification information on the E1AP DU side or independent identification information for the terminal device on the interface) , sleep instruction or suspend instruction, UE ID (used to correlate with the UE context that is stored in the DU, for example, the UE ID may be a UE context ID or C-RNTI, or an ID in another format, such as terminal device identification information on the DU F1AP side and terminal identification information on the CU side F1AP; alternatively, the F1 interface has only one interface UE ID) (CU-UP should be able to match the UE ID on the E1 interface with the internal UE ID, or additionally find the UE ID on the F1 interface based on the UE ID on the E1 interface or the internal UE ID), an instruction on whether to suspend one or more SRBs/DRBs, a resume ID, and the like.

It should be understood that the RRC configuration may be all of the content in the RRC Connection Reconfiguration message.

S162. The third network node stores terminal device context information.

Optionally, the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a second interface connection information, a third interface connection information, a fourth interface connection information, a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, a current security context information, a packet data convergence protocol status, a cell ID; and identification information used to identify the terminal apparatus. The first interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the first network node and the first system. The second interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the core network. The third interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the second network node. The fourth interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the first network node.

Optionally, the terminal device context information that is stored in the third network node includes first interface connection information, second interface connection information, current security context information, packet data convergence protocol status, and identification information that is used to identify the terminal device.

Specifically, after the third network node receives the pause instruction information sent by the second network node, the third network node stores the terminal device context information for the terminal device.

For example, CU-UP stores the AS context of the UE. The UE AS context specifically includes: RRC configuration, current security context, PDCP status, DRB parameter (eg, DRB identification information and QoS parameter information, and correspondence between DRB and QoS flow), S1 connection related information. NG (for example, tunnel endpoint addresses on the core network side and CU-UP side, UE interface ID and PDU session parameter), F1 connection related information (for example, tunnel endpoint addresses on the DU side and CU-UP side, ID UE interface, data flow parameter, and DRB parameter), E1 connection related information (e.g., tunnel endpoint addresses on the CU-CP side and CU-UP side and UE interface ID), resume ID (if the CU-CP provides a resume ID , the UE's AS Context includes a Resume ID; or, if the CU-CP does not provide a Resume ID, the CU-UP may identify the UE itself, i.e., may correlate the UE with the UE's AS Context based on the UE ID at the E1 interface), and the like. The PDU session parameter includes QoS flow parameter information.

It should be understood that for the CU-UP, a possible case is to store one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of parts of the following information: connection-related information (user plane) of the S1/NG interface between the CU-UP and the core network, a renewal ID (or other internal ID used to identify the UE), current security context, and PDCP status. The second context is released, namely information related to the connection (user plane) of interface F1, for example, information related to the fourth interface. The present invention is not limited to another case in which some information is stored and some information is released.

In addition, it should be understood that for the CU-CP, a possible case is to store one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: information related to the connection (control plane information) of the S1/NG interface between the CU-CP and the core network, information RRC, C-RNTI, ECGI Global Cell Identifier, PCI Physical Cell Identifier, and Resume ID.

S163. The second network node sends the second pause instruction information to the first network node, where the second pause instruction information is used to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep and/or instruct the first network node to delete the terminal device context.

For example, the CU-CP sends a suspend command to the DU via the F1 interface, indicating that the UE is transitioning to the sleep mode. The instruction is sent via an F1 interface control plane message. The message includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: F1AP CU side UE ID and F1AP DU side UE ID (or F1 interface has only one interface UE ID) Sleep instruction, UE ID (used to correlate with the UE context that is stored in the DU, for example, the UE ID may be a context ID, or a UE C-RNTI, or an ID in another format) and an instruction as to whether one or more SRBs/DRBs should be suspended. The message may further include an RRC connection hold message (in the form of an RRC container) sent to the UE in step S165.

S164. The first network node stores terminal device context information.

For example, the DU stores the AS context of the UE. The UE AS context specifically includes: RRC configuration, DRB parameter, F1/E1 connection related information (eg, tunnel endpoint address, UE interface ID, and DRB parameter), resume ID, and the like. The DU resets the MAC configured for the UE.

In addition, optionally, the DU resets the RLC corresponding to the RB suspended for the UE.

S165. The second network node sends a first command to the terminal device, where the first command is used to command the terminal device to go to sleep.

For example, the CU-CP sends an RRC message via the F1 interface to instruct the UE to enter the sleep mode (where the RRC message may be sent along with the instruction information in step S163). The RRC message contains a UE resume ID and an instruction to go to sleep. The RRC message is sent by the CU-CP to the DU via the F1 interface. The DU processes the RRC message and forwards the RRC message to the UE. For example, the message is an RRC Connection Suspend message.

In addition, if necessary, when the CU sends an RRC message to the DU via the F1 interface, the RRC message is used as an RRC container, and along with the instruction information in S163, is carried in the same F1AP message to be sent.

S166. The terminal device stores the terminal device context information in accordance with the first command.

Optionally, before the second network node sends the first command to the terminal device, method 100 includes the steps of:

sending, by means of the second network node, an inactivity timer to a third network node, where the inactivity timer is used by the third network node to determine whether the terminal device is in an idle mode;

when the inactivity timer expires, determining by the third network node that the uplink data sent by the terminal apparatus has not been received, and/or determining by the third network node that the downlink data sent by the core network has not been received; And

sending, via the third network node, a sleep instruction of the terminal device to a second network node, where the sleep instruction of the terminal device is used by the second network node to determine whether to command the terminal device to enter the sleep mode.

For example, the CU-CP sends an inactive timer T to the CU-UP. The CU-CP carries in the UE context establishment request an idle timer corresponding to the UE; or may carry an idle timer corresponding to a cell during cell setup, or may carry an idle timer corresponding to gNB during E1 setup. In other words, the sleep timer may be based on the degree of splitting of the UE, or may be based on the degree of splitting of the cell or gNB.

When the CU-UP does not find the UE's uplink data after the time T has elapsed and/or does not find the UE's downlink data after the time T has elapsed, the CU-UP notifies the CU-CP that the timer expires.

For example, CU-UP runs timer-dl and timer-ul for downlink data and uplink data, respectively. When no data is received from the core network, timer-dl starts counting down. Once data is received from the core network, timer-dl is reset. The case for uplink data is similar. When no data is received from the DU, timer-ul starts counting down. Once data is received from the DU, the timer-ul is reset. Only when timer-dl and timer-ul expire, the CU-UP considers that the UE satisfies the inactive condition and sends an instruction to the CU-CP.

If the CU-CP decides to put the UE into sleep mode, the CU-CP notifies the CU-UP and the DU separately. Both the CU-UP and the DU may or may not retain the UE context. This may be specified in the protocol, or the CU-CP may issue a command to save or not save the UE context.

It should be understood that the CU-CP can comprehensively consider based on the indication from the CU-UP indicating the expiration of the timer or the indication sent by the DU and indicating no data available, whether to put the UE into the sleep mode.

It should be understood that steps S161-S166 describe processing performed when the terminal apparatus enters the sleep mode.

In addition, it should be understood that steps S163 and S164 may be performed before steps S161 and S162. This application is not limited to this.

S171. The terminal device sends the first message to the first network node, where the first message is used to request the resumption of the radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

Optionally, the step of sending, by the terminal device, a first message to the first network node includes the steps of:

determining by the third network node that the downlink data sent by the core network has been received;

sending, via the third network node, a notification message to a second network node, where the notification message is used by the second network node to send a paging message to the terminal device; And

sending, by means of the terminal device, a first message to the first network node based on the paging message.

For example, when the CU-UP detects that data has been received from the core network, the CU-UP notifies the CU-CP. The CU-CP initiates RAN paging in the RAN notification area to notify the UE (eg, the CU-CP sends RAN paging messages to all gNBs in the RAN notification area). The UE receives the RAN paging message and initiates an RRC connection resumption procedure.

S172. The first network node forwards the first message to the second network node.

Optionally, after the first network node forwards the first message to the second network node, method 100 further includes:

receive, by means of the second network node, terminal device context information that is stored in the second network node.

For example, after receiving the RRC connection reconnect message sent by the DU, the CU-CP first determines whether the CU-CP has a UE context. If the CU-CP does not have a UE context, the CU-CP finds the corresponding source gNB based on the source cell ID (which may be provided directly or may be implied in the resume ID) provided in the RRC connection resume message and requests the UE context from the source gNB. If the CU-CP successfully receives the UE context, the CU-CP sends a CU-UP and a DU message separately.

If the UE accesses via the original DU, the CU-CP has the UE context. If both the CU-UP and the DU keep the UE context, the message sent by the CU-CP via the F1/E1 interface may be a UE context resume message including the UE ID/resume ID used by the DU and CU-UP to find UE context. Otherwise, the message sent via the F1 interface may be a UE context setup message including a UE context (RRC configuration such as SRB and DRB protocol stack configurations), information (e.g., IP address on the CU-CP side, and endpoint TEID GTP-U tunnel point) required to establish an F1 interface connection user plane tunnel, etc.; and the message sent via the E1 interface may be a UE context setup message including a UE context (RRC configuration such as DRB protocol stack configuration), information (e.g., an IP address on the core network side, and a tunnel endpoint TEID corresponding to the session PDU on the core network side) required to establish the user plane bearer DRB of the S1 interface connection, information (e.g., IP address on the DU side and TEID of the tunnel endpoint corresponding to the DRB on the DU side) required to establish the bearer of the user plane DRB F1 interface connections, etc.

If the UE accesses through a different DU, but the CU-CP is the same and the CU-UP may be the same or different, regardless of whether the message sent by the CU-CP through the E1 interface is a UE context setup message or a resume message UE context depends on whether the CU-UP has a UE context; and the message sent by the CU-CP via the F1 interface is a UE context setup message.

If a UE accesses via a DU managed by another CU and the CU-CP initially does not have a UE context but has received a UE context from the source eNB, the corresponding CU-UP and the corresponding DU definitely do not have a UE context. Similarly, the message sent by the CU-CP through the F1 interface may be a UE context setup message including the UE context (RRC configuration such as SRB and DRB protocol stack configurations), information (e.g., IP address on the CU-CP side and the GTP-U Tunnel Endpoint TEID) required to establish an F1 interface connection User Plane Tunnel, etc.; and the message sent via the E1 interface may be a UE context setup message including a UE context (RRC configuration such as DRB protocol stack configuration), information (e.g., an IP address on the core network side, and a tunnel endpoint TEID corresponding to the session PDU on the core network side) required to establish a session user plane bearer of the S1 interface connection PDU, information (e.g., an IP address on the DU side and a tunnel endpoint TEID corresponding to the DRB on the DU side) required to establish a bearer of the plane session user F1 interface connection PDU, and the like.

S173. The second network node sends a fourth message to the third network node based on the first message, where the fourth message is used to instruct the third network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the third network node, and the fourth message includes terminal device identification information.

For example, after receiving the F1 interface message, if the CU-CP determines that the RRC UE connection can be successfully resumed, the CU-CP sends a resume instruction to the CU-UP via the E1 interface control plane message to issue a CU-UP command to resume the RRC UE connection. . The interface message contains one or a combination of the following information: UE ID on the E1AP CU side, UE ID on the E1AP DU side, and UE Resume ID.

S174. Based on the terminal device identification information carried in the fourth message, the third network node obtains the terminal device context information stored in the third network node.

For example, the CU-UP finds the AS context of the UE based on the UE interface ID or the UE resume ID and resumes the UE configuration.

Optionally, the CU-UP returns a resume confirmation message to the CU-CP.

S175. The second network node sends a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message is used to instruct the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node, and the second message includes terminal device identification information.

For example, after receiving the F1 interface message, if the CU-CP determines that the RRC connection of the UE can be successfully resumed, the CU-CP sends a resume instruction to the DU via the F1 interface control plane message to issue a command to the DU to resume the RRC connection of the UE. The interface message contains one or a combination of the following information: UE ID on the F1AP CU side, UE ID on the F1AP DU side, and UE Resume ID.

S176. The first network node, based on the terminal device identification information carried in the second message, obtains the terminal device context information stored in the first network node.

S177. The second network node sends the first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

It should be understood that steps S171 to S177 describe a processing procedure performed when the terminal device transitions from the sleep mode.

It should also be understood that steps S175 and S176 may be performed before steps S173 and S174. This application is not limited to this.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 9 is another flowchart of a transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. The difference from the processing performed when the terminal device goes to sleep in FIG. 7 is the processing performed by the first network node on the context information of the terminal device. The transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S101. The first system sends a third message to the first network node, where the third message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep, and/or is used to instruct the first network node to delete the terminal device context.

It should be understood that the method of processing the first command and the third message by the first network node is the same as in FIG. 7, except that the content of the message may be different from the content in step S102 in FIG. 7. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

S106. The first network node releases the terminal device context information.

It should be understood that the other processing steps performed when the terminal apparatus enters the sleep mode are the same except for a possible difference from step S104 in FIG. 7. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

Furthermore, it should be understood that, in contrast to the processing performed when the terminal apparatus resumes operation from the sleep mode in FIG. 7 is the processing performed by the first network node on the context information of the terminal device. The transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S132. The first system sends a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message is used to instruct the first network node to re-establish the terminal device context information, and the second message includes the terminal device identification information.

Optionally, the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

For example, after receiving the first message carried in the F1 interface message, the CU analyzes the content of the message to determine that the first message is the message used by the terminal device to request the resumption of the RRC connection, and then resumes the RRC connection for the terminal device. If the RRC connection of the terminal device can be successfully resumed, an F1 interface control plane message is sent to the DU to command the DU to resume the context configuration for the terminal device, where the context configuration includes the SRB and DRB protocol stack configurations, and establish the SRB control plane transmission channels. and DRB and F1 interface connection user plane.

Optionally, the interface control plane message carries one or a combination of the following information: terminal device identification information on the F1 interface (terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the CU and terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the DU, or independent identification information for the terminal device on the interface), terminal device identification information (correlated with the terminal device context information that is stored in the DU, for example, the terminal device identification information may be a context ID or a C-RNTI of the terminal device or an ID in another format), a signaling radio bearer list (SRB list), and/ or the data radio bearer list (DRB list) of the terminal device and the corresponding protocol stack configurations and F1 interface user plane tunnel setting information (e.g., CU-side IP address and GTP-U tunnel endpoint TEID) corresponding to the DRB list.

S142. The first network node re-establishes the terminal device context information based on the terminal device identification information carried in the second message.

Specifically, after receiving the second message, the first network node sets the context information for the terminal apparatus, performs an appropriate configuration, and allocates a transmission resource.

Optionally, the first network node generates the protocol stack configuration information (for example, the protocol stack configuration information may be an RLC layer configuration, a MAC layer configuration, or a PHY layer configuration) of the terminal device based on the second message, and sends the protocol stack configuration information to the first system via the F1 interface. The first system encapsulates the protocol stack configuration information in the first indication information and sends the first indication information to the terminal device.

It should be understood that S111, S121 and S150 are all the same as the steps shown in FIG. 6, except that S132 and S142 are different from the processing performed when the terminal apparatus wakes up from the sleep mode in FIG. 6. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

Fig. 10 is another flowchart of a transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 10, the transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S167. The first network node releases the terminal device context information.

It should be understood that the processing performed when the terminal device enters the sleep mode is the same as the processing performed when the terminal device enters the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 8, except for the difference from S164. After the third network node and the first network node receive the pause instruction information sent by the second network node, the third network node stores the terminal device context information, and the first network node releases the terminal device context information.

Accordingly, the difference between the processing procedure executed when the terminal apparatus wakes up from the sleep mode and the procedure shown in FIG. 8 is as follows:

S178. The second network node sends a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message is used to instruct the first network node to re-establish the terminal device context information, and the second message includes at least one of the list of data radio bearers, the list signaling radio bearers, a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, terminal device identification information, cell ID information, and first interface connection information.

S179. The first network node re-establishes the terminal device context information based on at least one of the data radio bearer list, the signaling radio bearer list, the radio resource control configuration, the data radio bearer parameter, the terminal device identification information, the cell ID information, and the first interface connection information.

For example, upon receiving an RRC connection resumption message from the UE, the CU initiates DRB+SRB connection setup for the DU. Finally, the DU forwards to the UE an RRC Connection Restart message sent by the CU.

It should be understood that the second network node is a control plane node of the first system, the third network node is a user plane node of the first system, and the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a function radio resource management layer.

For example, the first system is a CU, the second network node is a CU-CP, and the third network node is a CU-UP.

Fig. 11 is another flow diagram of a transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 11, the transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S168. The third network node releases some of the terminal device context information.

Optionally, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a second interface connection information, a third interface connection information, a fourth interface connection information, a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, a current security context information, a packet data convergence protocol status, a cell ID; and identification information used to identify the terminal apparatus. The second interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the core network. The third interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the second network node. The fourth interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the first network node.

It should be understood that the connection information of the first interface includes the connection information of the fourth interface.

Optionally, the terminal device context information that is released by the third network node includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol status and a fourth interface connection information.

It should be understood that the processing performed when the terminal device enters the sleep mode is the same as the processing performed when the terminal device enters the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 8 except for the difference from S162 and S164. After the third network node and the first network node receive the suspend instruction information sent by the second network node, the third network node releases a portion of the terminal device context information, and the first network node releases the terminal device context information.

Accordingly, the difference between the processing procedure executed when the terminal apparatus wakes up from the sleep mode and the procedure shown in FIG. 8 is as follows:

S180. The second network node sends a fourth message to the third network node based on the second message, where the fourth message is used to instruct the third network node to re-establish the terminal device context information, and the fourth message includes at least one of the terminal device identification information, list data radio bearers of the terminal apparatus, a radio resource control configuration, information used to establish an F1 interface connection, and information used to establish an E1 interface connection.

S181. The third network node re-establishes the terminal device context information based on the identification information of the terminal device, the radio data link list of the terminal device, the radio resource control configuration, the information used to establish an F1 interface connection, and the information used to establish an E1 interface connection.

For example, when receiving the RRC connection reconnect request message from the UE, the CU-CP initiates an F1 interface connection for the UE for the CU-UP, initiates an E1 interface connection for the UE. For example, the F1 interface connection message for the UE includes a UE ID on the F1 interface, a DRB ID, an IP address on the DU side, a tunnel endpoint ID TEID corresponding to the DRB on the DU side, and a mapping between the DRB and the QoS flow. For example, an E1 interface connection for a UE includes a UE ID on the E1 interface and a resume ID. The CU-CP initiates the DRB+SRB connection setup for the DU and the F1 interface connection for the UE.

Finally, the DU sends an RRC Connection Restart message sent by the CU to the UE.

It should be understood that S180 and S181 may be performed before S178 and S179, or may be performed after S178 and S179. This application is not limited to this.

It should be further understood that the second network node is a control plane node of the first system, the third network node is a user plane node of the first system, and the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and radio resource control layer functions. Specifically, the second network node includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function and a radio resource control function, and the third network node includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function and a service data adaptation protocol layer function. .

For example, the first system is TC, the second network node is CU-CP, and the third network node is CU-UP.

Fig. 12 is another flowchart of a transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. The main difference between the transmission method shown in FIG. 12 and the transmission methods shown in FIG. 7-11 is as follows: in FIG. 7-11, both the first network node and the first system (or the second network node) recognize that the terminal device is going to sleep, allocate a resume ID for the terminal device, match with the terminal device context.

In the transmission method shown in FIG. 12, the terminal device encounters a problem such as HO failure, RLF, latent integrity check failure, or RRC connection reconfiguration failure. As a result, during random access and RRC connection setup, which are caused by RRC connection re-establishment, the DU does not know that the terminal device has accessed the cell before, and considers the terminal device as a new terminal device. However, the CU determines, based on the C-RNTI carried in the RRC reconnect message, that the terminal device has accessed the cell previously and the DU has stored the context information of the terminal device.

As shown in FIG. 12, the transmission method 100 includes the following steps.

S107. The terminal device accesses the cell managed by the first network node and the first system and obtains the first temporary cellular radio network identifier for the terminal device.

Specifically, the terminal device accesses the cell managed by the first network node and the first system. The C-RNTI allocated by the first network node or the first system to the terminal device is C-RNTI1. The first network node and the first system store, for a terminal device, terminal device context information.

S108. The terminal device sends the random access preamble sequence to the first network node, where the random access preamble sequence is used by the terminal device to initiate random access.

S109. The first network node sends a random access response message to the terminal device, where the random access response message includes a second cellular radio network temporary identifier for the terminal device.

S112. Optionally, the first network node sends the second indication information to the first system, where the second indication information includes a second temporary cellular radio network identifier for the terminal device.

Optionally, the second indication information includes cell identifier information such as PCI or E-UTRAN Cell Global Identifier of the cell accessed by the terminal device.

Optionally, the second indication information is sent via an F1 control plane message (eg, an F1AP message). The F1 control plane message includes at least one of the following information: identification information for a terminal device in an F1 interface (for example, the identification information may be identification information for a terminal device on the F1AP side of the DU, or independent identification information for a terminal device in an interface) , a second cellular radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI2), and cell identifier information.

S113. The terminal device sends a first message to the first network node, where the first message contains identification information of the terminal device.

Optionally, the identification information for the terminal device is at least one of the first temporary cellular radio network ID information and the corresponding physical cell ID information.

For example, the first message is an RRC connection re-establishment request message. The terminal device sends an RRC reconnect request message and carries the source base station's PCI and the original C-RNTI1 in the RRC reconnect request message. The DU sends an RRC message to the CU via the F1 interface. Additionally, optionally, the DU encapsulates the first message in an RRC container and adds the first message and the second indication information in step S112 to the same F1AP message. For example, the F1AP message is an initial UE message used to indicate the access of a new terminal device.

S121. The first network node sends the first message to the first system.

In particular, since the first network node does not have some RRC functions, after receiving the first message, the first network node does not parse or modify the content of the first message, and performs appropriate processing of the first message at the protocol layer deployed on the first network node, and sends the first message to the first system. via the F1 interface.

For example, after receiving the RRC connection re-establishment request message, the DU processes the RRC connection re-establishment request message and sends the message to the CU via the F1 interface. For example, the message is carried in an RRC container in an initial UE F1AP message

S132. The first system sends a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message is used to instruct the first network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the first network node, and the second message includes terminal device identification information.

For example, if the CU can re-establish an RRC connection for the terminal device, the CU sends a second message to the DU via the F1 interface to instruct the DU to find the original terminal device context information that is stored in the DU and perform an incremental delta configuration based on the original context information. After performing the delta configuration, the DU sets the context for the terminal device. For example, the delta configuration includes: replacing the original C-RNTI1 with C-RNTI2 and/or updating the F1AP identification information for the terminal device.

The second message includes one of the following information or a combination of the following information: F1 interface terminal device identification information (F1AP CU side terminal device identification information and F1AP DU side terminal device identification information or independent identification information for the interface terminal device), original C-RNTI1, new C-RNTI2, cell ID, and identification information for the terminal device context (used to correlate with the terminal device context, which is stored in the DU and may be a context ID or another format ID of the terminal device).

S142. The first network node, based on the terminal device identification information carried in the second message, obtains the terminal device context information stored in the first network node.

Specifically, after receiving the second message, the first network node obtains the context information stored in the first network node and performs delta configuration based on the original context information. For example, the delta configuration specifically includes: replacing the original C-RNTI1 with C-RNTI2 and/or updating the identification information for the terminal device F1AP.

S151. The first system sends the first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

For example, the first indication information may be an RRC message. The RRC message is used to indicate that the terminal device's RRC connection re-establishment succeeds or fails. The RRC message is sent by the CU to the DU via the F1 interface. The DU processes the RRC message and sends the RRC message to the terminal device. Further, optionally, when the CU sends an RRC message to the DU via the control plane of the F1 interface, the RRC message and the second message in S132 may be carried in the same F1AP message to be sent.

Optionally, if the RRC recovery is successful, the first indication information is an RRC recovery message, and the F1AP message is an initial context setup message used to issue a DU command to create a context for the newly accessed UE. Otherwise, the CU sends an RRC recovery failure message to the terminal device.

S160. The terminal device sends an RRC connection re-establishment completion message to the first system based on the first indication information.

Specifically, if the first indication information indicates a success of the RRC connection re-establishment, the terminal device sends an RRC connection re-establishment completion message to the second network node. An RRC connection re-establishment completion message is sent by the first network node to the first system.

The above describes in detail the transmission method 100 in the embodiments of the present application with reference to FIG. 6-12. In the transmission method 100, since the first network node does not have some RRC functions, the first network node cannot parse the message sent by the terminal device, but can only send a message via the interface to the first system (or the second network node) for parsing. The transmission method 200 in embodiments of the present application is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 13-19. In transmission method 200, the first network node has some RRC functionality and may parse and/or respond to some RRC messages, such as an RRC message on SRB0.

Fig. 13 is a flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 13, the transmission method 200 includes the following steps.

S210. The first network node receives the first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the creation of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

S220. The first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message.

S230. The first network node obtains, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the context information of the terminal device, which is stored in the first network node.

In addition, the first network node receives, based on the identification information of the terminal device, a second message sent by the first system, where the second message includes the context information of the terminal device. Optionally, the first network node sends a response message to the terminal device to notify the terminal device of the RRC connection establishment failure. Additionally, the response message includes a reason value used to indicate the reason for the RRC connection establishment failure, eg, the first network node cannot obtain the context.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least some radio resource control layer functions and at least one of radio link control protocol layer functions, media access control layer functions, and physical layer functions.

In addition, the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control functions.

Optionally, the step in which the first network node receives, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the second message sent by the first system includes the step in which:

receiving by the first network node, based on the terminal device identification information, a second message sent by the second network node, where the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

It should be understood that the sequence of S230 and S240 is not limited.

In particular, the first network node receives the first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; and the first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message.

If the first network node stores the context information of the terminal device, the first network node obtains, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the context information of the terminal device, which is stored in the first network node; and the first network node sends a fourth message to the first system, where the fourth message is used to instruct the first system to obtain terminal device context information stored in the second network node.

If the first network node does not store the context information of the terminal device, the first network node receives a fifth message sent by the first system, where the fifth message includes a list of signaling radio bearers and/or a list of data radio bearers of the terminal device; and the first network node re-establishes the context information of the terminal device based on at least one of the identification information of the terminal device, the signaling radio link list of the terminal device, and the data radio link list of the terminal device.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 14 is another flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 14, the transmission method 200 includes the following steps.

S201. The first network node receives a third message sent by the first system, where the third message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep.

Optionally, the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

S202. The first system stores terminal device context information.

S203. The first network node stores terminal device context information.

S204. The first system sends a first command to the terminal device, where the first command is used to command the terminal device to go to sleep.

S205. The terminal device stores the terminal device context information in accordance with the first command.

It should be understood that, provided that the first network node is a DU, if the DU stores terminal device context information, an RRC connection reconnect message can be sent via an RRC UL message transmission message; or if the DU does not store the terminal device context information, the RRC connection reconnect message should be transmitted via the initial UL RRC message.

It should be understood that the above steps S201-S205 are the same as steps S101-S105 in FIG. 7 and both describe the processing performed when the terminal apparatus enters the sleep mode. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

S211. The terminal device sends the first message to the first network node, where the first message is used to request the resumption of the radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

For example, the terminal device initiates an RRC connection reconnection procedure and sends an RRC connection resume request message to resume the RRC connection of the terminal device. The RRC connection request message contains the terminal device's resume ID.

S221. The first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message.

In particular, since the first network node has some RRC functions, after receiving the first message, the first network node can parse the first message and determine terminal device identification information.

Optionally, the identification information is a terminal device resume ID.

S231. Based on the identification information of the terminal device, the first network node obtains the context information of the terminal device, which is stored in the first network node.

For example, after determining that the RRC connection request message contains a terminal device resume ID, the DU can find, based on the resume ID, the terminal device context information that is stored in the DU and resume the corresponding configuration and the corresponding transmission resource of the terminal device.

S241. The first network node sends a fifth message to the first system based on the first message, where the fifth message is used to instruct the first system to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first system.

For example, the DU sends the fifth message to the CU via the F1 interface. After the CU receives the fifth message from the F1 interface, if the CU can find the terminal device context information stored in the CU and can successfully resume the terminal device RRC connection based on the context information and the information carried in the fifth message, the CU resumes the corresponding configuration. and the corresponding transmission resource of the terminal device.

Optionally, the fifth message may carry indication information used to indicate that the first network node has not fully received the terminal device context. In addition, optionally, the first system carries the configuration information of the terminal device in the first indication information based on the indication information. The configuration information is used by the first network node to restore the terminal device context.

S250. Based on the fifth message, the first system obtains terminal device context information that is stored in the first system.

S260. The first system sends the first indication information to the first network node, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

Optionally, if the RRC connection of the terminal device is successfully re-established, the first indication information may further carry configuration information of the terminal device (e.g., including the SRB list and/or DRB list of the terminal device, the corresponding protocol stack configuration, and F1 interface user plane tunnel setup information (e.g., IP - CU-side address and GTP-U tunnel endpoint TEID) corresponding to the DRB list).

Optionally, if the RRC connection of the terminal device cannot be resumed, the first indication information instructs the first network node to delete the terminal device context or suspend the terminal device context.

S270. The first network node sends the second indication information to the terminal device to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

Alternatively, the first system sends second indication information to the terminal device to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully re-established or cannot be re-established.

For example, the second indication information may be an RRC message. The CU sends an RRC message to the terminal device to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed. The RRC message is sent to the DU via the F1 interface. The DU processes the RRC message and forwards the RRC message to the terminal device. Alternatively, the DU generates the second indication information based on the first indication information and sends the second indication information to the terminal device.

Fig. 15 is another flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 15, the transmission method 200 includes the following steps.

S271. The terminal device sends the first message to the first network node, where the first message is used to request the resumption of the radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

It should be understood that the processing performed when the terminal device enters the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 15 is similar to the processing performed when the terminal apparatus enters the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 8. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

S272. The first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message.

S273. The first network node obtains, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the context information of the terminal device, which is stored in the first network node.

S274. The first network node sends a fifth message to the second network node based on the first message, where the fifth message is used to issue a command to the second network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the second network node, and the fifth message includes terminal device identification information.

Optionally, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system. The first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

S275. The second network node obtains, based on the terminal device identification information that is transmitted in the fifth message, the terminal device context information that is stored in the second network node.

S276. The second network node sends a seventh message to the third network node, where the seventh message is used to instruct the third network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the third network node, and the seventh message includes terminal device identification information.

In addition, the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

For example, the first system is a TC, the second network node is a CU-CP, and the third network node is a CU-UP.

S277. The third network node obtains, based on the terminal device identification information that is transmitted in the seventh message, the terminal device context information that is stored in the third network node.

It should be understood that the second network node sends the second indication information to the terminal device. The second indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal apparatus has been successfully resumed or not.

Fig. 16 is another flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 16, the transmission method 200 includes the following steps.

S206. The first network node releases the terminal device context information.

It should be understood that the other processing steps performed when the terminal apparatus enters the sleep mode are the same except for the difference from S203 in FIG. 14. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

It should be further understood that, in contrast to the processing performed when the terminal device resumes operation from the sleep mode in FIG. 14 lies in the processing performed by the first network node on the context information of the terminal device. The transmission method 200 further includes the following steps.

S212. The terminal device sends the first message to the first network node, where the first message is used to request the resumption of the radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

For example, the terminal device initiates an RRC connection resume procedure and sends an RRC connection resume request message to the terminal device. The RRC connection request message contains the terminal device's resume ID.

S222. The first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message.

In particular, since the first network node has some RRC functions, after receiving the first message, the first network node can parse the first message and determine terminal device identification information.

Optionally, the identification information is a terminal device resume ID.

S242. The first network node sends a fourth message to the first system, where the fourth message is used to instruct the first system to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the second network node.

Optionally, the fourth message includes terminal device identification information.

Optionally, the identification information is a terminal device resume ID. For example, the DU sends the fourth message to the TC via the F1 interface. After the CU receives the fourth message from the F1 interface, if the CU can find the terminal device context information stored in the CU and can successfully resume the terminal device RRC connection based on the context information and the information carried in the fourth message, the CU resumes the corresponding configuration and corresponding transmission resource of the terminal device.

It should be understood that since the first network node releases the terminal device context information in step S206, the first network node cannot acquire the terminal device context information after step S222.

S251. Based on the fourth message, the first system obtains the terminal device context information stored in the first system and successfully resumes or fails to resume the RRC connection of the terminal device.

S252. The first system sends a fifth message to the first network node, where the fifth message is used to indicate to the first network node that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully reopened. Optionally, the fifth message includes a list of signaling radio bearers and/or a list of data radio bearers of the terminal device.

Alternatively, the fifth message is used to indicate to the first network node that the RRC connection of the terminal device cannot be resumed. Optionally, the fifth message is used to instruct the first network node to remove or suspend terminal device context information.

Specifically, after finding the terminal device context information that is stored in the first system, the first system sends a fifth message to the first network node, where the fifth message is used to instruct the first network node to re-establish the terminal device context information, and the fifth message includes a list of signaling radio channels and/or a list of data radio channels of the terminal device; and after receiving the fifth message, the first network node may reset the terminal device context information based on at least one of the terminal device identification information, the signaling radio list of the terminal device, and the data radio bearer list of the terminal device.

For example, after the CU receives the F1 interface message, if the terminal device's RRC connection can be successfully resumed, the CU sends an F1 interface control plane message to the DU to instruct the DU to resume the context for the terminal device, configure the SRB and DRB protocol stacks, and establish control plane and user plane channels of the F1 interface connection.

Optionally, the interface control plane message carries one or a combination of the following information: terminal device identification information on the F1 interface (terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the CU and terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the DU, or independent identification information for the terminal device on the interface), C-RNTI, terminal device context identification information (correlated with the terminal device context information stored in the DU, for example, the terminal device context identification information may be a terminal device context ID or ID in another format), signaling radio bearer list (SRB list ) and/or the data radio bearer list (DRB list) of the terminal device and the corresponding protocol stack configurations and F1 interface setting information (eg, CU side IP address and GTP-U TEID) corresponding to the DRB list.

S261. The first network node re-establishes the context information of the terminal device based on at least one of the identification information of the terminal device, the list of signaling radio bearers of the terminal device, and the list of radio bearers of data transmission of the terminal device.

S270. The first system sends the second indication information to the terminal device, where the second indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

Alternatively, the first network node sends the second indication information to the terminal device, where the second first indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

Fig. 17 is another flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 17, method 200 includes the following steps.

S278. The terminal device sends the first message to the first network node, where the first message is used to request the resumption of the radio resource control connection of the terminal device.

It should be understood that the processing performed when the terminal device enters the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 17 is the same as the processing performed when the terminal apparatus enters the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 10. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

S279. The first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message.

S280. The first network node sends a fifth message to the second network node based on the first message, where the fifth message is used to issue a command to the second network node to obtain terminal device context information stored in the second network node, and the fifth message includes terminal device identification information.

In addition, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system. The first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

S281. The second network node obtains, based on the fifth message, terminal device context information that is stored in the second network node.

S282. The second network node sends the seventh message to the third network node, where the seventh message is used to instruct the third network nodes to obtain terminal device context information stored in the third network node, and the seventh message includes terminal device identification information.

In addition, the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

For example, the first system is a TC, the second network node is a CU-CP, and the third network node is a CU-UP.

S283. The third network node obtains, based on the terminal device identification information that is transmitted in the seventh message, the terminal device context information that is stored in the third network node.

S284. The second network node sends a sixth message to the first network node, where the sixth message includes identification information of the terminal device and at least one of the signaling radio link list and the data radio link list of the terminal device, and the sixth message is used to issue a command to the first network node to restoring the context information of the terminal device.

S285. The first network node re-establishes the terminal device context information based on the identification information of the terminal device and at least one of the signaling radio bearer list and the terminal device data radio bearer list carried in the sixth message.

It should be understood that if the second network node can resume the RRC connection of the terminal device, then the second network node sends the second indication information to the terminal device. The second indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal apparatus has been successfully resumed or not.

It should also be understood that S282 and S283 may be performed before S284 and S285, or may be performed after S284 and S285. This application is not limited to this.

Fig. 18 is another flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 18, method 200 includes the following steps.

S287. The second network node sends the seventh message to the third network node, where the seventh message is used to issue a command to the third network node to recover the terminal device context information that is stored in the third network node, and the seventh message includes the list of radio data transmission channels of the terminal device and identification information terminal device.

In addition, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

For example, the first system is a TC, the second network node is a CU-CP, and the third network node is a CU-UP.

S288. The third network node re-establishes the context information of the terminal device based on the radio data link list of the terminal device and the identification information of the terminal device carried in the seventh message.

It should be understood that the processing performed when the terminal device enters the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 18 is similar to the processing performed when the terminal apparatus goes to sleep in the transmission method shown in FIG. 11. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

In addition, it should be understood that the processing procedure performed when the terminal device transitions from the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 18 is the same as the processing procedure performed when the terminal device transitions from the sleep mode in the transmission method shown in FIG. 17, except for the difference from S283 and S284. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

In addition, it should be understood that if the second network node can resume the RRC connection of the terminal device, the second network node sends the second indication information to the terminal device. The second indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully resumed or cannot be resumed.

In addition, it should be understood that S287 and S288 may be performed before S284 and S285, or may be performed after S284 and S285. This application is not limited to this.

Fig. 19 is another flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. It should be understood that the scenario for applying the transmission method shown in FIG. 19 is similar to the transmission method shown in FIG. 12. The difference is as follows: the first network node in FIG. 19 has some RRC functionality, and the first network node in FIG. 12 does not have RRC function.

As shown in FIG. 19, the transmission method 200 includes the following steps.

S207. The terminal device accesses the cell managed by the first network node and the first system and obtains the first temporary cellular radio network ID for the terminal device.

S208. The terminal device sends the random access preamble sequence to the first network node, where the random access preamble sequence is used by the terminal device to initiate random access.

S209. The first network node sends a random access response message to the terminal device, where the random access response message includes a second cellular radio network temporary identifier for the terminal device.

S213. The first network node sends the second indication information to the first system, where the second indication information includes a second temporary cellular radio network identifier for the terminal device.

It should be understood that the above steps are the same as steps S107, S108, S109 and S112 in FIG. 8. For brevity, the details are not repeated here.

S214. The terminal device sends a first message to the first network node, where the first message includes identification information of the terminal device.

Optionally, the terminal device identification information is at least one of the first temporary cellular radio network ID information and the physical cell ID information.

For example, the first message is an RRC connection re-establishment request message. The terminal device sends an RRC reconnect request message and carries the source base station's PCI and the original C-RNTI1 in the RRC reconnect request message. The DU forwards the RRC message to the CU via the F1 interface. Also, if necessary, when the DU forwards the message via the F1 interface, the message and the second indication information in step S112 are carried in the same F1AP message. The RRC Reconnect Request message is an RRC container. For example, the F1AP message is the start message of the UE.

S223. The first network node determines the terminal device identification information based on the first message.

In particular, since the first network node has some RRC functions, after receiving the first message, the first network node can parse the first message and determine terminal device identification information.

Optionally, the first message is an RRC connection re-establishment request message.

Optionally, the identification information is at least one of the terminal device's cellular radio network temporary identification information and the physical cell ID information.

S232. The first network node obtains, based on the identification information of the terminal device, the context information of the terminal device, which is stored in the first network node.

For example, after determining that the RRC connection request message carries the PCI and/or C-RNTI1 of the terminal device, the DU may find, based on the PCI and/or C-RNTI1 of the terminal device, the context information of the terminal device that is stored in the DU , and resume the corresponding configuration and corresponding transmission resource of the terminal device.

S233. The first network node sends the third indication information to the terminal apparatus, where the third indication information is used to indicate that the RRC connection re-establishment succeeds or fails.

For example, after the DU receives the RRC message, if the DU can reestablish an RRC connection for the terminal device, the DU sends an RRC message to the terminal device to indicate that the RRC connection of the terminal device has been successfully restored. Otherwise, the DU sends an RRC recovery failure message to the terminal device.

S243. The first network node sends the fourth indication information to the first system based on the first message, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the temporary cellular radio network ID for the terminal device is changing.

For example, the DU sends configuration information to the CU via the F1 interface to indicate that the C-RNTI of the terminal device is changing. The configuration information includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: terminal device identification information on the F1 interface (terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the CU and terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the DU, or independent identification information for the terminal device on the interface), initial C-RNTI1, new C-RNTI2 terminal device context identification information (used to correlate with the terminal device context that is stored in the DU, where the terminal device context identification information may be a terminal device context ID or an ID in another format).

Optionally, the first system generates an appropriate RRC and/or RB configuration for the terminal device based on the fourth indication information, and sends the corresponding RRC and/or RB configuration to the first network node. The first network node generates the third indication information. In this case, S233 is executed after S243.

S253. The terminal apparatus sends an RRC connection re-establishment completion message to the first system based on the third indication information.

Specifically, if the third indication information indicates that the RRC connection re-establishment is successful, the terminal device sends an RRC connection re-establishment completion message to the first system. An RRC connection re-establishment completion message is sent by the first network node to the first system.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, a physical layer function, and a radio resource control function.

In addition, the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control functions.

Fig. 20 is a flowchart of a transmission method 300 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 20, method 300 includes the following steps.

S310. The first network node determines that a radio link failure occurs between the first network node and the terminal device.

In addition, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function.

For example, the DU detects that RLF is occurring in communication between the DU and the terminal device. The cause may be a physical layer cause (eg, the number of times of out-of-sync in a certain time period exceeds a threshold), an excessive amount of relay time at the RLC layer, or the like.

S320. The first network node sends an eighth message to the second network node, where the eighth message is used to indicate to the second network node that a radio link failure is occurring between the first network node and the terminal device.

Optionally, the second network node includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control function.

Optionally, the eighth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and a temporary cellular radio network identifier.

For example, the DU sends a notification message to the CU via the F1 interface to notify the CU that the terminal device detects RLF. The message includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: terminal device identification information on the F1 interface (terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the CU and terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the DU or independent identification information for the terminal device on the interface) C-RNTI, terminal device context identification information (used to correlate with the terminal device context that is stored in the DU, where the terminal device context identification information may be a terminal device context ID or an ID in another format), an RLF indication, and an RLF cause (e.g., physical layer reason or RLC layer reason).

S330. The second network node sets a timer based on the eighth message.

S340. If the timer expires, the second network node sends a ninth message to the first network node, where the ninth message is used to instruct the first network node to release the terminal device context.

For example, if the timer expires, the CU through the F1 interface issues a DU command to release the terminal device context information and release the F1 interface connection.

Also, optionally, the CU releases the NG interface.

It should be understood that if the second network node receives the radio resource control connection message before the timer expires, the second network node stops the timer.

Fig. 21 is another flowchart of a transmission method 300 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 21, method 300 includes the following steps.

S311. The first network node determines that a radio link failure has occurred between the first network node and the terminal device.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function.

S321. The first network node sends an eighth message to the second network node, where the eighth message is used to indicate to the second network node that a radio link failure is occurring between the first network node and the terminal device.

Optionally, the second network node is a control plane node of the first system. The first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions. Optionally, the eighth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and a temporary cellular radio network identifier.

For example, the DU sends a notification message to the CU-CP via the F1 interface to notify the CU-CP that the UE has encountered an RLF. The message includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of parts of the following information: F1 interface UE ID (F1AP DU side UE ID and F1AP CU side UE ID, or interface UE ID), C-RNTI, UE ID (used for correlation with the UE context, which is stored in the DU, where the UE ID can be a UE context ID or an ID in another format), an RLF indication, and an RLF reason (Physical layer reason or RLC layer reason).

S331. The second network node sets a timer based on the eighth message.

S341. If the timer expires, the second network node sends a ninth message to the first network node, where the ninth message is used to instruct the first network node to release the terminal device context information.

S342. If the timer expires, the second network node sends a tenth message to the third network node, where the tenth message is used to instruct the third network node to release the terminal device context information.

Optionally, the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

For example, if the timer expires, the CU-CP issues a DU command over the F1 interface to release the UE context and release the F1 connection. The CU-CP through the E1 interface issues a CU-UP command to release the UE context and release the Ng-U interface connection, the F1 interface connection, and the E1 interface connection.

Also, optionally, the CU releases the NG interface.

It should be understood that there is no sequence between S341 and S342.

In addition, it should be understood that if the second network node receives the radio resource control connection message before the timer expires, the second network node stops the timer.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 22 is a flowchart of a transmission method 400 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 22, the transmission method 400 includes the following steps.

S410. The terminal device accesses the cell managed by the first network node and the first system and establishes an RRC connection.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function.

Optionally, the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control functions.

It should be understood that the first network node and the first system are different network nodes obtained by separating some functions of the network device. The network device includes a first network node and a first system.

In addition, it should be understood that the first network node may be the source DU and the first system may be the source CU. The transmission method in Fig. 22 is used to transfer the terminal device from a source DU controlled by the source CU to a target DU controlled by the target CU.

For example, the terminal device accesses a cell controlled by the CU-DU and establishes an RRC connection. The C-RNTI of the terminal device is C-RNTI1. Both CU and DU store terminal device context information.

S420. The first system determines to handoff the terminal device to the fifth network node and sends a handover request message to the fifth network node.

For example, the source CU decides to hand off the terminal device to the target CU and sends a handover request message to the target CU via an interface between base stations or an interface between a base station and a core network entity, namely the RAN-CN interface.

S430. The fifth network node sends a handover preparation message to the fourth network node, where the handover preparation message is used to request the fourth network node to perform configuration for the terminal device.

It should be understood that the fourth network node may be the target DU and the fifth network node may be the target CU.

Optionally, the fourth network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function.

Optionally, the fifth network node includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

For example, after the target CU performs admission control if access to the terminal device is allowed, the target CU sends a handover preparation message to the target DU to request the target DU to perform configuration for the terminal device. The message includes one of the following information or a combination of a plurality of pieces of the following information: terminal device identification information on the F1 interface (terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the CU and terminal device identification information on the F1AP side of the DU or independent identification information for the terminal device on the interface) terminal device context identification information (correlated with the terminal device context information that is stored in the DU, for example, the terminal device context identification information may be a terminal device context ID or an ID in another format), SRB list and/or terminal device DRB list, setup information F1 interface (eg, tunnel address on the CU side and TEID of the GTP-U) corresponding to the DRB, and cell ID (eg, PCI or ECGI).

S440. The fourth network node sends the temporary cellular radio network ID and/or allocated random access resource to the fifth network node based on the handover preparation message.

For example, after receiving the message, the DU allocates the C-RNTI2 and/or dedicated RACH resource to the terminal device and sends the C-RNTI2 and/or dedicated RACH resource to the CU via the F1 interface. For example, the information related to the RACH resource specifically includes the identification information beam ID and the physical resource indication.

S450. The fifth network node sends a handover command to the first system, where the handover command includes a temporary cellular radio network identifier and/or an allocated random access resource.

For example, the target CU sends a handover command to the source CU by forwarding over an inter-base station interface or over a RAN-CN interface. The handover command transfers the configuration that is made by the target CU to the terminal device. The configuration includes C-RNTI2 and a dedicated RACH resource.

S460. The first system sends configuration information to the terminal device, where the configuration information includes a temporary cellular radio network identifier and/or a dedicated random access resource.

S470. The terminal device accesses the fifth network node using a temporary cellular radio network identifier and/or a dedicated random access resource.

According to the transmission method in this embodiment of the present application, the context of a terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of a network device are divided into different network nodes.

The above describes in detail the transmission methods in the embodiments of the present application with reference to FIGS. 6-22. The network devices in embodiments of the present application are further described in detail with reference to FIGS. From 23-36.

Fig. 23 is a block diagram of a network device 500 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 23, the network device 500 includes:

a transceiver module 510, configured to receive a first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; And

a processing module 520, configured to control the transceiver module to send a first message to the first system, where the transceiver module is further configured to receive a second message sent by the first system based on the first message; the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node; or the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

Optionally, the transceiver module 510 is further configured to receive a third message sent by the first system; and the first network node stores the terminal device context information or releases the terminal device context information based on the third message.

Optionally, the transceiver module 510 is further configured to receive an instruction message sent by the first system, where the instruction message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep; and the first network node sends an instruction message to the terminal device.

Optionally, the transceiver module 510 is specifically configured to send a first message to a second network node and receive a second message sent by the second network node based on the first message, where the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the terminal device identification information is at least one of the terminal device resume identification information, the first interface terminal device identification information, the cellular radio network temporary ID information, and the physical cell ID information. The first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

Optionally, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a data radio bearer parameter, terminal device identification information, cell ID information, and first interface connection information. The first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of radio link control protocol layer functions, media access control layer functions, and physical layer functions; and/or

the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control function.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 24 is a block diagram of a network device 600 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 24, network device 600 includes:

a transceiver module 610, configured to receive a first message from the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; And

a processing unit 620, configured to send a second message to the first network node based on the first message, where the second message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the first network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node, or the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

Optionally, the transceiver module 610 is the transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module 620 is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the transceiver module 610 is further configured to send a fourth message to the third network node, where the fourth message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the third network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the third network node. , or the fourth message includes terminal device context information, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the transceiver module 610 is further configured to send an instruction message to the first network node, where the instruction message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep; and the first network node sends an instruction message to the terminal device.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of radio link control protocol layer functions, media access control layer functions, and physical layer functions; and/or

the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control function.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 25 is a block diagram of a network device 700 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 25, network device 700 includes:

a transceiver module 710, configured to receive a fourth message sent by the second network node, wherein the fourth message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the third network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node , or the fourth message includes terminal device context information; And

a processing unit 720, configured to establish terminal device context information based on the fourth message, where the second network node is a control plane node of the first system and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the transceiver module 710 is further configured to receive a fifth message sent by the second network node; and the processing module is further configured to store the terminal device context information based on the fifth message or release a portion of the terminal device context information based on the fifth message. The terminal device context information is access layer context information.

Optionally, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a second interface connection information, a third interface connection information, a fourth interface connection information, a radio resource control configuration, a radio bearer parameter, a current security context information, a packet data convergence protocol status, a cell ID; and identification information used to identify the terminal device. The second interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the core network. The third interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the second network node. The fourth interface is used for data transmission and/or information exchange between the third network node and the first network node.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of radio link control protocol layer functions, media access control layer functions, and physical layer functions; and/or

the first system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a radio resource control function.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 26 is a block diagram of a network device 800 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 26, network device 800 includes:

a transceiver module 810, configured to receive a first message sent by the terminal device, where the first message is used to request the establishment of a radio resource control connection of the terminal device; And

a processing unit 820, configured to determine terminal device identification information based on the first message.

The processing unit 820 is further configured to obtain, based on the terminal device identification information, terminal device context information that is stored in the first network node; or

the processing unit 820 is further configured to receive, based on the terminal device identification information, a second message sent by the first system, where the second message includes terminal device context information, and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

Optionally, the transceiver module 810 is further configured to receive a third message sent by the first system; and the processing module is further configured to store the terminal device context information based on the third message or to release the terminal device context information based on the third message.

Optionally, the transceiver module 810 is further configured to receive an instruction message sent by the first system, where the instruction message is used by the first network node to instruct the terminal device to go to sleep; and the first network node sends an instruction message to the terminal device.

Optionally, the transceiver module 810 is a transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module 820 is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the terminal device identification information is at least one of the terminal device resume identification information, the first interface terminal device identification information, the cellular radio network temporary ID information, and the physical cell ID information. The first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network nodes and the first system.

Optionally, the terminal device context information includes at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a data radio bearer parameter, and a first interface connection information. The first interface is used for data transmission and information exchange between the first network node and the first system.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, a physical layer function, and a radio resource control function; and/or

the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 27 is a block diagram of a network device 900 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 27, the network device 900 includes:

a transceiver module 910, configured to receive a sixth message sent by the first network node, where the sixth message includes terminal device identification information, and the sixth message is used by the first system to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the first system; And

a processing unit 920, configured to send a second message to the first network node based on the sixth message, where the second message includes terminal device context information and the terminal device context information is access layer context information.

Optionally, the transceiver module 910 is a transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module 920 is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the transceiver module 910 is further configured to send a seventh message to a third network node, where the seventh message includes terminal device identification information, and the terminal device identification information is used by the third network node to obtain terminal device context information that is stored in the third network node. , or the second message includes terminal device context information, and the third network node is a user plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, a physical layer function, and a radio resource control function; and/or

the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be efficiently managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 28 is a block diagram of a network device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 28, network device 1000 includes:

a processing unit 1010, configured to determine a radio link failure between the first network node and the terminal device, where the first network node includes at least one of a radio link control protocol layer function, a media access control layer function, and a physical layer function; And

a transceiver module 1020, configured to send a sixth message to the first system, where the sixth message is used to indicate to the second network node that a radio link failure occurs between the first network node and the terminal device, and the second network node includes at least one of the functions packet data convergence protocol layer, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1020 is further configured to receive a seventh message sent by the first system, where the seventh message is used to instruct the first network node to release the terminal device context.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1020 is a transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is a control plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the sixth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and a temporary cellular radio network identifier.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 29 is a block diagram of a network device 1100 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 29, network device 1100 includes:

a transceiver module 1110, configured to receive a sixth message sent by the first network node, where the sixth message is used to indicate to the first system that a radio link failure occurs between the first network node and the terminal device; And

a processing module 1120, configured to set a timer based on the sixth message.

If the timer expires, the first system sends a seventh message to the first network node, where the seventh message is used to instruct the first network node to release the terminal device context; or if the first system receives the radio resource control connection message before the timer expires, the first system stops the timer.

Optionally, the first network node includes at least one of radio link control protocol layer functions, media access control layer functions, and physical layer functions; and the first system includes at least one of packet data convergence protocol layer functions, service data adaptation protocol layer functions, and radio resource control layer functions.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1110 is a transceiver module of the second network node, the processing module 1120 is the processing module of the second network node, and the second network node is the control plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the transceiver module 1110 is further configured to: when the timer expires, send the eighth message to the third network node, where the eighth message is used to command the third network node to release the terminal device context information, and the third network node is the user plane node of the first system.

Optionally, the sixth message includes at least one of terminal device identification information, radio link failure indication information, and a temporary cellular radio network identifier.

According to the network device in this embodiment of the present application, the context of the terminal device can be effectively managed when some functions of the network device are divided into different network nodes.

Fig. 30 is a block diagram of a network device 1200 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 30, the network device 1200 includes a processor 1201, a memory 1202, a receiver 1203, and a transmitter 1204. These components are in a communication connection. The memory 1202 is configured to store an instruction. The processor 1201 is configured to: execute an instruction stored in memory 1202, control a receiver 1203 to receive information, and control a transmitter 1204 to send information.

Processor 1201 is configured to execute an instruction stored in memory 1202. Processor 1201 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions corresponding to processing module 520 in network device 500. Receiver 1203 and transmitter 1204 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions. or functions corresponding to the transceiver module 510 in the network device 500. For brevity, details are not repeated here.

Fig. 31 is a block diagram of a network device 1300 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 31, the network device 1300 includes a processor 1301, a memory 1302, a receiver 1303, and a transmitter 1304. These components are in a communication connection. The memory 1302 is configured to store an instruction. The processor 1301 is configured to: execute an instruction stored in memory 1302, control a receiver 1303 to receive information, and control a transmitter 1304 to send information.

Processor 1301 is configured to execute an instruction stored in memory 1302. Processor 1301 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions corresponding to processing module 620 in network device 600. Receiver 1303 and transmitter 1304 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions. or functions corresponding to the transceiver module 610 in the network device 600. For brevity, details are not repeated here.

Fig. 32 is a block diagram of a network device 1400 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 32, the network device 1400 includes a processor 1401, a memory 1402, a receiver 1403, and a transmitter 1404. These components are in a communications connection. The memory 1402 is configured to store an instruction. The processor 1401 is configured to: execute an instruction stored in memory 1402, control a receiver 1403 to receive information, and control a transmitter 1404 to send information.

Processor 1401 is configured to execute an instruction stored in memory 1402. Processor 1401 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions corresponding to processing module 720 in network device 700. Receiver 1403 and transmitter 1404 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions. or functions corresponding to the transceiver module 710 in the network device 700. For brevity, details are not repeated here.

Fig. 33 is a block diagram of a network device 1500 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 33, the network device 1500 includes a processor 1501, a memory 1502, a receiver 1503, and a transmitter 1504. These components are in a communication connection. The memory 1502 is configured to store an instruction. The processor 1501 is configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory 1502, control the receiver 1503 to receive information, and control the transmitter 1504 to send information.

Processor 1501 is configured to execute an instruction stored in memory 1502. Processor 1501 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions corresponding to processing module 820 in network device 800. Receiver 1503 and transmitter 1504 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions. or functions corresponding to the transceiver module 810 in the network device 800. For brevity, details are not repeated here.

Fig. 34 is a block diagram of a network device 1600 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 34, a network device 1600 includes a processor 1601, a memory 1602, a receiver 1603, and a transmitter 1604. These components are in a communications connection. Memory 1602 is configured to store an instruction. The processor 1601 is configured to: execute an instruction stored in memory 1602, control a receiver 1603 to receive information, and control a transmitter 1604 to send information.

Processor 1601 is configured to execute an instruction stored in memory 1602. Processor 1601 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions corresponding to processing module 920 in network device 900. Receiver 1603 and transmitter 1604 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions. or functions corresponding to the transceiver module 910 in the network device 900. For brevity, details are not repeated here.

Fig. 35 is a block diagram of a network device 1700 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 35, the network device 1700 includes a processor 1701, a memory 1702, a receiver 1703, and a transmitter 1704. These components are in a communications connection. The memory 1702 is configured to store an instruction. The processor 1701 is configured to: execute an instruction stored in memory 1702, control a receiver 1703 to receive information, and control a transmitter 1704 to send information.

Processor 1701 is configured to execute an instruction stored in memory 1702. Processor 1701 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions corresponding to processing module 1010 in network device 1000. Receiver 1703 and transmitter 1704 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions. or functions corresponding to the transceiver module 1020 in the network device 1000. For brevity, details are not repeated here.

Fig. 36 is a block diagram of a network device 1800 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 36, the network device 1800 includes a processor 1801, a memory 1802, a receiver 1803, and a transmitter 1804. These components are in a communications connection. The memory 1802 is configured to store the instruction. The processor 1801 is configured to: execute an instruction stored in memory 1802, control a receiver 1803 to receive information, and control a transmitter 1804 to send information.

Processor 1801 is configured to execute an instruction stored in memory 1802. Processor 1801 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions corresponding to processing module 1120 in network device 1100. Receiver 1803 and transmitter 1804 can be configured to perform operations and/or functions. or functions corresponding to the transceiver module 1110 in the network device 1100. For brevity, details are not repeated here.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a chip system. The chip system is applied to a network device, and the chip system includes: at least one processor, at least one memory, and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is responsible for the exchange of information between the chip system and the external environment. At least one memory, interface circuit and at least one processor are connected to each other via a communication line. An instruction is stored in at least one memory. An instruction is executed by at least one processor to perform network device operations in the methods in accordance with the above aspects.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, including a network device and/or a terminal device. The network device is a network device according to the above aspects.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product. The computer program product is applied to a network device, and the computer program product includes a set of instructions. When the instructions are executed, the operations of the network device are performed in the methods in accordance with the above aspects.

In the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the above embodiments of the method of the present application may be applied to a processor, or may be implemented by a processor. The processor may be an integrated circuit and may have signal processing capability. During implementation, the steps in the above method embodiments may be implemented using hardware integrated logic in a processor, or using software instructions. The processor may be a general purpose processor, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gateway or transistorized logic device or diskette hardware component. The processor may implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams that are disclosed in the embodiments of the present application. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or the processor may be any conventional processor, or the like. The steps of the methods disclosed with reference to embodiments of the present application may be directly executed and completed using a hardware decoding processor, or may be performed and completed using a combination of hardware and a software module in a decoding processor. The program module may be located on a storage medium known in the art, such as random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, read-only programmable memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, or a register. The storage medium is in memory and the processor reads information from the memory and performs the steps in the above methods with reference to the processor hardware.

It can be understood that the memory in embodiments of the present application may be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include volatile memory and non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (Programmable ROM, PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (Erasable PROM, EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (Electrically EPROM, EEPROM), or flash -memory. Volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM) used as an external cache. By way of example, and not limitation, many forms of RAM can be used, such as Static Random Access Memory (Static RAM, SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (Dynamic RAM, DRAM), Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (Synchronous DRAM, SDRAM) , Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (Double Data Rate SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), Enhanced Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (Enhanced SDRAM, ESDRAM), Synchronous Linked Dynamic Random Access Memory (Synchlink DRAM, SLDRAM) direct resident access bus (Direct Rambus RAM, DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory in the systems and methods described herein includes, but is not limited to, this memory and any other appropriate type of memory.

It should be understood that "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" referred to in this specification means that specific features, structures, or characteristics relating to a given embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, the expression "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments in any appropriate manner. It should be understood that the sequence numbers of the above processes do not indicate the sequence of execution in various embodiments of the present application. The execution sequences of the processes should be determined based on the functions and internal logic of the processes and should not be considered as any limitation on the processes of implementing embodiments according to this application.

In addition, the terms "system" and "network" may be used throughout this specification. The term "and/or" in this application only describes an association to describe related objects and represents that three associations can exist. For example, A and/or B can represent the following three cases: only A exists, both A and B exist, and only B exists. In addition, the symbol "/" in this description usually indicates an "or" relationship between associated objects.

It should be understood that in embodiments of the present application, "B corresponding to A" indicates that B is related to A, and B can be determined based on A. However, it should be further understood that the definition of B based on A does not mean that B is determined only based on A; that is, B can also be determined based on A and/or other information.

All or some of the above embodiments may be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When software is used to implement the embodiments, all or some of the embodiments may be implemented as a computer program product. The computer program product may include one or more computer instructions. When computer program instructions are downloaded and executed on a computer, all or some of the procedures or functions are generated in accordance with embodiments of the present application. The computer may be a general purpose computer, a dedicated computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium or may be transferred from a computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, computer instructions may be transmitted from a website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center over a wired network (such as coaxial cable, fiber, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (eg infrared, radio or microwave) method. A computer-readable storage medium can be any usable medium that is accessible to a computer, or a data storage device, such as a server or data center, that combines one or more usable media. The medium used may be a magnetic medium (eg, a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic disk), an optical medium (eg, a DVD), a semiconductor medium (eg, a solid state disk (SSD)), or the like.

One skilled in the art may be aware that with reference to the examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the blocks and steps of an algorithm may be implemented using electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. The performance of functions by means of hardware or software depends on the specific applications and design limitations of the technical solutions. A person skilled in the art can use various methods to implement the described functions for each particular application, but such an implementation should not be considered to be outside the protection scope of this application.

A person skilled in the art can clearly understand that for convenience and brevity of description, reference may be made to the corresponding process in the above method embodiments for the detailed working process of the above system, apparatus and unit, and the details are not described here again.

In several embodiments provided herein, it should be understood that the disclosed system, apparatus, and method may be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described are merely examples. For example, the division into blocks is simply a logical division of functions and may be another division in the actual implementation. For example, many blocks or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not performed. In addition, the mutual links shown or discussed, or direct links or link connections, may be implemented over some interfaces. Indirect connections or communication connections between devices or blocks can be implemented in electrical, mechanical or other forms.

Blocks described as separate parts may or may not be physically separated, and parts shown as blocks may or may not be physical units, may be located in the same location, or may be distributed across multiple network blocks. Some or all of the blocks may be selected according to actual requirements to achieve the goals of the solutions of the embodiments.

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

When functions are implemented in the form of a software function block and sold or used as a stand-alone product, the functions may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions in the present application per se or part contributing to the prior art, or some of the technical solutions can be implemented in the form of a software product. The computer program product is stored on a storage medium and includes several instructions for issuing commands to a computing device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, or the like) to perform all or some of the steps of the methods described in embodiments of the present application. A storage medium includes any medium that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, removable hard disk, read only memory, random access memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

The above descriptions are merely specific implementations of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Any change or replacement readily detectable by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should/should fall within the scope of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be subject to the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims (60)

1. A transmission method, comprising the steps of: receiving a sleep instruction for the terminal device, which is sent by the second network device; indicating, in response to the sleep instruction, to the second network device that the terminal device is entering the sleep mode. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of: sending the idle timer allocated to the terminal device to the second network device. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method further comprises the step of: receiving an indication from the second network device, the indication indicating that the second network device is receiving downlink data of the terminal device from the core network. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises the step of: starting, based on said indication, initiating a radio access network paging within the radio access network notification range to notify the terminal device. 5. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, in which the first network device has an RRC protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for SRB processing, the second network device has an SDAP protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for DRB processing, and the first network device and the second network device belong to the same base station. 6. A transmission method, comprising the steps of: sending a sleep instruction for the terminal device to the first network device; receiving an indication sent by the first network device indicating that the terminal device is transitioning to a sleep mode. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises the step of: receiving an inactivity timer allocated to the terminal device, which is sent by the first network device. 8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the method further comprises the step of: sending an indication to the first network device, the indication indicating that the second network device is receiving downlink data of the terminal device from the core network. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the indication instructs the first network device to initiate a radio access network paging within a radio access network notification range to notify the terminal device. 10. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 6-9, in which the second network device has an SDAP protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for DRB processing, the first network device has an RRC protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for SRB processing, and the second network device and the first network device belong to the same base station. 11. Network communication device, containing: means for receiving a sleep instruction for the terminal device that is sent by the second network device; means for indicating, in response to the sleep instruction, to the second network device that the terminal device is entering the sleep mode. 12. The network communications device of claim 11, further comprising: means for sending the idle timer allocated to the terminal device to the second network device. 13. Network communication device according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising: means for receiving an indication from the second network device, the indication indicating that the second network device is receiving downlink data of the terminal device from the core network. 14. The network communications device of claim 13, further comprising: means for initiating, based on said indication, a radio access network paging within the radio access network notification range to notify the terminal device. 15. Network communication device according to any one of paragraphs. 11-14, in which the network device has an RRC protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for SRB processing, the second network device has an SDAP protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for DRB processing, and the network device and the second network device belong to the same base station . 16. Network communication device, containing: means for sending a sleep instruction for the terminal device to the first network device; means for receiving an indication which is sent by the first network device and which indicates that the terminal device is going to sleep. 17. The network communications device of claim 16, further comprising: means for receiving an inactivity timer allocated to the terminal device, which is sent by the first network device. 18. Network communication device according to claim 16 or 17, further comprising: a module configured to send an indication to the first network device, the indication indicating that the second network device is receiving downlink data of the terminal device from the core network. 19. The network communications device of claim 18, wherein the indication instructs the first network device to initiate a radio access network paging within the radio access network notification range to notify the terminal device. 20. Network communication device according to any one of paragraphs. 16-19, while the network device has an SDAP protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for DRB processing, the first network device has an RRC protocol layer function and a PDCP protocol layer function that is responsible for SRB processing, and the network device and the first network device belong to the same base station . 21. A network communication device, comprising: a memory, a transceiver and at least one processor, wherein the memory, the transceiver and at least one processor are connected to each other via a communication line, and the transceiver is configured to perform information sending/receiving operations that are performed by the first network device or the second network device in the method according to any one of claims. 1-10; And at least one processor executes an instruction stored in memory to implement the functions of the first network device or the second network device in the method according to any one of claims. 1-10. 22. Chip system for communication applied to a network device and containing: at least one processor and an interface circuit, while the interface circuit is responsible for the exchange of information between the chip system and the external environment; the memory, interface circuit, and at least one processor are connected to each other via a communication line; memory stores instructions; and the instruction is executed by at least one processor to implement the functions of the first network device or the second network device in the method of any one of claims. 1-10. 23. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5. 24. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform the method according to any one of paragraphs. 6-10. 25. Network communication device, configured to perform operations that are performed by the first network device or the second network device in the method according to paragraphs. 1-10. 26. A communication system, comprising: a first network device and a second network device; the second network device is configured to send a sleep instruction for the terminal device to the first network device; the first network device is configured to indicate to the second network device that the terminal device is transitioning to a sleep mode. 27. The communication system according to claim 26, in which: the first network device is configured to send the idle timer allocated to the terminal device to the second network device. 28. The communication system according to claim 26 or 27, in which: the first network device is further configured to receive an indication from the second network device, the indication indicating that the second network device is receiving downlink data of the terminal device from the core network. 29. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the first network device triggers, based on said indication, initiating a radio access network paging within a radio access network notification range to notify the terminal device. 30. Communication system according to any one of paragraphs. 26-29, in which the first network device is a control plane node of the communication system, the second network device is a user plane node of the communication system, and the communication system includes at least one of a packet data convergence protocol layer function, a service data adaptation protocol layer function, and a control layer function radio resources. 31. Communication system according to any one of paragraphs. 26-30, in which the first network device contains a radio resource control protocol layer, RRC, and a packet data convergence protocol layer, PDCP, which is responsible for processing the signaling radio bearer, SRB, the second network device contains a service data adaptation protocol layer, SDAP, and a PDCP protocol layer, which is responsible for data radio bearer processing, DRB.

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