WO2021120072A1 - Multicast communication method and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a multicast communication method and a device thereof, applicable in 5G LAN communication scenarios. The method may comprise: a session management network element acquires multicast information of a LAN group, the multicast information comprising N6 interface information, the N6 interface information being applicable in indicating the use of an N6 interface to forward a multicast packet; a routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is determined on the basis of the N6 interface information; the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is transmitted to a user-plane network element; the user-plane network element receives the multicast packet and, insofar as the multicast packet matches the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, transmits the multicast packet to a data network on the basis of the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, thus implementing the transmission of the multicast packet to the data network.

Description

Multicast communication method and device Technical field

This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a multicast communication method and device.

Background technique

With the development of communication technology, a fifth-generation (5th-generation, 5G) mobile communication system/network (hereinafter referred to as 5G system/network) has emerged. The 5G system consists of user equipment (UE), access network (AN), and core network (CN). The core network can be divided into two parts: the user plane and the control plane. The control plane is responsible for UE mobility and session management, and the user plane is responsible for the transmission of UE service data.

The 5G system can provide users with local area network (LAN) capabilities, called 5G LAN services, which can provide Internet protocol (IP) communication for two or more devices in a group of devices Or private communication of non-IP type (for example, Ethernet type). 5G LAN services are mainly used in home communication, corporate office, factory manufacturing, Internet of Vehicles, and power grid transformation.

A 5G LAN can include a 5G LAN group and 5G LAN network resources (such as related network equipment). A 5G LAN group can include multiple LAN members. The LAN members can be divided into two categories: The first type of LAN members is used 5G technology access network equipment (for example, mobile terminal); the second type of LAN members are equipment (for example, computers, routers, etc.) that use fixed network or WiFi technology to access the network, which can be understood as data network (DN) ) In the device. Among them, the first type of LAN members can be perceived and managed by the 5G core network, and the second type of LAN members are usually not perceived by the 5G core network.

The 5GLAN service can be initiated by a 5GLAN administrator (for example, an application server (application function, AF)), and request a 5G system (or network) operator to create a 5GLAN. The AF sends the first type of LAN member information, such as the identification of the mobile terminal, to the 5G network.

5G LAN services can support unicast communication, multicast communication and broadcast communication. In a multicast communication scenario, a LAN member in a 5G LAN group can send multicast packets to other LAN members in the 5G LAN. In the case where the 5G LAN group includes the second type of LAN members, since the second type of LAN members are not perceived by the 5G core network, the 5G core network cannot determine whether to send the multicast packet to the DN.

Summary of the invention

The embodiments of the present application provide a multicast communication method and device. In a case where a 5G LAN group includes devices in a data network, multicast packets can be sent to the data network.

The first aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a multicast communication method, which may include:

Obtain the multicast information of the LAN group, the multicast information includes N6 interface information; determine the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the N6 interface information, and the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is used to control the forwarding of multicast packets to the data network; Send the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface to the user plane network element.

The method provided in the first aspect may be executed by a session management network element, or may be executed by a component (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.) of the session management network element. In the multicast communication scenario, when the 5G LAN group includes devices in the data network, the session management network element determines the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the N6 interface information, and sends it to the user plane network element. The network element sends the multicast packet to the device in the data network according to the routing rule, so that the device in the data network can also receive the multicast packet, avoiding the missed forwarding of the multicast packet, and improving the reliability of the multicast packet. Forwarding rate.

In a possible implementation manner, the session management network element obtains the multicast information of the LAN group from the application function network element, that is, the session management network element requests the application function network element to directly provide it with the multicast information of the LAN group. The application function network element can create or update the multicast information of the LAN group, and directly send the multicast information of the LAN group to the application function network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the session management network element obtains the multicast information of the LAN group from the policy control network element. The session management network element can obtain the multicast information of the LAN group from the application function network element through the policy control network element. The policy control network element can also adjust the forwarding strategy when the access mode of the device changes. The forwarding strategy can include the multicast information of the LAN group so that the session management network element can obtain the latest multicast of the LAN group Information, which in turn facilitates the user plane network element to obtain the latest routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface.

In a possible implementation manner, the foregoing N6 interface information includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. Case 1: The number of forwarding addresses of the one or more N6 interfaces is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network, that is, how many devices belong to the LAN group in the data network, and the N6 interface information includes How many N6 interface forwarding addresses, and one N6 interface forwarding address corresponds to the address of a device. Case 2: The N6 interface forwarding address is the address of a designated device in the data network. For example, it can be the address of a switch or router in the data network, or the address of a device in the data network belonging to the LAN group.

In a possible implementation manner, the routing rule corresponding to the foregoing N6 interface includes the foregoing one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. For case 1, how many devices belong to the LAN group in the data network will include how many N6 interface forwarding addresses. For the second case, an N6 interface forwarding address is included, and the N6 interface forwarding address is the address of the designated device in the data network.

In a possible implementation manner, the routing rule corresponding to the above-mentioned N6 interface further includes message copy instruction information, and the message copy instruction information is used to instruct to copy the multicast message. For case 1, how many copies of the multicast message are copied by the user plane network element as many N6 interface forwarding addresses, so that the user plane network element can send the copied multicast message to each device in the data network that belongs to the LAN group . In case 2, the user-plane network element copies a multicast message, so that the user-plane network element sends the copied multicast message to the designated device, and the designated device sends the multicast message to each device.

In a possible implementation manner, the session management network element creates or updates the context information corresponding to the LAN group according to the foregoing multicast information. The context information corresponding to the created or updated LAN group includes a first context and a second context. The first context includes the session context of the first type of device belonging to the LAN group, and is used to forward multicast packets to the second context. A type of device; the second context includes the multicast address of the LAN group and N6 interface information (that is, one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses).

A second aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a multicast communication method, which may include:

Receive routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface from the session management network element;

Receive multicast messages;

In the case that the multicast packet matches the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, the multicast packet is sent to the data network according to the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface.

The method provided in the first aspect may be executed by a user plane network element, or may be executed by a component (such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system, etc.) of the user plane network element. In the multicast communication scenario, when the 5G LAN group includes devices in the data network, the user plane network element sends multicast packets to the data network according to the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface, so that the data network belongs to the 5G LAN The devices in the group can receive multicast packets, thereby avoiding missed forwarding of multicast packets and improving the forwarding rate of multicast packets.

In a possible implementation manner, the routing rule corresponding to the aforementioned N6 interface includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses, and the user plane network element sends multicast packets to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. Case 1: The number of N6 interface forwarding addresses included in the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network, and one N6 interface forwarding address corresponds to the address of one device. Case 2: The routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface includes an N6 interface forwarding address, and the N6 interface forwarding address is the address of the designated device in the data network.

In a possible implementation manner, the routing rule corresponding to the above-mentioned N6 interface further includes message copy instruction information, and the message copy instruction information is used to instruct to copy the multicast message. The user plane network element replicates one or more multicast packets, and sends the replicated multicast packets to the data network according to one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. Case 1: The number of copies of the multicast message by the user plane network element is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network, and the copied multicast message is sent to the corresponding device according to the forwarding address of each N6 interface. In the second case, the number of copies of the multicast message by the user plane network element is one copy, and the multicast message is sent to the designated device in the data network according to an N6 interface forwarding address included in the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface.

The third aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a communication device for implementing the foregoing various methods. The communication device may be the session management network element in the first aspect described above, or a device including the session management network element described above; or, the communication device may be the user plane network element in the second aspect described above, or include the user plane network described above Yuan's device. The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the foregoing methods, and the modules, units, or means can be implemented by hardware, software, or hardware execution of corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above-mentioned functions.

A fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a communication device, including: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer instructions, and when the processor executes the instructions, the communication device can execute the communication device described in any of the above aspects. method. The communication device may be the session management network element in the first aspect described above, or a device including the session management network element described above; or, the communication device may be the user plane network element in the second aspect described above, or include the user plane network described above Yuan's device.

A fifth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a communication device, including: a processor; the processor is configured to couple with a memory, and after reading an instruction in the memory, execute the method according to any one of the foregoing aspects according to the instruction. The communication device may be the session management network element in the first aspect described above, or a device including the session management network element described above; or, the communication device may be the user plane network element in the second aspect described above, or include the user plane network described above Yuan's device.

A sixth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions in the computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer-readable storage medium runs on a computer, the computer can execute the method described in any of the foregoing aspects.

The seventh aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a computer program product containing instructions, which when running on a computer, enables the computer to execute the method described in any of the above aspects.

An eighth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a communication device (for example, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system). The communication device includes a processor for implementing the functions involved in any of the foregoing aspects. In a possible design, the communication device further includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data. When the communication device is a chip system, it may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.

Among them, the technical effects brought about by any of the design methods of the third aspect to the eighth aspect can be referred to the technical effects brought about by the above-mentioned first aspect or the second aspect, which will not be repeated here.

A ninth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a multicast communication system, including a session management network element and a user plane network element;

The session management network element is used to obtain the multicast information of the LAN group, the multicast information includes N6 interface information; according to the N6 interface information, the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface are determined, and the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface are used to control multicast The message is forwarded to the data network; the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is sent to the user plane network element;

The user plane network element is used to receive the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface; to receive the multicast packet; in the case that the multicast packet matches the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, it forwards the route according to the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface The data network sends multicast packets.

In a possible implementation manner, the session management network element obtains the multicast information of the LAN group from the application function network element or the policy control network element.

In a possible implementation manner, the foregoing N6 interface information includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses.

In a possible implementation manner, the routing rule corresponding to the aforementioned N6 interface includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The user plane network element is specifically configured to send a multicast message to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses.

In a possible implementation manner, the routing rule corresponding to the above-mentioned N6 interface further includes message copy instruction information, and the message copy instruction information is used to instruct to copy the multicast message. The user plane network element is specifically used to replicate the multicast message, and sends the replicated multicast message to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses.

In a possible implementation, the number of N6 interface forwarding addresses included in the routing rules corresponding to the one or more N6 interfaces is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network.

In a possible implementation, this N6 interface forwarding address is the address of the designated device in the data network.

Among them, the technical effect of the ninth aspect may refer to the technical effect brought about by any one of the possible implementation manners of the first aspect or the second aspect, and details are not described herein again.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of the 5G system;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the user plane architecture of 5G LAN services;

Fig. 3 is a communication schematic diagram of a multicast communication;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a user plane forwarding a message;

Figure 5 is an example diagram of multicast packet forwarding;

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a network architecture applying an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a multicast communication method provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of another multicast communication method provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of another multicast communication method provided by an embodiment of this application;

FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device;

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of another communication device provided by an embodiment of this application.

Detailed ways

In order to better understand the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application, first introduce the technologies or names involved in the embodiments of the present application.

1. 5G system and 5G LAN

(1) The 5G system consists of UE, access network and core network. Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the network architecture of the 5G system.

Among them, UE is a device with wireless transceiver function, which can be deployed on land, including indoor or outdoor, handheld, wearable or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as ships, etc.); it can also be deployed in the air (such as airplanes). , Balloons and satellites etc.). The UE can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer (Pad), a computer with wireless transceiver function, virtual reality (VR) terminal equipment, augmented reality (AR) terminal equipment, industrial control (industrial control) Wireless terminals, vehicle-mounted terminal equipment, wireless terminals in self-driving (self-driving), wireless terminals in remote medical, wireless terminals in smart grid, and transportation safety Wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, wearable terminal devices, and so on. UE can sometimes be called terminal, mobile terminal, terminal equipment, access terminal equipment, vehicle terminal, industrial control terminal, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal equipment, mobile equipment, UE agent Or UE device, etc. The UE can also be fixed or mobile. Fig. 1 and the embodiments of the present application are introduced by taking UE as an example.

The access network may be a radio access network (radio access network, RAN). The access network can provide network access functions for authorized users in a specific area, and can determine transmission tunnels of different quality to transmit user data according to the user's level and service requirements. The access network forwards control signals and user data between the UE and the core network. The access network can include access network equipment (or referred to as access equipment). The access network equipment can be, for example, a base station in a long term evolution (LTE) system or a new radio (NR) system. Base station, 3GPP subsequent evolution base station, access node in WiFi system, wireless relay node, wireless backhaul node, etc. The base station can be: a macro base station, a micro base station, a pico base station, a small station, a relay station, or a balloon station, etc.

Among them, the core network is responsible for maintaining the subscription data of the mobile network, and provides functions such as session management, mobility management, policy management, and security authentication for the UE. The core network may include the following network elements: user plane function (UPF), authentication service function (authentication server function, AUSF), session management function (session management function, SMF), network slice selection function (network slice selection function) , NSSF), network exposure function (NEF), network function repository function (NF repository function, NRF), policy control function (PCF), unified data management (unified data management, UDM) and applications Server (application function, AF). Among the above-mentioned network elements, the network elements other than UPF belong to the control plane network elements of the core network.

UPF is used to perform user data packet forwarding according to SMF routing rules, for example, sending uplink data to DN or other UPF; forwarding downlink data to other UPF or access network. The interface between UPF is N19 interface, and the interface between UPF and DN is N6 interface. AUSF, used to perform UE safety authentication. AMF is mainly responsible for UE's access management and mobility management. SMF is mainly responsible for UE session management, allocates resources for UE sessions, and releases resources. The resources may include session quality of service (QoS), routing rules, session paths, and so on. NSSF, used to select network slices for the UE. NEF is used to develop network functions to third parties. NRF is used to provide storage function and selection function of network function entity information for other network elements. UDM is used to store user data, such as subscription data, authentication/authorization data, etc. PCF is responsible for providing strategies to AMF and SMF, such as QoS strategies, slice selection strategies, etc. AF, which can be a third-party device, can belong to an external data network or a core network.

The network architecture shown in Figure 1 also includes a data network (DN), which is used to provide users with business services. It can be a private network; it can also be an external network that is not controlled by an operator, such as the Internet; It may be a private network jointly deployed by operators, such as a network that provides an IP multimedia subsystem (IP multimedia subsystem, IMS).

(2) 5G LAN service can provide IP type or non-IP type private communication for two or more devices in a group of devices. For example, the equipment in the factory can form a 5G LAN group, and the equipment in the 5G LAN group can send Ethernet packets to each other; or, the office equipment (such as mobile phones, computers, or laptops) of employees in a department of the enterprise It can form a 5G LAN group and send IP data packets to each other.

The 5G network provides users with 5G LAN services and supports the creation of dynamic LANs. The user provides the LAN member identification to the network, and the network stores LAN member information and plans LAN communication resources (for example, SMF network elements and UPF network elements serving this LAN). When a LAN member initiates access to the LAN communication, the network will associate the LAN member’s session context with the sessions of other LAN members to build a LAN-level session context to reasonably rule the data transmission of two or more LAN members. User plane forwarding rules. According to the LAN-level session context, when the sessions of two or two LAN members are served by the same UPF network element, the network adopts the local unblocking forwarding mode, which requires the UPF network element to enhance the ability to support local switching; When a UPF network element serves the 5G LAN group, a forwarding tunnel is established between any two UPF network elements to realize the forwarding of LAN data.

A 5G LAN includes at least one 5G LAN group and 5G LAN network resources (for example, related UPF network elements, SMF network elements, etc.). 5G LAN can also be described as 5G virtual network (VN) or 5G LAN-type service (type service), etc.; 5G LAN group (group) can also be described as 5G VN group or 5G LAN group or LAN group, etc. .

A 5G LAN group can include multiple LAN members. In the embodiments of this application, LAN members can be divided into two categories. The first type of LAN members are devices that use 5G technology to access the network, such as UEs; the second type of LAN members are those that use fixed network or WiFi technologies to access the network. The equipment of, such as a computer, desktop computer, router, etc., can be understood as a device in a data network. Technical access networks such as fixed networks or WiFi can be understood as non-third-generation ^{partnership project (3 rd} -generation partnership project, 3GPP) technical access networks.

In the embodiments of the present application, the first type of LAN members are referred to as first type devices, and the second type of LAN members are referred to as second type devices.

Please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the user plane architecture serving 5G LAN. Among them, the UE establishes a session to the UPF network element that provides 5G LAN services, and thus accesses the UPF network element that provides 5G LAN services. UPF network elements that provide 5G LAN services can communicate with the existing LAN in the data network through the N6 interface, for example, communicate with personal computers (PCs) in the LAN; or, UPF network elements that provide 5G LAN services can also use UPF The internal interfaces of network elements or connections between UPF network elements are associated with sessions of different devices to realize private communication, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

In Figure 2, UE1, UE2, UE3, and UE4 can form a 5G LAN group, then UE1, UE2, UE3, and UE4 are the LAN members of the 5G LAN group, and UE1, UE2, and UE2 UE 3 and UE 4 access the network through the access network equipment and 5G core network, that is, use 5G technology to access the network. UE 1, UE 2, UE 3, and UE 4 are the first type of equipment.

In Figure 2, UE 1, UE 2, UE 3, UE 4 and devices 1 to device n in the data network can form a 5G LAN group, then UE 1, UE 2, UE 3, UE 4 and device 1 to device n It is a LAN member of the 5G LAN group. Among them, UE1, UE2, UE3 and UE4 access the network through access network equipment and 5G core network, which are the first type of equipment; equipment 1 to equipment n use fixed network or WiFi technology to access the network, and are the second Class equipment. Wherein, n is an integer greater than 1.

To facilitate the distinction between the first type of device and the second type of device, in the embodiments of the present application, the first type of device is a UE as an example, and the second type of device is an example of a device (device).

2. Unicast communication, broadcast communication and multicast or groupcast communication (1) Unicast communication refers to one-to-one communication. For example, in Figure 2, UE 1 sends a message to UE 2.

(2) Broadcast communication refers to a one-to-many communication method. In the network, a local area network (for example, a 5G LAN) corresponds to a broadcast domain. The devices subscribed to the LAN can form a broadcast group (also called a LAN group). Among them, the equipment subscribed to the LAN can be referred to as a group member of the broadcast group, that is, the equipment joins the broadcast group during the signing process (which can be one or more broadcast groups).

(3) Multicast communication refers to a one-to-many communication mode. A device can send messages to devices in the multicast group to which it belongs. At least one multicast source and multiple multicast members can form a multicast group (also referred to as a multicast group). Multicast communication can also be described as multicast communication, etc. Correspondingly, the multicast group can also be described as a multicast group, etc.

Among them, the multicast group address is used as the destination address, the source that sends the message is called the multicast source, and the multicast user that receives the multicast data is called the multicast member. That is, multicast has a direction, and the direction is from the multicast source to the multicast members. For example, the members in the 5G LAN group include device 1, device 2, device 3, device 4, device 5, and device 6. Taking device 1 as a multicast source, and device 3, device 5, and device 6 as multicast members forming a multicast group as an example, the corresponding communication diagram can be seen in Figure 3, that is, the multicast packet sent by device 1 can be They are respectively transmitted to device 3, device 5, and device 6 in the multicast group. In Figure 3, device 2 and device 4 are not multicast members of the multicast group, and therefore will not receive the multicast packet.

In the embodiments of this application, the multicast source can be determined by the application layer of the open system interconnection (OSI) model. If a certain device wants to receive multicast packets, it can send Internet group management protocol (Internet group management protocol). management protocol, IGMP) join messages to the network, and the network records that the device joins a multicast group before forwarding the multicast messages sent by the multicast source to it, that is, multicast members can For the dynamic joining of the multicast group, please refer to the existing implementation method for details, which will not be repeated here. Correspondingly, if a device wants to leave a multicast group, it can send an IGMP leave message to the network. The network records that the device leaves the multicast group, and the multicast message sent by the multicast source will not be forwarded. To the device.

Among them, the multicast address can be a multicast IP version 4 (IP version 4, IPv4) address or a multicast IP version 6 (IP version 6, IPv6) address assigned by the Internet assigned numbers authority (IANA) For a multicast IPv4 address, the range is in the range of 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255; alternatively, the multicast address can also be a multicast media access control (media access control, where the last digit of the 48-bit high-48-bit is constant). MAC) address; or, the multicast address can also be a reserved multicast address, such as the multicast MAC address with the first 24 bits of 0x01005e or 224.0.0.1; or, the multicast address can also be other addresses. For details, please refer to The definition of some multicast addresses will not be repeated here.

3. Multicast information and routing rules

(1) The multicast information is managed by the AF network element, and the AF network element can create or update the multicast information. In the embodiment of this application, the AF network element is a network server that manages 5G LAN services, and is responsible for the creation and management of 5G LAN groups, such as adding or deleting LAN members. The AF network element can also obtain the way that LAN members access the network, that is, it can learn which devices use 5G technology to access the network, and which devices use fixed network or WiFi technology to access the network. The AF network element can create a 5G LAN group, and then create the multicast information of the 5G LAN group. LAN members can create 5G LAN groups and 5G LAN group multicast information, and notify the AF network element of the multicast information; or, LAN members can notify the AF network element of the 5G LAN group they created, and the AF network element will create the 5G LAN Group multicast information.

The multicast information may include multicast message identification and multicast user information. Among them, the multicast message identifier may include a group identifier and a multicast address. The group identifier is used to identify the 5G LAN group, and can be a 5G LAN tag (tag) or a 5G LAN identification (identify, ID), etc. A multicast address, which can also be called a multicast communication address, is used to indicate the address of a user plane data packet and can be used to match routing rules. The multicast address can be a multicast IP address or a multicast MAC address. Multicast user information can also be referred to as LAN member information, that is, information about LAN members belonging to a 5G LAN group. The LAN member information can include the device’s identity (ID), for example, the device’s address (IP address or MAC address), user ID, or general public subscriber identifier (GPSI), etc.; it can also include the device The type of the device, that is, the first type of equipment or the second type of equipment.

In a possible implementation, the multicast information also includes N N6 interface forwarding addresses, N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the specific value of N depends on the number of devices belonging to the 5G LAN group included in the data network . For example, for 5G LAN group 1, the data network includes 3 devices belonging to the 5G LAN group, then N=3. An N6 interface forwarding address corresponds to the device address of a device in the data network.

In a possible implementation manner, the multicast information further includes an N6 interface forwarding address, and the N6 interface forwarding address may be an address of a server in a data network, an address of a switch, or a device address of a certain device. The N6 interface forwarding address may also be the N6 tunnel identifier. Optionally, the multicast information further includes N6 indication information, which is used to instruct to use the N6 interface for forwarding, that is, there are devices belonging to the 5G LAN group in the data network.

(2) Routing rules, used for packet detection and forwarding, can include packet detection rules (PDR) and forwarding action rules (forwarding action rules, FAR) associated with PDR, optional, and It may include QoS enforcement rules (QoS enforcement rules, QER) and statistical information reporting rules (usage reporting rules, URR) associated with the PDR. Routing rules can be divided into uplink routing rules and downlink routing rules. Uplink routing rules are used to implement the transmission of uplink data packets, and downlink routing rules are used to implement the transmission of downlink data packets. Uplink data packets refer to data packets sent by the first type of equipment or the second device to the network equipment; downlink data include data packets sent by the network equipment to the first type of equipment or the second type of equipment.

Among them, the PDR is used to match the characteristic information of the message to find a PDR that matches the message. FAR is used to implement operations such as packet forwarding.

The data packet and the message in the embodiment of the present application have the same meaning and can be replaced with each other.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Among them, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "/" means that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship, for example, A/B can mean A or B; in this application, "and/or "It's just an association relationship that describes associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and/or B, which can mean: A alone exists, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A , B can be singular or plural. Also, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more than two. "The following at least one item (a)" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item (a) or a plurality of items (a). For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple . In addition, in order to clearly describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the same or similar items with substantially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art can understand that words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and order of execution, and words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the difference. Meanwhile, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used as examples, illustrations, or illustrations. Any embodiment or design solution described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of the present application should not be construed as being more preferable or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. To be precise, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to present related concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

At present, the 3GPP technical standard (TS) 29.244 defines the way for the user plane to forward messages, and its architecture is shown in Figure 4. Its working mechanism is that after the UPF network element receives the message from the ingress (such as the N3 interface), it determines the session to which the message belongs according to the user plane protocol tag of the message (such as the tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID)). Then the UPF network element uses the PDR (may be one or more) in the context of the session to match the characteristic information of the message, and find a matching PDR. The PDR specifies the FAR, QER, and URR corresponding to the message. Furthermore, the UPF network element can perform operations such as forwarding the message according to the FAR. This message forwarding method can be understood as a forwarding method for unicast messages.

In the unicast communication scenario, the SMF network element can send the session context to the UPF network element through the N4 session, so that the UPF network element uses the PDR in the session context to match the unicast message. If the destination address of a unicast packet is not included in the session context, the unicast packet can enter the N6 interface to be sent to the data network or the unicast packet can be discarded.

However, in the multicast communication scenario, the SMF network element saves the session context of the first type of device, and may not save the session context of the second type of device. The SMF network element can inform the UPF network element of the session context of the first type of device, but The UPF network element may not know the session context of the second type of device, so the UPF network element may not forward the multicast packet to the data network.

Exemplarily, refer to FIG. 5, which is an example diagram of multicast packet forwarding. In Figure 5, it is assumed that UE 1, UE 2, UE 3, and device 1 and device 2 in the data network form a 5G LAN group, and UE 1 is a multicast source. The SMF network element saves the session context of UE1, UE2, and UE3, and informs the UPF network element of it. The UE 1 sends a multicast message, and the multicast address carried in the multicast message is the multicast address of the 5G LAN group. When the UPF network element receives the multicast message, the multicast message and The PDR in the session context is matched, and the PDR whose destination address is the multicast address and the FAR corresponding to the PDR are matched. The forwarding address of the FAR includes the addresses of UE 2 and UE 3. Therefore, the UPF network element reports the multicast address. The text is forwarded to UE 2 and UE 3. Because the UPF network element has not obtained the session context of the device 1 and the device 2, the UPF network element will not forward the multicast packet to the device 1 and the device 2.

In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide a multicast communication method and device. In a case where a 5G LAN group includes devices in a data network, multicast packets can be sent to devices in the data network.

Please refer to FIG. 6, which is a schematic diagram of a network architecture to which an embodiment of the present application is applied. The network architecture shown in FIG. 6 includes a session management network element 601 and a user plane network element 602. The session management network element 601 and the user plane network element 602 may communicate directly, or communicate through the forwarding of other devices, which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

In the embodiment of this application, the session management network element 601 obtains the multicast information of the LAN group, that is, obtains the multicast information of the 5G LAN group. The multicast information includes the N6 interface information. The N6 interface information can be used to indicate the use of the N6 interface to forward the group. Broadcast messages; determine the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface according to the N6 interface information, the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface are used to control the forwarding of multicast packets to the data network; send the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface to the user plane network element 602.

Correspondingly, the user plane network element 602 receives the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface from the session management network element 601, and when receiving a multicast packet, matches the multicast packet with the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface. If successful, the user plane network element 602 replicates the message and sends the replicated multicast message to the data network, so that devices in the data network can receive the multicast message, thereby avoiding missed forwarding of the multicast message. Improve the forwarding rate of multicast packets.

In an implementation manner, the foregoing N6 interface information includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses, and one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses are used to instruct the user plane network element 602 to use the N6 interface to forward multicast packets, which can be understood as instructing users The plane network element 602 forwards the multicast message to the data network through the N6 interface.

Further, the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface determined by the session management network element 601 includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses, so that the user plane network element 602 can send multicast packets to each N6 interface forwarding address through the N6 interface. The routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface also includes copy indication information, which is used to instruct the user plane network element 602 to copy the multicast packet, and the user plane network element 602 can copy a copy of the multicast packet for an N6 interface forwarding address. In this way, the user plane network element 602 sends the copied N multicast packets to N N6 interface forwarding addresses.

Among them, the N6 interface forwarding address can be understood as the address of the device in the data network, and it can be an IP address or a MAC address. The number of one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses is the same as the number of devices belonging to the 5G LAN group in the data network. For example, 5G LAN group 1 includes devices 1 to 3 in the data network, then the N6 interface information includes three N6 interface forwarding addresses , The routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface include three N6 interface forwarding addresses, and the three N6 interface forwarding addresses are the address of device 1, the address of device 2, and the address of device 3.

In another implementation manner, the above-mentioned N6 interface information includes an N6 interface forwarding address. The N6 interface forwarding address can be the address of a designated device in the data network. The designated device can be, for example, the address of a server or switch in the data network (IP Address or MAC address, etc.), it can also be the N6 tunnel identifier, or the address of a certain device in the data network. Further, the designated device has an association relationship with the 5G LAN group. For example, the designated device is a server or switch corresponding to the 5G LAN group in the data network, or is a device belonging to the 5G LAN group in the data network. Optionally, the N6 interface information further includes N6 indication information, and the N6 indication information is used to indicate that the N6 interface is used to forward the multicast packet. If the N6 indication information indicates that the N6 interface is not used to forward the multicast packet, it can be understood that the multicast packet is forwarded to the first type of device without forwarding to the data network, and the N6 interface information does not include the N6 interface forwarding address.

Further, the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface determined by the session management network element 601 includes the N6 interface forwarding address, so that the user plane network element 602 sends the multicast packet to the data network through the N6 interface. The routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface also includes copy instruction information, which is used to instruct the user plane network element 602 to copy a multicast packet, so that the user plane network element 602 sends the copied multicast packet to the data The internet.

The embodiments of the present application can be applied to a multicast communication scenario in which a 5G LAN group includes at least one device of the first type and at least one device of the second type, and can realize the forwarding of multicast packets to the second type of devices.

Assuming that the network architecture shown in FIG. 6 is applied to the 5G network shown in FIG. 1, the network element or entity corresponding to the session management network element 601 may be the SMF network element in the 5G network, and the network element corresponding to the user plane network element 602 Or the entity may be a UPF network element in the 5G network. The network architecture shown in FIG. 6 may also include the PCF network element, UDM network element, NEF network element, and AF network element shown in FIG. 1. In the subsequent method embodiments, the session management network element 601 takes the SMF network element as an example, the user plane network element 602 takes the UPF network element as an example, and the first type of equipment takes the UE as an example.

Based on the network architecture shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 6, the multicast communication method provided by the embodiment of the present application is introduced in detail. It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application introduces the multicast communication method in an interactive manner, and the names of messages or information exchanged between network elements are used as examples, and do not constitute a limitation to the embodiments of the present application.

Refer to FIG. 7, which is a schematic flowchart of a multicast communication method provided by an embodiment of this application. The method may include the following steps:

Step 101: The AF network element sends the multicast information of the 5G LAN group to the SMF network element through the intermediate network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the multicast information of the 5G LAN group from the AF network element through the intermediate network element.

Among them, the multicast information of the 5G LAN group may be the multicast information of any 5G LAN group, and the 5G LAN group includes at least one type 1 device and at least one type 2 device. The multicast information may include N6 interface information, and the N6 interface information includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. One or more N6 interface forwarding addresses, indicating that the N6 interface is used to forward multicast packets, indicating that when the UPF network element receives the multicast packets, it needs to forward the multicast packets to the data network and belong to the 5G LAN group device of. The N6 interface forwarding address can be understood as a unicast address, which is the address of the second type of device, that is, the address of the device in the data network included in the 5G LAN group. The number of one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses is the same as the number of devices belonging to the 5G LAN group in the data network. For example, 5G LAN group 1 includes devices 1 to 3 in the data network, then the N6 interface information includes three N6 interface forwarding addresses , The three N6 interface forwarding addresses are the address of device 1, the address of device 2, and the address of device 3.

The multicast information also includes the group identifier, that is, the group identifier of the 5G LAN group, which indicates which 5G LAN group the AF network element requests to configure routing rules.

The multicast information also includes the multicast address, that is, the multicast address of the 5G LAN group, which represents the address of the data message on the user plane, and can be used by the UPF network element to detect which 5G LAN group the multicast message is for. Devices belonging to the same 5G LAN group will be configured with the same multicast address, which can be configured in the data receiving module of the device, such as the data link layer. The data link layer will determine the group when it receives a multicast packet. Whether the destination address carried in the broadcast message is consistent with the configured multicast address, if they are consistent, it indicates that the multicast message is for the device, and the data link layer will send the multicast message to the upper layer for processing; if The inconsistency indicates that the multicast packet is not for the device, the multicast packet is discarded, and the multicast packet will not be sent to the upper layer for processing.

The multicast information of the 5G LAN group sent by the AF network element can be carried in the group configuration request, that is, the group configuration request includes the multicast information of the 5G LAN group. The group configuration request is used to request the SMF network element to configure the routing rules of the 5G LAN group.

The intermediate network element is used to forward the multicast information of the 5G LAN group sent by the AF network element to the SMF network element, and may include one or more of the PCF network element or the NEF network element. For example, the intermediate network element is a PCF network element, and the AF network element first sends the multicast information of the 5G LAN group to the PCF network element, and then the PCF network element sends the multicast information of the 5G LAN group to the SMF network element.

Step 102: The SMF network element determines a routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses.

Optionally, when the SMF network element receives the multicast information of the 5G LAN group, it can find whether there is context information corresponding to the 5G LAN group according to the group identifier. If it does not exist, the SMF network element can create and save the context information corresponding to the 5G LAN group. If it exists, the SMF network element can update and save the context information corresponding to the 5G LAN group.

The context information corresponding to the created or updated 5G LAN group may include the first context and the second context. Among them, the first context includes the session context of the first type of device, and the session context of the first type of device can be understood as a protocol data unit (PDU) session established by the first type of device in order to access the 5G LAN group. Context. Optionally, the first context may also include a LAN member list (for example, a UE ID list) and the address of the first type of device. The second context includes the multicast address of the 5G LAN group and N6 interface information (that is, one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses). Optionally, the second context may also include the group identifier of the 5G LAN group. Optionally, the second context may also include a data network name (data network name, DNN) corresponding to the 5G LAN group.

For the updated situation, when the SMF network element receives the multicast information of the 5G LAN group, it adds the second context to the context information corresponding to the 5G LAN group.

The SMF network element can create or update the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group on the UPF network element when receiving the multicast information of the 5G LAN group; or, in the case of creating or updating the context information corresponding to the 5G LAN group , Create or update routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group on the UPF network element according to the created or updated context information. If the SMF network element has previously created routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group on the UPF network element, the SMF network element updates the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group of the UPF network element when receiving the multicast information of the 5G LAN group , That is, add the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface to the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group.

Optionally, before creating or updating the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group on the UPF network element, the SMF network element can select the UPF network element, and then create or update the routing rule corresponding to the 5G LAN group on the selected UPF network element How the SMF network element selects the UPF network element is not limited in the embodiment of this application. Assume that the UPF network element in Figure 7 is the UPF network element selected by the SMF network element.

In this embodiment of the application, the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group include routing rules for devices of the first type and routing rules for devices of the second type. The routing rules for the first type of devices are the routing rules for the PDU sessions of the first type of devices. You can refer to the description of the routing rules for the first type of devices in the existing multicast scenario, which will not be repeated here.

The routing rule for the second type of device is the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, and the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface includes the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface and the FAR associated with the PDR. The content included in the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface can be presented in the form of Table 1 below, and Table 1 below does not constitute a limitation to the embodiments of the present application.

Table 1

The content included in the FAR associated with the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface can be presented in the form of Table 2 below, and Table 2 below does not constitute a limitation to the embodiment of the present application.

Table 2

In the embodiments of the present application, the actions in Table 1 and Table 2 are referred to as copy instruction information. The PDR includes copy indication information; and/or, the FAR associated with the PDR includes copy indication information.

Exemplarily, based on the example diagram shown in FIG. 5, the 5G LAN group includes UE 1, UE 2, UE 3, and device 1 and device 2 in the data network. It is assumed that the multicast address of the 5G LAN group is multicast address 1. Then the destination address included in the PDI in the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface is multicast address 1, and the forwarding address in the FAR associated with the PDR includes the address of device 1 and the address of device 2.

Step 103: The SMF network element sends the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface from the SMF network element.

The routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface and the routing rule for the first type of device may be carried in the same message or in different messages. The embodiment of the present application takes the case of being carried in the same message as an example.

The UPF network element receives the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group from the SMF network elements, and installs the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group, that is, the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface and the routing rules for the first type of equipment. The routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group can be carried in the N4 session establishment message, such as the N4 session establishment request message; it can also be carried in the N4 session update message, such as the N4 session update request message.

Step 104: UE 1 sends a multicast message to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the multicast message from UE1.

UE 1 is any LAN member in the 5G LAN group and is a first-class device. The multicast packet sent to the UPF network element carries a destination address, for example, the destination address is multicast address 1.

Step 105: The UPF network element copies N multicast packets.

When the UPF network element receives the multicast message, it matches the multicast message with the routing rules corresponding to the installed 5G LAN group, for example, the destination address carried in the multicast message corresponds to the N6 interface The destination address in the PDR of the device is matched, and the destination address in the PDR for the first type of device is also matched.

If the multicast packet matches the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface successfully, the UPF network element determines the FAR associated with the PDR, and copies according to the copy indication information included in the PDR or according to the copy indication information included in the FAR associated with the PDR Multicast messages, and modify the destination address of one or more copied multicast messages to the N6 interface forwarding address.

Exemplarily, if the destination address included in the PDI in the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface is multicast address 1, and the destination address of the multicast message is multicast address 1, then the multicast message matches the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface, and the PDR The forwarding address in the associated FAR includes the address of device 1 and the address of device 2, then the UPF network element copies two multicast packets, and changes the destination address of one of the copied multicast packets from multicast address 1 to The address of device 1 changes the destination address of another copied multicast packet from multicast address 1 to the address of device 2.

If the multicast packet is successfully matched with the PDR for the first type of device, the UPF network element determines the FAR associated with the PDR, copies M multicast packets according to the FAR, and compares the copied M multicast packets The destination address is modified to the address of each first-class device. Among them, M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and is the number of type 1 devices in the 5G LAN group.

The multicast message can be successfully matched with the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface, and can also be successfully matched with the PDR for the first type of device, so that the UPF network element can forward the multicast message to the first type of device and the second type of device .

Step 106: The UPF network element sends a multicast message to one or more devices in the data network.

The UPF network element sends a multicast packet to one or more devices in the data network according to the modified destination address of the N multicast packets. For example, if the UPF network element duplicates two multicast packets, the destination address of the first multicast packet is the address of device 1, and the destination address of the second multicast packet is the address of device 2, then the UPF network element According to the address of device 1, the first multicast packet is sent to device 1 through the N6 interface, and the second multicast packet is sent to device 2 through the N6 interface according to the address of device 2.

The UPF network element sends a multicast packet to the first type device according to the modified destination addresses of the M multicast packets. For example, the first type of equipment includes UE 2 and UE 3. The UPF network element copies a multicast message for UE 2 and UE 3. The destination address of the first multicast message is the address of UE 2, and the second The destination address of the multicast message is the address of UE3, then the UPF network element sends the first multicast message to UE2 and the second multicast message to UE3 through the access network device.

In Figure 7, the number of N6 interface forwarding addresses is equal to the number of copies of multicast packets = the number of devices belonging to the 5G LAN group in the data network.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, when the SMF network element obtains the multicast information of the 5G LAN group, the multicast information of the 5G LAN group includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses in the data network, according to One or more N6 interface forwarding addresses determine the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface, and send the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface to the UPF network element, so that the UPF network element can send the received multicast packets according to the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface The message is forwarded to one or more devices in the data network, so that one or more devices in the data network can receive the multicast message, avoid the missed forwarding of the multicast message, and improve the forwarding rate of the multicast message.

One or more devices in the data network belong to the 5G LAN group, and the number of these one or more devices is the same as the number of one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. For example, if a device in the data network belongs to the 5G LAN group, it includes an N6 interface forwarding address, and the N6 interface forwarding address is the address of the device. For another example, if two devices (device 1 and device 2) in the data network belong to the 5G ALN group, then two N6 interface forwarding addresses are included, and the two N6 interface forwarding addresses are the address of device 1 and the address of device 2.

Refer to FIG. 8, which is a schematic flowchart of another multicast communication method provided by an embodiment of this application. The method may include the following steps:

Step 201: The AF network element sends the multicast information of the 5G LAN group to the SMF network element through the intermediate network element. Correspondingly, the SMF network element receives the multicast information of the 5G LAN group from the AF network element through the intermediate network element.

The difference between step 201 and step 101 is that the multicast information of the 5G LAN group in step 201 includes an N6 interface forwarding address. The N6 interface forwarding address is the address of a designated device in the data network. The designated device can be, for example, a data network. The address of the server or switch (IP address or MAC address, etc.), or the address of a device in the data network, or the N6 tunnel identifier, etc. The multicast information of the 5G LAN group includes the N6 interface forwarding address, which implicitly indicates that the N6 interface is used to forward multicast packets.

Further, the designated device has an association relationship with the 5G LAN group. For example, the designated device is a server or switch corresponding to the 5G LAN group in the data network, or is a device belonging to the 5G LAN group in the data network. Optionally, the N6 interface information further includes N6 indication information, and the N6 indication information is used to indicate that the N6 interface is used to forward the multicast packet.

Optionally, the multicast information of the 5G LAN group also includes N6 interface indication information, which is used to instruct the use of the N6 interface to forward multicast packets. If the N6 indication information indicates that the N6 interface is not used to forward the multicast packet, it can be understood that the multicast packet is forwarded to the first type of device without forwarding to the data network, and the N6 interface information does not include the N6 interface forwarding address.

It is understandable that one N6 interface forwarding address is carried in step 201, and N N6 interface forwarding addresses are carried in step 101, and the value of N is the same as the number of devices in the 5G LAN group in the data network.

For the same parts of step 201 and step 101, please refer to the specific description of step 101, which will not be repeated here.

Step 202: The SMF network element determines the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the forwarding address of the N6 interface.

The difference between step 201 and step 101 is that the SMF network element determines the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the forwarding address of the N6 interface; the context information corresponding to the created or updated 5G LAN group includes the multicast address of the 5G LAN group and the N6 interface forwarding address.

The content included in the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface can be presented in the form of Table 3 below, and Table 3 below does not constitute a limitation to the embodiments of the present application.

table 3

The content included in the FAR associated with the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface can be presented in the form of Table 4 below, and Table 4 below does not constitute a limitation to the embodiment of the present application.

Table 4

In a possible implementation manner, the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface may include copy indication information (it is not limited to include PDR or FAR), which is used to instruct to copy a copy of the multicast packet, and the copy of the multicast packet The text is used to send to the data network. It can be understood that the replication indication information included in the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is for the data network.

In another possible implementation, the routing rule corresponding to the 5G LAN group includes copy indication information, which is used to indicate that the number of copies is the number of devices of the first type in the 5G LAN group plus 1, assuming the number of devices of the first type If it is M, then the copy instruction information is used to instruct to copy M+1 copies of the multicast message, and the added copy of the multicast message is used to send to the data network.

In another possible implementation manner, when the SMF network element receives the N6 interface instruction information for instructing the use of the N6 interface to forward multicast packets, it may not be in the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface or in the 5G LAN group. The replication instruction information is configured in the corresponding routing rule. The UPF network element can replicate M+1 multicast packets by default. M is the number of type 1 devices in the 5G LAN group. The added multicast packet is used for Send to the data network.

Exemplarily, based on the example diagram shown in FIG. 5, the 5G LAN group includes UE 1, UE 2, UE 3, and device 1 and device 2 in the data network. It is assumed that the multicast address of the 5G LAN group is multicast address 1. The server addresses corresponding to device 1 and device 2 are address 2, then the destination address included in the PDI in the PDR corresponding to the N6 interface is multicast address 1, and the forwarding address in the FAR associated with the PDR includes address 2.

Step 203: The SMF network element sends the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface from the SMF network element.

Step 204: UE 1 sends a multicast message to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the multicast message from UE1.

For the implementation process of step 203 and step 204, please refer to the specific description of step 103 and step 104, which will not be repeated here.

Step 205: The UPF network element copies a multicast packet.

The difference between step 205 and step 105 is that in step 205, a copy of the multicast message is copied, and the destination address of the copied multicast message is modified to the N6 interface forwarding address, for example, to the address of the server in the data network .

Step 206: The UPF network element sends a multicast message to the data network.

The UPF network element sends the multicast message to the data network according to the modified destination address of the multicast message, for example, sends the multicast message to a server in the data network, and the server receives the multicast message , Further processing can be performed to forward the multicast message to the devices belonging to the 5G LAN group in the data network.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, when the SMF network element obtains the multicast information of the 5G LAN group, the multicast information of the 5G LAN group includes the N6 interface for instructing the use of the N6 interface to forward multicast packets The instruction information and the N6 interface forwarding address are used to determine the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the N6 interface forwarding address, and the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is sent to the UPF network element so that the UPF network element can transfer the routing rules according to the routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface The received multicast packet is forwarded to a designated device (such as a server or a switch or a certain device) in the data network, so that the device in the data network can receive the multicast packet and avoid the missed forwarding of the multicast packet. Improve the forwarding rate of multicast packets.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the UPF network element copies a multicast message and sends the multicast message to a designated device in the data network; in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the UPF network element copies N copies of the multicast message Message, each multicast message is sent to each device in the data network. Both of the embodiments shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 can realize that a device in a data network receives a multicast packet.

Refer to FIG. 9, which is a schematic flowchart of another multicast communication method provided by an embodiment of this application. The method may include the following steps:

Step 301: The SMF network element obtains the multicast information of the 5G LAN group from the PCF network element.

The manner in which the LAN members in the 5G LAN group access the network may change. For example, the LAN member 1 uses the 5G technology to access the network in a certain period of time, and uses the fixed network to access the network in the next period of time. The change in the access mode of LAN members will cause the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group to change. The 5G network can dynamically configure routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group on the UPF network element when the access mode of the LAN member changes.

The PCF network element can adjust the forwarding strategy after learning the change of the access mode of the LAN member, and the forwarding strategy can include the multicast information of the 5G LAN group. PCF network elements can subscribe to the access status of LAN members from other networks in the 5G network, for example, subscribe to the access status of LAN members from AMF network elements or UDM network elements, and then determine whether the access mode of LAN members has changed, and then adjust forwarding Strategy.

The SMF network element obtains the forwarding strategy from the PCF network element. Specifically, the SMF network element sends a forwarding policy acquisition request to the PCF network element, and the forwarding policy acquisition request carries the group identifier of the 5G LAN group; the PCF network element sends a forwarding policy acquisition response to the SMF network element, and the forwarding policy acquisition response includes the forwarding strategy and forwarding The policy can include the multicast information of the 5G LAN group. The SMF network element can periodically send a forwarding policy acquisition request to the PCF network element, so that the SMF network element can dynamically adjust the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group.

Exemplarily, if the LAN members in the 5G LAN group were all first-category devices before, and there is a device 1 that changes from the first-category device to the second-category device in a certain period of time, when the PCF network element learns this situation, Adjust the multicast information of the 5G LAN group, for example, add the N6 interface forwarding address to the multicast information of the 5G LAN group. The N6 interface forwarding address can be the address of a designated device in the data network.

Step 302: The SMF network element determines the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the forwarding address of the N6 interface.

Step 303: The SMF network element sends the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface from the SMF network element.

Step 304: UE 1 sends a multicast message to the UPF network element. Correspondingly, the UPF network element receives the multicast message from UE1.

Step 305: The UPF network element copies a multicast message.

Step 306: The UPF network element sends a multicast message to the data network.

For the implementation process of step 302 to step 306, please refer to the specific description of step 202 to step 206, which will not be repeated here. As another possible implementation manner, the multicast information of the 5G LAN group obtained from the PCF network element in step 301 includes multiple N6 interface forwarding addresses, then step 102 to step 106 can be performed after step 301.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 can also realize that the device in the data network receives the multicast packet. The difference between the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 and the embodiments shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 is that in the embodiments shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the SMF network element obtains the multicast information of the 5G LAN group from the AF network element; In the embodiment shown in 9, the SMF network element dynamically obtains the multicast information of the 5G LAN group from the PCF network element, and can dynamically adjust the routing rules corresponding to the 5G LAN group.

Refer to FIG. 10, which is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of this application. The communication device 700 shown in FIG. 10 may include a transceiving unit 701 and a processing unit 702. The transceiving unit 701 may include a transmitting unit and a receiving unit. The transmitting unit is used to implement a transmitting function, the receiving unit is used to implement a receiving function, and the transceiving unit 701 may implement a transmitting function and/or a receiving function. The transceiver unit can also be described as a communication unit.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication device 700 may be a session management network element, may also be a device in a session management network element, or may be a device that can be matched and used with a session management network element.

The transceiver unit 701 is configured to obtain multicast information of the LAN group, where the multicast information includes N6 interface information;

The processing unit 702 is configured to determine a routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the N6 interface information, and the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is used to control the forwarding of multicast packets to the data network;

The transceiver unit 701 is further configured to send the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface to the user plane network element.

Optionally, the transceiver 701 is specifically used to obtain the multicast information of the LAN group from the application function network element or the policy control network element.

Optionally, the foregoing N6 interface information includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses.

Optionally, the routing rule corresponding to the aforementioned N6 interface further includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses.

Optionally, the routing rule corresponding to the aforementioned N6 interface information includes message replication information, and the message replication information is used to indicate replication of the multicast message.

Optionally, the number of the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network.

Optionally, this N6 interface forwarding address is the address of the designated device in the data network.

Optionally, the processing unit 702 is further configured to create or update the context information corresponding to the LAN group according to the multicast information.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication device 700 may be a user plane network element, a device in a user plane network element, or a device that can be matched and used with a user plane network element.

The transceiver unit 701 is used for routing rules corresponding to the N6 interface from the session management network element; receiving multicast packets;

The processing unit 702 is configured to determine whether the multicast packet matches the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, and in the case of matching, send the multicast packet to the data network according to the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface.

Optionally, the routing rule corresponding to the aforementioned N6 interface includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses; the transceiver unit 701 is specifically configured to send a multicast packet to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses.

Optionally, the routing rule corresponding to the aforementioned N6 interface information further includes message replication information, and the message replication information is used to instruct to replicate the multicast message; the processing unit 702 is specifically configured to replicate the multicast message, and according to one or more A N6 interface forwarding address sends duplicate multicast packets to the data network.

Optionally, the number of the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network.

Optionally, this N6 interface forwarding address is the address of the designated device in the data network.

Figure 11 shows a schematic structural diagram of another communication device. The communication device 800 may be a user plane network element, a session management network element, a chip, a chip system, or a processor that supports the user plane network element to implement the above method, and it may also be a session management network element. Chips, chip systems, or processors that implement the above methods. The device can be used to implement the method described in the foregoing method embodiment, and for details, please refer to the description in the foregoing method embodiment.

The communication device 800 may include one or more processors 801. The processor 801 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor. For example, it can be a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be used to process the communication protocol and communication data, and the central processor can be used to control the communication device, execute the software program, and process the data of the software program.

Optionally, the communication device 800 may include one or more memories 802, on which instructions 804 may be stored, and the instructions may be executed on the processor 801, so that the device 800 executes the foregoing method implementation. The method described in the example. Optionally, the memory 802 may also store data. The processor 801 and the memory 802 can be provided separately or integrated together.

Optionally, the communication device 800 may further include a transceiver 805 and an antenna 806. The transceiver 805 may be called a transceiver unit, a transceiver, or a transceiver circuit, etc., for implementing the transceiver function. The transceiver 805 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver may be referred to as a receiver or a receiving circuit, etc., for implementing a receiving function; the transmitter may be referred to as a transmitter or a transmitting circuit, etc., for implementing a transmitting function.

The communication device 800 is a session management network element: the processor 801 is configured to execute step 102 in FIG. 7; execute step 202 in FIG. 8; execute step 302 in FIG. 9. The transceiver 805 is used to execute step 101 and step 103 in FIG. 7; execute step 201 and step 203 in FIG. 8; execute step 301 and step 303 in FIG.

The communication device 800 is a user plane network element: the processor 801 is configured to execute step 105 in FIG. 7; execute step 205 in FIG. 8; execute step 305 in FIG. 9. The transceiver 805 is used to execute step 103, step 104, and step 106 in FIG. 7; execute step 203, step 204, and step 206 in FIG. 8; execute step 303, step 304, and step 306 in FIG.

In another alternative design, the processor 801 may include a transceiver for implementing receiving and sending functions. For example, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit, or an interface, or an interface circuit. The transceiver circuits, interfaces, or interface circuits used to implement the receiving and transmitting functions can be separate or integrated. The foregoing transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit can be used for code/data reading and writing, or the foregoing transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit can be used for signal transmission or transmission.

In another possible design, optionally, the processor 801 may store an instruction 803, and the instruction 803 runs on the processor 801, so that the device 800 can execute the method described in the foregoing method embodiment. The instruction 803 may be solidified in the processor 801. In this case, the processor 801 may be implemented by hardware.

In yet another possible design, the communication device 800 may include a circuit, and the circuit may implement the sending or receiving or communication functions in the foregoing method embodiments. The processor and transceiver described in this application can be implemented in integrated circuit (IC), analog IC, radio frequency integrated circuit RFIC, mixed signal IC, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), printed circuit board ( printed circuit board, PCB), electronic equipment, etc. The processor and transceiver can also be manufactured by various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), nMetal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS), P-type Metal oxide semiconductor (positive channel metal oxide semiconductor, PMOS), bipolar junction transistor (BJT), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), gallium arsenide (GaAs), etc.

The communication device described in the above embodiment may be a network device or a terminal device, but the scope of the communication device described in this application is not limited to this, and the structure of the communication device may not be limited by FIG. 11. The communication device may be a stand-alone device or may be part of a larger device.

Those skilled in the art may also understand that various illustrative logical blocks and steps listed in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of the two. Whether such a function is implemented by hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design requirements of the entire system. Those skilled in the art can use various methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be construed as going beyond the protection scope of the embodiments of the present application.

The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer-readable storage medium is executed by a computer, the function of any of the foregoing method embodiments is realized.

This application also provides a computer program product, which, when executed by a computer, realizes the functions of any of the foregoing method embodiments.

In the above embodiments, it may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented by software, it can be implemented in the form of a computer program product in whole or in part. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer instructions are loaded and executed on the computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable devices. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from a website, computer, server, or data center. Transmission to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (such as coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (such as infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or a data center integrated with one or more available media. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, and a magnetic tape), an optical medium (for example, a high-density digital video disc (digital video disc, DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (for example, a solid state disk, SSD)) etc.

Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that the various numerical numbers such as first and second involved in the present application are only for easy distinction for description, and are not used to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present application, but also indicate a sequence.

The corresponding relationships shown in the tables in this application can be configured or pre-defined. The value of the information in each table is only an example, and can be configured to other values, which is not limited in this application. When configuring the correspondence between the information and the parameters, it is not necessarily required to configure all the correspondences indicated in the tables. For example, in the table in this application, the corresponding relationship shown in some rows may not be configured. For another example, appropriate deformation adjustments can be made based on the above table, such as splitting, merging, and so on. The names of the parameters shown in the titles in the above tables may also be other names that can be understood by the communication device, and the values or expressions of the parameters may also be other values or expressions that can be understood by the communication device. When the above tables are implemented, other data structures can also be used, such as arrays, queues, containers, stacks, linear tables, pointers, linked lists, trees, graphs, structures, classes, heaps, hash tables, or hash tables. Wait.

The pre-definition in this application can be understood as definition, pre-definition, storage, pre-storage, pre-negotiation, pre-configuration, curing, or pre-fired.

A person of ordinary skill in the art may be aware that the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are executed by hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraint conditions of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians can use different methods for each specific application to implement the described functions, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and conciseness of the description, the specific working process of the system, device and unit described above can refer to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiment, which is not repeated here.

The above are only specific implementations of this application, but the protection scope of this application is not limited to this. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application. Should be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims (24)

A multicast communication method, characterized in that it comprises: The session management network element obtains multicast information of the local area network LAN group, where the multicast information includes N6 interface information; The session management network element determines a routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface according to the N6 interface information, and the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is used to control the forwarding of multicast packets to the data network; The session management network element sends the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface to the user plane network element. The method according to claim 1, wherein said session management network element acquiring multicast information of a LAN group comprises: The session management network element obtains the multicast information of the LAN group from the application network element or the policy control network element. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the N6 interface information includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The method according to claim 3, wherein the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface includes the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The method according to claim 4, wherein the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface further includes message copy indication information, and the message copy indication information is used to instruct to copy the multicast message. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the number of the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the one N6 interface forwarding address is an address of a designated device in the data network. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the method further comprises: The session management network element creates or updates the context information corresponding to the LAN group according to the multicast information; the created or updated context information corresponding to the LAN group includes a first context and a second context, and the first context A session context includes the session context of devices in the LAN group except devices in the data network, and the second context includes the multicast address of the LAN group and the N6 interface information. A multicast communication method, characterized in that it comprises: The user plane network element receives the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface from the session management network element; The user plane network element receives the multicast message; In a case where the multicast packet matches the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, the user plane network element sends the multicast packet to the data network according to the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface. The method according to claim 9, wherein the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses; The user plane network element sending the multicast message to the data network according to the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface includes: The user plane network element sends the multicast packet to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The method according to claim 10, wherein the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface further comprises message copy indication information, and the message copy indication information is used to instruct to copy the multicast message; The user plane network element sending the multicast packet to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses includes: The user plane network element copies the multicast message, and sends the copied multicast message to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the number of the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the one N6 interface forwarding address is an address of a designated device in the data network. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device comprises a unit for executing each step according to any one of claims 1-8. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device comprises a unit for executing each step according to any one of claims 9-13. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device includes a processor and a memory; The memory is used to store computer instructions; When the processor executes the instruction, the communication device executes the method according to any one of claims 1-8. A communication device, characterized in that the communication device includes a processor and a memory; The memory is used to store computer instructions; When the processor executes the instruction, the communication device executes the method according to any one of claims 9-13. A multicast communication system, characterized in that it includes a session management network element and a user plane network element; The session management network element is used to obtain multicast information of a local area network LAN group, the multicast information includes N6 interface information; according to the N6 interface information, the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface is determined, and the N6 interface corresponds to the The routing rule is used to control the forwarding of the multicast packet to the data network; sending the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface to the user plane network element; The user plane network element is configured to receive the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface; receive a multicast packet; in the case that the multicast packet matches the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface, according to the N6 The routing rule corresponding to the interface sends the multicast message to the data network. [Corrected according to Rule 91 07.05.2020]
The system of claim 18, wherein: The session management network element is specifically used to obtain the multicast information of the LAN group from the application function network element or the policy control network element. The system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the interface information includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The system according to claim 20, wherein the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface includes one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses; The user plane network element is specifically configured to send the multicast message to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The system according to claim 21, wherein the routing rule corresponding to the N6 interface further comprises message copy indication information, and the message copy indication information is used to indicate the copied multicast message; The user plane network element is specifically configured to copy the multicast message, and send the copied multicast message to the data network according to the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses. The system according to any one of claims 20-22, wherein the number of the one or more N6 interface forwarding addresses is the same as the number of devices belonging to the LAN group in the data network. The system according to any one of claims 20-22, wherein the one N6 interface forwarding address is an address of a designated device in the data network.

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