Context information management method and device in heterogeneous networkTechnical Field
The present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for managing context information in a heterogeneous network.
Background
An Evolved Packet System (EPS) is a System supporting multiple access technologies and multiple inter-access mobility, and in a multi-access scenario, a User Equipment (UE) may be under the common coverage of multiple 3GPP (3 rd Generation Partnership Project) access networks and/or non-3 GPP access networks, where the access networks may use different access technologies, may belong to different operators, and may also provide access to different core networks.
As shown in fig. 1, a schematic diagram of a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)/LTE (Long Term Evolution) and WLAN (Wireless Local area network) coexistence scenario is shown, where in a coverage area of a base station device (Node B of UMTS or eNB of LTE) in UMTS/LTE, a plurality of APs (Access points) of WLANs exist, and the coverage area of the APs is relatively small compared to the base station device.
Under the network architecture, the UMTS/LTE can utilize the WLAN to perform offload, and the corresponding offloading modes include seamless offloading and slotted offloading; seamless offloading refers to connection between a WLAN and a 3GPP CN (Core Network ), and after offloading, a service is still accessed to the 3GPP CN, as shown in the seamless offloading scene schematic diagram shown in fig. 2A; the slotted offloading refers to that there is no connection between the WLAN and the 3GPP CN, and after offloading, the service is directly accessed to the Internet, as shown in the slotted offloading scene diagram shown in fig. 2B.
In the prior art, handover in UMTS/LTE refers to a process of switching a UE from one cell to another cell, and specific air interface processes include: (1) the base station equipment sends a switching command to the UE; (2) after receiving the switching command, the UE disconnects the connection with the source cell and initiates access to the target cell indicated in the switching command; (3) and after the UE is successfully accessed into the target cell, sending a switching success message to the target base station equipment, and ending the switching process.
The handover in the WLAN refers to a process of switching the UE from one AP to another AP, and the specific air interface process includes: (1) the UE finds a new AP and judges that the AP needs to be switched according to the algorithm of the UE; (2) disassociating the UE from the current AP; (3) and establishing association between the UE and the new AP, and finishing the AP switching process after the association is successfully established.
In addition, the handover between UMTS/LTE and WLAN refers to a process of handover of a UE from a UMTS/LTE cell to a WLAN AP, and the specific air interface process includes: (1) the base station equipment learns that the UE approaches a certain WLAN AP through measurement report or geographical position information and the like of the UE; (2) when the base station device determines to switch the UE to the WLAN, the UE is notified to switch to the WLAN by using an RRC (radio resource Control) connection reconfiguration process, and the RRC connection reconfiguration message includes identification information (such as a frequency point and an SSID (Service Set Identifier) of the target AP); (3) after the UE receives the RRC connection reconfiguration message, the AS (Access Stratum) layer notifies the NAS (Non Access Stratum) layer that the NAS layer needs to be switched to the WLAN, and at this time, the NAS layer of the UE triggers the WLAN module of the UE to search for a corresponding Access point for association (Access); (4) after the association with the AP is successfully completed, the UE may establish a corresponding PDN (packet data Network) connection (seamless offload) or access the Internet (seamless offload) through the WLAN; and the AS layer of the UE sends an RRC connection reconfiguration completion message to the base station equipment to inform the base station equipment of completing corresponding bearer switching.
In the process of implementing the invention, the inventor finds that at least the following problems exist in the prior art:
in the prior art, the base station device side can control the UE to switch from a 3GPP network (e.g. UMTS/LTE) to a non-3 GPP network (e.g. WLAN), but there is no solution in the prior art on how the base station device should process the context information of the non-3 GPP network of the UE during the handover process.
Disclosure of Invention
The embodiment of the invention provides a method and equipment for managing context information in a heterogeneous network, so that base station equipment can maintain the context information of UE in a non-3 GPP network.
In order to achieve the above object, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for managing context information in a heterogeneous network, where the method includes:
the method comprises the steps that base station equipment obtains context information of user equipment UE in a non-third generation partnership project (3 GPP) network;
the base station device maintains context information of the UE in a non-3 GPP network.
The embodiment of the invention provides a context information management method in a heterogeneous network, which comprises the following steps:
user Equipment (UE) obtains context information of the UE in a non-third generation partnership project (3 GPP) network;
and the UE sends the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to base station equipment, and the base station equipment maintains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a base station device, including:
an obtaining module, configured to obtain context information of a user equipment UE in a non-third generation partnership project 3GPP network;
a maintaining module, configured to maintain context information of the UE in a non-3 GPP network.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a user equipment UE, including:
an obtaining module, configured to obtain context information of a UE in a non-third generation partnership project, 3GPP, network;
a sending module, configured to send context information of a UE in a non-3 GPP network to a base station device, where the base station device maintains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network.
Compared with the prior art, the embodiment of the invention at least has the following advantages: in the embodiment of the invention, when the UE is switched from the 3GPP network to the non-3 GPP network, the base station equipment maintains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, so that the base station equipment can utilize the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to perform relevant processing (for example, the base station equipment utilizes the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to determine whether to perform measurement configuration and/or perform service switching, and the like).
Drawings
In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art to obtain other drawings based on the drawings without creative efforts.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a UMTS/LTE and WLAN coexistence scenario in the prior art;
fig. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of a seamless split and a slotted split scenario in the prior art;
fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing context information in a heterogeneous network of a base station device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing context information in a heterogeneous network of a UE according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams of network scenarios of a second embodiment and a third embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a user equipment according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description
The technical solutions in the present invention will be described clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Example one
The embodiment of the invention provides a context information management method in a heterogeneous network, which is applied to an application scene needing to switch from a 3GPP network to a non-3 GPP network; the 3GPP network may specifically be UMTS or LTE, and the non-3 GPP network may specifically be WLAN.
As shown in fig. 3, in an application scenario of performing a handover from a 3GPP network to a non-3 GPP network, for a processing of a base station device, the method for managing context information in a heterogeneous network may include the following steps:
in step 301, a base station device obtains context information of a UE in a non-3 GPP network.
The base station device is a base station device in a 3GPP Network, such as an eNB (Evolved Node B) or an RNC (Radio Network Controller).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base station device obtains context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, which specifically includes but is not limited to: the base station equipment obtains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network when determining that the UE is switched from the 3GPP network to the non-3 GPP network.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method for obtaining the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network by the base station device specifically includes, but is not limited to, the following steps: when the base station equipment determines that the UE is initially accessed from a non-3 GPP network and is accessed to the base station equipment in the subsequent process, the base station equipment receives the context information of the current UE in the non-3 GPP network, which is reported to the base station equipment by the UE; or the base station equipment receives the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, which is reported by the UE when the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network changes; or the base station equipment receives the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, which is reported by the UE after the UE is switched to the target base station equipment; or the base station equipment sends a message requesting to report the context information in the non-3 GPP network to the UE, and receives the context information in the non-3 GPP network reported by the UE after receiving the message.
In step 302, the base station device maintains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base station device maintains context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, which specifically includes but is not limited to: when the service of the UE is switched from the base station device to the non-3 GPP network, the base station device receives information that the core network releases the EPS (Evolved Packet System) bearer of the service of the UE in the 3GPP network, and when the core network releases the EPS bearer of the service of the UE in the 3GPP network, the base station device retains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, that is, the base station device does not delete the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network.
Specifically, when the service of the UE is originally in the base station device, the service of the UE is transferred to the non-3 GPP network due to reasons such as handover, and at this time, the service of the UE is previously carried by the corresponding EPS in the base station device, and the core network may require the base station device to release the EPS carried by the service of the UE in the 3GPP network after the UE handover is completed. On this basis, in the embodiment of the present invention, when the core network releases the EPS bearer of the service of the UE in the 3GPP network, the base station device needs to retain the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, that is, the base station device does not delete the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network.
Step 303, the base station device determines whether to perform measurement configuration and/or perform service switching by using the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network; and/or sending the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to other base station equipment when the UE is determined to be switched from the base station equipment to the other base station equipment.
In the embodiment of the invention, based on the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network maintained by the base station equipment, the base station equipment can utilize the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to judge whether to perform measurement configuration and/or whether to perform service switching; and/or when the base station device determines that the UE is handed over from the base station device (which is a source base station) to another base station device (which is a target base station), the base station device may send the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to the other base station device.
In the embodiment of the present invention, when the non-3 GPP network is specifically a WLAN, the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network includes the context information of the UE in the WLAN (i.e., WLAN context).
In a preferred implementation manner of the embodiment of the present invention, the context information of the UE in the WLAN at least includes: whether the UE has service transmission in the WLAN currently; further, when the UE currently has a service transmission in the WLAN, the context information of the UE in the WLAN may further include, but is not limited to, one or any combination of the following: corresponding service information, service Bearer (such as DRB (Data Radio Bearer)) information on the 3GPP network side, and mapping relationship of the WLAN service.
Further, the traffic information of the UE in the WLAN includes, but is not limited to, one or any combination of the following: service identification, service number, and QCI (Quality of service) level of the UE in the WLAN.
As shown in fig. 4, in an application scenario of performing a handover from a 3GPP network to a non-3 GPP network, for a UE, the method for managing context information in a heterogeneous network may include the following steps:
step 401, the UE obtains context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network.
The UE needs to maintain specific UE context information in the non-3 GPP network, so as to directly obtain the UE context information in the non-3 GPP network when needed.
Step 402, the UE sends the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station device, the base station device maintains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, and the base station device determines whether to perform measurement configuration and/or perform service switching by using the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network; and/or sending the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to other base station equipment when the UE is determined to be switched from the base station equipment (as a source base station) to the other base station equipment (as a target base station).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sending, by the UE, the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station device includes, but is not limited to: when the UE is initially accessed from a non-3 GPP network and is accessed to base station equipment in a subsequent process, the UE sends the context information of the current UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station equipment; or, when the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network changes, the UE sends the changed context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network (including whether there is a service in the non-3 GPP network when the UE initially accesses the base station device) to the base station device; or after the UE is switched to the target base station equipment, the UE sends the context information of the current UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station equipment; or after receiving a message requesting for reporting the context information in the non-3 GPP network from the base station device, the UE sends the context information of the current UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station device.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the base station device is a base station device (such as an eNB or an RNC) in a 3GPP network, and the 3GPP network is specifically a UMTS or an LTE; the non-3 GPP network may be specifically a WLAN, and when the non-3 GPP network is specifically a WLAN, the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network includes the context information of the UE in the WLAN (i.e., WLAN context).
In a preferred implementation manner of the embodiment of the present invention, the context information of the UE in the WLAN at least includes: whether the UE has service transmission in the WLAN currently; further, when the UE currently has a service transmission in the WLAN, the context information of the UE in the WLAN may further include, but is not limited to, one or any combination of the following: corresponding service information, service bearer (such as DRB) information of the 3GPP network side and the mapping relation of the WLAN service. The traffic information of the UE in the WLAN includes, but is not limited to, one or any combination of the following: service identification, service number, QCI level and the like of the UE in the WLAN.
In summary, in the embodiments of the present invention, when the UE is handed over from the 3GPP network to the non-3 GPP network, the base station device maintains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, so that the base station device can perform related processing by using the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network (for example, the base station device determines whether to perform measurement configuration and/or perform service handover or not by using the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network), thereby solving a problem of how to use the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network during a handover process, and enabling the system to work normally.
The embodiments of the present invention are further described below with reference to specific network scenarios.
Example two
In this embodiment, the base station device performs measurement configuration and service switching by using WLAN context (that is, context information of the UE in the WLAN), a specific network scenario is shown in fig. 5, the base station device may be an RNC of the UMTS or an eNB of the LTE, and the access point is an AP of the WLAN.
In this application scenario, the UE only has connection with the base station device, and has three services in transmission, which are respectively carried on DRB1, DRB2, and DRB 3. As the UE moves into the coverage area of access point 1, the base station apparatus decides to switch service 1 (bearer on DRB 1) to WLAN for transmission, and sends a bearer switch command to the UE. After receiving the command, the UE switches the service 1 to the access point 1, and further stores the corresponding relationship between the service 1 and the DRB 1. After the UE successfully completes the handover of the service 1, the core network sends a command to the base station device to release the EPS bearer corresponding to the service 1 of the UE, and after receiving the command, the base station device releases the resource corresponding to the corresponding bearer, but still stores the current WLAN context of the UE, that is, the service 1 of the UE is in the WLAN, and further, the corresponding bearer before the service handover is DRB 1.
Since the base station device knows that the UE has traffic transmitted in the WLAN at present, the base station device configures measurement (such as measurement of channel quality or load information) on the WLAN for the UE, and the measurement event configured in this embodiment is "the channel quality of the WLAN is lower than the threshold". In the subsequent process, the UE needs to monitor the WLAN according to the measurement configuration information, and when the UE moves out of the coverage area of the access point 1 and the WLAN channel quality measured by the UE is lower than the threshold configured by the base station device, the UE is triggered to perform measurement reporting, that is, the information is reported to the base station device. After receiving the measurement report, the base station device, in combination with the current WLAN context information of the UE (service 1 of the UE is in the WLAN), sends a bearer switching command to the UE, so as to switch service 1 from the WLAN back to the base station device. Further, the base station apparatus may also reconfigure the DRB1 for the UE for transmitting the service 1.
In summary, the base station device saves the WLAN context of the UE, so as to implement reasonable measurement configuration and handover decision, ensure the continuity of the UE service, and ensure the user experience.
EXAMPLE III
In this embodiment, the base station device uses the WLAN context (that is, context information of the UE in the WLAN) to transmit the WLAN context in the handover process, and a specific network scenario is shown in fig. 6, where the base station device may be an RNC of the UMTS or an eNB of the LTE, and the access point is an AP of the WLAN.
The UE is initially within the coverage of the base station apparatus 1 and the access point 1 while maintaining a connection with the base station apparatus 1 and the access point 1. The UE has three services, wherein service 1 is transmitted in base station equipment 1, and service 2 and service 3 are transmitted in the WLAN; further, both base station apparatus 1 and UE need to keep WLAN context information of UE, that is, service 2 and service 3 are transmitted in WLAN.
As the UE moves, the UE enters the coverage of the base station device 2 from the coverage of the base station device 1, at this time, the base station device 1 determines that the UE is switched from the base station device 1 to the base station device 2 based on the prior art, then the base station device 1 sends a switching request message to the base station device 2, and in the switching request message, the base station device 1 carries the current WLAN context of the UE (service 2 and service 3 are transmitted in the WLAN), and the 3GPP service context of the UE (service 1 is transmitted in the base station device 1).
After receiving the handover request message, if the base station device 2 decides to handover the service 1, the handover command carries information for handing over the service 1 to the base station device 2, and the base station device 1 transmits the handover command to the UE. After receiving the handover command, the UE switches the service 1 to the base station device 2 based on the information carried in the handover command, and still keeps the transmission of the service 2 and the service 3 in the AP.
If base station device 1 does not transfer the WLAN context of the UE to the target base station device (i.e. base station device 2) during the handover procedure, or after base station device 1 sends the handover command, the WLAN context of the UE is changed (for example, service 2 is ended), then after the UE successfully accesses to the target base station device (i.e. base station device 2), it needs to notify the current WLAN context of itself to base station device 2.
After the UE is successfully switched to the base station device 2, the subsequent processing modes of the base station device 2 and the UE are the same as the related processing in the second embodiment, and the subsequent related processes are not repeated in this embodiment.
Example four
In this embodiment, the UE reports the current WLAN context (i.e. context information of the UE in the WLAN), a specific network scenario may be as shown in fig. 5, the base station device may be an RNC of the UMTS or an eNB of the LTE, and the access point is an AP of the WLAN.
The UE first establishes a connection in the WLAN and transmits traffic 1 and traffic 2 in the WLAN. The subsequent UE establishes a connection with the base station apparatus 1 again, and transmits the service 3. After the UE establishes connection with the base station device 1, the UE actively reports the current WLAN context to the base station device 1 through the RRC dedicated signaling, and the base station device 1 needs to store the current WLAN context after receiving the current WLAN context of the UE. Or, the base station device 1 sends an RRC dedicated signaling requesting reporting of the WLAN context to the UE, and after receiving the RRC dedicated signaling, the UE reports related information (i.e., the current WLAN context), and after receiving the current WLAN context of the UE, the base station device 1 needs to store the WLAN context.
Wherein, the WLAN context may include whether there is WLAN service (for example, 1bit indicates whether there is WLAN service); further, when there is a WLAN service, the WLAN context may further include specific service information, where the service information may include a service number, a service identifier, a QCI level, and the like.
After the base station device 1 receives the WLAN context, the processing method of the subsequent base station device 1 and the UE is the same as that in the second embodiment, and the subsequent related process is not repeated in this embodiment.
EXAMPLE five
Based on the same inventive concept as the above method, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a base station apparatus, as shown in fig. 7, where the base station apparatus includes:
an obtaining module 11, configured to obtain context information of a user equipment UE in a non-third generation partnership project 3GPP network;
a maintaining module 12, configured to maintain context information of the UE in a non-3 GPP network.
The obtaining module 11 is specifically configured to obtain context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network when it is determined that the UE is handed over from the 3GPP network to the non-3 GPP network.
The obtaining module 11 is specifically configured to receive context information of the current UE in the non-3 GPP network, which is reported to the base station device by the UE, when it is determined that the UE is initially accessed from the non-3 GPP network and is accessed to the base station device in a subsequent process; or receiving the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, which is reported by the UE when the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network changes; or receiving context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network, which is reported by the UE after the UE is switched to the target base station equipment; or sending a message requesting to report the context information in the non-3 GPP network to the UE, and receiving the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network reported after the UE receives the message.
The maintenance module 12 is specifically configured to receive information that a core network releases an EPS bearer of an evolved packet system of a service of the UE in the 3GPP network when the service of the UE is switched from the base station device to the non-3 GPP network, and retain context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network when the core network releases the EPS bearer of the service of the UE in the 3GPP network.
The base station apparatus further includes: a processing module 13, configured to determine whether to perform measurement configuration and/or perform service handover by using context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network; and/or the presence of a gas in the gas,
and when the UE is determined to be switched from the base station equipment to other base station equipment, sending the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to the other base station equipment.
In the embodiment of the invention, the base station equipment is base station equipment in a 3GPP network, and the 3GPP network is a universal mobile telecommunications system UMTS or a long term evolution LTE;
the non-3 GPP network is specifically a wireless local area network WLAN, and the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network includes the context information of the UE in the WLAN.
Further, the context information of the UE in the WLAN includes: whether the UE has service transmission currently in the WLAN; or, whether the UE has service transmission currently in the WLAN, and when the UE has service transmission currently in the WLAN, the mapping relationship between the corresponding service information, the service bearer information of the 3GPP network side, and the WLAN service.
The modules of the device can be integrated into a whole or can be separately deployed. The modules can be combined into one module, and can also be further split into a plurality of sub-modules.
EXAMPLE six
Based on the same inventive concept as the above method, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a user equipment UE, as shown in fig. 8, where the user equipment UE includes:
an obtaining module 21, configured to obtain context information of a UE in a non-third generation partnership project 3GPP network;
a sending module 22, configured to send the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station device, where the base station device maintains the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network.
The sending module 22 is specifically configured to send context information of the current UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station device when initially accessing from the non-3 GPP network and accessing to the base station device in a subsequent process; or when the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network changes, sending the changed context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station equipment; or after the UE is switched to the target base station equipment, sending the context information of the current UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station equipment; or after receiving a message requesting for reporting the context information in the non-3 GPP network from the base station equipment, sending the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network to the base station equipment.
In the embodiment of the invention, the base station equipment is base station equipment in a 3GPP network, and the 3GPP network is a universal mobile telecommunications system UMTS or a long term evolution LTE;
the non-3 GPP network is specifically a wireless local area network WLAN, and the context information of the UE in the non-3 GPP network includes the context information of the UE in the WLAN.
Further, the context information of the UE in the WLAN includes: whether the UE has service transmission currently in the WLAN; or, whether the UE has service transmission currently in the WLAN, and when the UE has service transmission currently in the WLAN, the mapping relationship between the corresponding service information, the service bearer information of the 3GPP network side, and the WLAN service.
The modules of the device can be integrated into a whole or can be separately deployed. The modules can be combined into one module, and can also be further split into a plurality of sub-modules.
Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that the present invention may be implemented by software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and certainly may also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases, the former is a better embodiment. Based on such understanding, the technical solutions of the present invention may be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device) to execute the methods according to the embodiments of the present invention.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drawings are merely schematic representations of one preferred embodiment and that the blocks or flow diagrams in the drawings are not necessarily required to practice the present invention.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the modules in the devices in the embodiments may be distributed in the devices in the embodiments according to the description of the embodiments, and may be correspondingly changed in one or more devices different from the embodiments. The modules of the above embodiments may be combined into one module, or further split into multiple sub-modules.
The above-mentioned serial numbers of the embodiments of the present invention are merely for description and do not represent the merits of the embodiments.
The above disclosure is only for a few specific embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and any variations that can be made by those skilled in the art are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.