PFCP session processing method and deviceTechnical Field
The present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for processing a PFCP session.
Background
In the 5G mobile network, a user terminal UE sends a PDU session establishment request to an access and mobile management function AMF, after receiving the request, the AMF sends a PDU session SM context establishment request to a session management function SMF, and the SMF interacts with a control plane network element UDM to successfully establish an SM context. The SMF sends a PFCP session setup request to the user plane function UPF, which returns a SMFPFCP session setup response. SMF transmits IP address of UPF and other information to access network (R) AN through N2 message transparent transmission service of AMF, and (R) AN transmits uplink data to UPF according to IP address of UPF; the (R) AN also passes its related information to the SMF, which passes the information of the (R) AN to the UPF through the PFCP session modification procedure, and the UPF forwards the downlink data to the corresponding (R) AN.
An N4 interface of a Control plane of the 5G mobile network is based on a UDP/IP Protocol, and a Packet Forwarding and Control Protocol (PFCP) is adopted by an application layer. The N4 interface conveys PFCP request and response messages between SMFs and UPFs, including the establishment, modification, and release of PFCP sessions.
In the 5G mobile network, the UPF network element is an anchor point of the data plane, is a PDU session point connected to the data network, and is responsible for routing and forwarding of messages. When the UPF is far from the user side, the transmission delay of data is high (for example, in a video monitoring usage scenario), and the uplink delay may be reduced when the current application scenario sinks the data plane, but the access delay to the data network (downlink) may be increased.
The chinese patent application publication No. CN109729011A, entitled "traffic forwarding method, device, and computer-readable storage medium," uses a software defined network SDN controller to generate a routing label, generates a flow table according to the routing label and a forwarding path corresponding to the routing label, and issues the flow table to a UPF, inserts the routing label for the traffic reaching an endpoint UPF, and facilitates the UPF to route and forward the traffic according to the routing label. The method can also achieve the aim of separating uplink and downlink data between the user terminal and the data network to a certain extent, but does not relate to the processing of the PFCP session.
Disclosure of Invention
In view of the above, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method and an apparatus for processing a PFCP session, which separate uplink data and downlink data of a data plane, optimize forwarding performance of the data plane in a targeted manner, and improve data processing capability of a UPF.
The technical scheme of the invention is as follows:
in a first aspect, the present invention provides a PFCP session processing apparatus, including a receiving module, a processing module, and a forwarding module; the receiving module is responsible for receiving a PFCP session request message sent by the SMF and receiving a PFCP session response message returned by the uplink UPF and/or the downlink UPF; the processing module is responsible for separating the PFCP session request message, constructing a new PFCP session request message and integrating the PFCP session response message; the forwarding module is responsible for respectively sending the separated PFCP session request message to the corresponding uplink UPF and/or downlink UPF, and for forwarding the integrated PFCP session response message to the corresponding SMF.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for processing a PFCP session, which is implemented by using the above apparatus for processing a PFCP session, and includes the following steps:
step S1, the receiving module receives a PFCP session request message sent by the SMF;
step S2, the processing module analyzes the PFCP session request message, separates the PFCP session request message according to the request processing strategy and constructs a new PFCP session request message;
step S3, the forwarding module sends the constructed new PFCP session request message to the corresponding upstream UPF and/or downstream UPF, respectively;
step S4, the uplink UPF and/or the downlink UPF returns a PFCP session response message to the PFCP session handling apparatus;
step S5, the processing module analyzes the PFCP session response message and integrates the PFCP session response message according to the response processing strategy;
step S6, the forwarding module sends the integrated PFCP session response message to the corresponding SMF.
Further, the method comprises the following step of responding to exception handling: step S7, the forwarding module sends the PFCP session request message to the corresponding upstream UPF and/or downstream UPF.
Further, the method further includes a step of actively sending a PFCP session report request message by the uplink UPF or the downlink UPF, specifically: and the uplink UPF or the downlink UPF sends the PFCP session report request message to the processing module, and the processing module analyzes the PFCP session report request message and forwards the PFCP session report request message to the corresponding SMF by the forwarding module.
Further, the PFCP session request message is a PFCP session establishment request message, a PFCP session modification request message, or a PFCP session deletion request message.
Further, for the PFCP session establishment request message, the request processing policy is: separating PDR fields in the PFCP session request messages, acquiring source interface values in a PDI information body, separating according to rules related to processing of uplink data and downlink data, associating and storing the rules and session identifiers, and respectively constructing two PFCP session request messages according to the separated rules.
Further, for the PFCP session modification request message, the request processing policy is: and separating the rules carried in the PFCP session request message according to the stored session information, and constructing a new PFCP session modification request message according to the separated rules.
Further, for the PFCP session deletion request message, the request processing policy is: and constructing two PFCP session deletion request messages according to the stored session information, and respectively sending the two PFCP session deletion request messages to the uplink UPF and the downlink UPF.
Further, if the source interface value is Access, it indicates that the PDR field is a rule for processing uplink data, and other rules associated with the PDR field are also rules for processing uplink data; if the source interface is Core, it indicates that the PDR field is a rule for downstream data processing, and other rules associated with the PDR field are also rules for downstream data processing.
Further, the response processing policy for the PFCP session establishment request message is as follows: if the uplink UPF and the downlink UPF both return response messages of PFCP session establishment success or failure, constructing a new response message of PFCP session establishment success or failure and returning a corresponding SMF; if the PFCP session response messages returned by the upstream UPF and the downstream UPF are successful responses and failure responses, the PFCP session establishment failure response message is returned to the SMF, and then the PFCP session deletion request message is sent to the UPF returning the successful responses.
Further, the response processing policy for the PFCP session modification request message is as follows: when the PFCP session modification request message is sent, if only one PFCP session modification request message is constructed, the received PFCP session modification response message is forwarded to the corresponding SMF;
if two PFCP session modification request messages are constructed, if the received PFCP session modification response messages are both successful or failed responses, returning PFCP session modification success or failure responses to the SMF, and updating or restoring the stored rules; if the received PFCP session modification response message is a successful response and a failed response, the PFCP session modification failed response is returned to the SMF, and a PFCP session modification request is sent to the UPF returning the successful response.
Further, the response processing policy for the PFCP session deletion request message is as follows: if the two returned PFCP session release response messages are both success or failure responses, returning PFCP session release success or failure responses to the SMF; if one of the two returned PFCP session release response messages successfully responds to one failure response, restoring the stored rule and returning the PFCP session release failure response to the SMF, and then sending a new PFCP session modification request to the UPF returning the successful response.
The invention has the beneficial effects that: the PFCP session is divided into an uplink data processing session and a downlink data processing session, and the uplink UPF and the downlink UPF are used for processing uplink data and downlink data respectively, so that the purpose of separating the uplink data and the downlink data of a data plane is achieved, the uplink data or the downlink data plane can sink to an edge network independently, and the flexibility and diversity of network deployment are improved. The UPF can aim at the scene of only forwarding uplink or downlink, optimize the forwarding performance of the UPF in a targeted manner and improve the data processing capacity of the UPF. And simultaneously, the UPF convergence function is achieved.
Drawings
Fig. 1-1 is a flow chart of a PFCP session process of the present invention;
fig. 1-2 is a second flow chart of the PFCP session processing of the present invention;
fig. 2 is an architecture diagram of a PFCP session processing apparatus applied in a core network according to the present invention;
fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a PFCP session processing apparatus according to the present invention;
fig. 4 is a flowchart of a PFCP session processing method of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT (S) OF INVENTION
The embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with specific examples, and other advantages and effects of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure in the specification. It is to be understood that the described embodiments are merely illustrative of some, and not restrictive, of the embodiments of the disclosure. The disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments
In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure in detail. It is to be noted that the features in the following embodiments and examples may be combined with each other without conflict. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments disclosed herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.
Example one
The PFCP session processing device realizes an N4 interface of a control plane, receives PFCP messages sent by SMF and UPF, and then processes and forwards the received messages. The session processing apparatus, as shown in fig. 3, includes a receiving module, a processing module, and a forwarding module; the receiving module is responsible for receiving a PFCP session request message sent by the SMF and receiving a PFCP session response message returned by the uplink UPF and/or the downlink UPF; the processing module is responsible for separating the PFCP session request message and integrating the PFCP session response message; the forwarding module is responsible for respectively sending the separated PFCP session request message to the corresponding uplink UPF and/or downlink UPF, and for forwarding the integrated PFCP session response message to the corresponding SMF.
The working principle of the PFCP session processing device of the invention is as follows: a receiving module receives a PFCP session request message sent by an SMF; the processing module analyzes the received PFCP session request message, separates the received PFCP session request message according to the request processing strategy and constructs a new PFCP session request message; and the forwarding module forwards the constructed message to the corresponding uplink UPF and downlink UPF. The receiving module receives a PFCP session response message returned by the uplink UPF and/or the downlink UPF; the processing module analyzes the received PFCP session response message and integrates the received response message according to a response processing strategy; and the forwarding module sends the integrated PFCP session response message to the SMF. And storing PFCP session related information, such as PDR, FAR and other rules, F-SEID session identification and other information in the PFCP session processing device. And configuring information of the UPF of the home core network in the PFCP session processing device. When receiving a PFCP session establishment request transmitted from the SMF, the PFCP session processing apparatus allocates a UPF for processing upstream data (hereinafter referred to as upstream UPF) and a UPF for processing downstream data (hereinafter referred to as downstream UPF).
The PFCP session processing device of the invention divides the PFCP session into the uplink data processing session and the downlink data processing session, and the uplink UPF and the downlink UPF respectively process the uplink data and the downlink data, thereby achieving the purpose of separating the uplink data and the downlink data of the data plane, realizing that the uplink data or the downlink data plane independently sinks to the edge network, and improving the flexibility and diversity of network deployment. The UPF can aim at the scene of only forwarding uplink or downlink, optimize the forwarding performance of the UPF in a targeted manner and improve the data processing capacity of the UPF. And simultaneously, the UPF convergence function is achieved. The session processing flow is shown in fig. 1-1 and fig. 1-2.
Example two
The PFCP session processing method of the present invention, as shown in fig. 4, includes the following steps:
step S1, the receiving module of the PFCP session processing apparatus receives the PFCP session request message sent by the SMF;
step S2, the processing module of the PFCP session processing apparatus parses the PFCP session request message, separates the PFCP session request message according to the request processing policy, and constructs a new PFCP session request message;
the PFCP session request message includes a plurality of rules for processing uplink and downlink data, such as PDR (packet detection Rule message detection Rule), FAR (Forwarding Action Rule Forwarding operation Rule), URR (user reporting Rule usage reporting Rule), BAR (Buffering Action Rule Buffering operation Rule), QER (Qos enforcement Rule), and so on. Besides the identification of the PDR field (PDR ID), the PDR field also contains the identifications of other rules, such as BAR ID, FAR ID and the like, and the identifications of other rules are associated with the other rules. The UPF performs corresponding routing, forwarding and other operations on the received message according to the rule carried by the request message.
The PDI (Packet Detection Information) Information body in the PDR field contains the value of the source interface Information. If the value of the source interface is 'Access', it represents that the PDR field is a rule for processing the uplink data, and other rules associated with the PDR field are also rules for processing the uplink data; if the value of source interface is "Core", it represents that the PDR field is a rule for downstream data processing, and other rules associated with the PDR field are also rules for downstream data processing.
The request processing policy is as follows:
(1) for a PFCP session establishment request message: separating a PDR field in the PFCP session request message, acquiring a source interface value in a PDI information body, separating according to rules related to processing of uplink data and downlink data, associating and storing the rules and a session identifier, and respectively constructing two PFCP session request messages according to the separated rules;
(2) for a PFCP session modification request message: separating the rules carried in the request message according to the stored session information, and constructing a new PFCP session modification request message according to the separated rules;
(3) for a PFCP session delete request message: and constructing two PFCP session deletion request messages according to the stored session information, and respectively sending the two PFCP session deletion request messages to the uplink UPF and the downlink UPF.
Step S3, the forwarding module of the PFCP session processing apparatus sends the constructed PFCP session request message to the corresponding upstream UPF and/or downstream UPF, respectively;
step S4, the uplink UPF and/or the downlink UPF returns a PFCP session response message to the PFCP session handling apparatus;
step S5, the processing module of the PFCP session processing apparatus parses the PFCP session response message, and integrates the PFCP session response message according to the response processing policy;
the response handling strategy is as follows:
(1) response to PFCP Session setup request message
If both the uplink UPF and the downlink UPF return a PFCP session establishment success (or failure) response message, constructing a new PFCP session establishment success (or failure) response message and returning a corresponding SMF; if the returned PFCP session response message is successful and failed, the PFCP session establishment failure response message is returned to the SMF, and then the PFCP session deletion request message is sent to the UPF returning the successful response.
(2) Response to PFCP Session modification request message
When the PFCP session modification request message is sent, if only one PFCP session modification request message is constructed, forwarding the received PFCP session modification response message to the corresponding SMF.
If two PFCP session modification request messages are constructed, if the received PFCP session modification response messages are both success (or failure) responses, returning PFCP session modification success (or failure) responses to the SMF, and updating (or restoring) the stored rules; and if the received PFCP session modification response message is one of successful response and failed response, returning a PFCP session modification failed response to the SMF, and sending a PFCP session modification request to the UPF returning the successful response.
(3) Response to PFCP Session delete request message
If both returned PFCP session release response messages are success (or failure) responses, returning PFCP session release success (or failure) responses to the SMF; if one of the two returned PFCP session release response messages is successful and one fails, restoring the stored rule and returning a PFCP session release failure response to the SMF, and then sending a new PFCP session modification request to the UPF returning the successful response.
Step S6, the forwarding module of the PFCP session processing apparatus sends the integrated PFCP session response message to the corresponding SMF;
preferably, the method further comprises the step of responding to exception handling, specifically:
step S7, when the PFCP session response message is abnormal, the forwarding module sends the PFCP session request message to the corresponding upstream UPF and/or downstream UPF.
Preferably, the method further includes the step of actively sending a PFCP session report request message by the uplink UPF or the downlink UPF, specifically: and the uplink UPF or the downlink UPF sends the PFCP session report request message to the processing module, and the processing module analyzes the PFCP session report request message and forwards the PFCP session report request message to the corresponding SMF by the forwarding module.
The above description is for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention shall fall within the protection scope of the invention.