Patent Description:
In a mobile communications technology, quality of service can be guaranteed in a granularity of a quality of service (Quality of Service, QoS) flow. Each QoS flow is bound to a corresponding policy and charging control (Policy and Charging Control, PCC) rule, quality of service of a data service transmitted by using the QoS flow is determined based on QoS parameters in the PCC rule to which the QoS flow is bound, and a session management function binds the PCC rule to the QoS flow. Therefore, how the session management function binds the QoS flow to the PCC rule exerts great impact on network quality of service of the data service.

"<NPL> discloses that PCF can provide the Priority Level and Averaging Window besides the standardized 5Qis to the SMF.

"<NPL> discloses that PCF provides non-standardized SQI value together with the <NUM> QoS characteristics as the attribute of <NUM> PDU Session related policy information to SMF.

"<NPL> discloses that PCF provides PCC rules with SQI/ARP to SMF, and SMF shall evaluate whether a QoS flow exists with the same SQI/ARP exists.

This application provides a method for determining a quality of service flow, a computer readable storage medium, and an apparatus as defined by the independent claims, so that an accuracy rate of determining a quality of service (QoS) flow corresponding to a PCC rule can be increased, thereby improving network quality of service of a data service.

Further embodiments are provided in the dependent claims. Further embodiments of the description not falling under the scope of protection of the claims are provided for explanatory purpose only.

In an existing method for determining a quality of service QoS flow corresponding to a PCC rule, the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule is usually determined based on the SQI parameter value without considering the non-standardized QoS parameter. As a result, PCC rules having different non-standardized QoS parameter requirements are bound to a same QoS flow, and a same QoS guarantee may be used for services that require different QoS guarantees.

Consequently, user experience may be degraded, and quality of service cannot be guaranteed. For example, in the prior art, a session management function binds, to a same QoS flow, a plurality of PCC rules including a same 5QI value but different non-standardized QoS parameters (for example, PLs). When the session management function receives a PCC rule {5QI: <NUM>; PL: <NUM>}, and determines that a QoS flow {5QI: <NUM>; PL: <NUM>} whose 5QI value is the same as that of the PCC rule exists in a current PDU session, the session management function binds the received PCC rule to the QoS flow. In this case, consequently, quality of service of a service data flow corresponding to the received PCC rule cannot be guaranteed (a system provides a service guarantee for the service flow according to {5QI: <NUM>; PL: <NUM>}). In this application, when the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule is determined, the non-standardized QoS parameter is considered, for example, at least one of the following parameters: the PDB, the PER, the AW, the PL, and the MDBV, to ensure that PCC rules including same 5QI parameter value but different non-standardized QoS parameters are bound to different QoS flows, thereby increasing an accuracy rate of determining the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule, and improving user experience.

The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application may be applied to various communications systems, such as a global system for mobile communications (Global System of Mobile communications, GSM), a code division multiple access (Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA) system, a wideband code division multiple access (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA) system, a general packet radio service (General Packet Radio Service, GPRS) system, a long term evolution (Long Term Evolution, LTE) system, an LTE frequency division duplex (Frequency Division Duplex, FDD) system, an LTE time division duplex (Time Division Duplex, TDD) system, a universal mobile telecommunications system (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS), a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, WiMAX) communications system, a future 5th generation (5th Generation, <NUM>) system, or a new radio (New Radio, NR) system.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of a method for determining a network quality of service flow and an architecture of a network element communications system <NUM> according to this application. As shown in <FIG>, the system <NUM> includes a terminal device <NUM>, an access network device <NUM>, a user plane function (user plane function, UPF) network element <NUM>, a data network (data network, DN) <NUM>, an access and mobility management function (access and mobility management function, AMF) network element <NUM>, a session management function (session management function, SMF) network element <NUM>, a policy control function (policy control function, PCF) network element <NUM>, an application function (Application Function, AF) network element <NUM>, and a unified data management (unified data management, UDM) network element <NUM>. A connection may be established between network elements through a next generation (next generation, NG) network interface to implement communication. For example, the terminal device <NUM> establishes an air interface connection to the access network device <NUM> through a new radio (new radio, NR) interface, to transmit user plane data and control plane signaling. The terminal device <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the AMF <NUM> through an.

NG interface <NUM> (N1 for short). The access network device <NUM> may establish a user plane data connection to the UPF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N3 for short). The access network device <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the AMF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N2 for short). The UPF <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the SMF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N4 for short). The UPF <NUM> may exchange user plane data with the data network through an NG interface <NUM> (N6 for short). The AMF <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the SMF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N11 for short). The SMF <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the PCF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N7 for short). The PCF <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the AF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N5 for short). The PCF <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the AMF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N15 for short). The UDM <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the AMF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N8 for short). The UDM <NUM> may establish a control plane signaling connection to the SMF <NUM> through an NG interface <NUM> (N10 for short).

It should be understood that a name of an interface between network elements in this application is merely an example, and the interface between the network elements may have another name. The name of the interface is not limited in this application.

In <FIG>, the terminal device <NUM> may be configured to connect, through a wireless air interface, to the access network device <NUM> deployed by an operator, and then be connected to the DN <NUM> by using the UPF <NUM>. The access network device <NUM> is mainly configured to implement functions such as a wireless physical layer function, resource scheduling, radio resource management, radio access control, and mobility management. The UPF <NUM> is configured to perform data flow forwarding, QoS control, charge statistics collection, and the like. The DN <NUM> may correspond to a plurality of different service domains, such as an IP multimedia subsystem (IP multimedia subsystem, IMS), the internet, internet protocol television (internet protocol television, IPTV), and another operator service domain; and is mainly configured to provide the terminal device <NUM> with a plurality of types of data services. The DN <NUM> may include a network device such as a server, a router, or a gateway. The AMF <NUM> is configured to: perform access and mobility management on the terminal device, receive UE mobility and network selection policies provided by the PCF <NUM>, and execute the policies. The SMF <NUM> is configured to: receive session and service flow control policies provided by the PCF <NUM>, and execute the policies. The PCF <NUM> may generate a policy and charging control (PCC) rule based on request information of the AF <NUM>, an operator policy, user subscription information, and the like to control network behavior; and deliver the PCC rules to a control plane network element. The AF <NUM> mainly provides requirements of an application side for a network side, where the requirements include a quality of service requirement of a service flow, a mobility requirement of user equipment, and the like.

The foregoing terminal device <NUM> may be user equipment, an access terminal, a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a mobile station, a mobile console, a remote station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a user terminal, a terminal, a wireless communications device, a user agent, or a user apparatus. The terminal device <NUM> may alternatively be a cellular phone, a cordless telephone set, a session initiation protocol (Session Initiation Protocol, SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (Wireless Local Loop, WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (Personal Digital Assistant, PDA), a handheld device having a wireless communication function, a computing device or another processing device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a terminal device in a future <NUM> network, a terminal device in a future evolved public land mobile network (Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN), or the like. This is not limited in the embodiments of this application. The foregoing access network device may be a device configured to communicate with the terminal device. The access network device may be a base transceiver station (Base Transceiver Station, BTS) in a global system for mobile communications (Global System of Mobile communications, GSM) or code division multiple access (Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA), or may be a NodeB (NodeB, NB) in a wideband code division multiple access (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA) system, or may be an evolved NodeB (Evolutional NodeB, eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, or may be a radio controller in a cloud radio access network (Cloud Radio Access Network, CRAN) scenario. Alternatively, the access network device <NUM> may be a relay station, an access point, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, or an access network (access network, AN) device/a radio access network (radio access network, RAN) device. A network includes a plurality of <NUM>-AN/<NUM>-RAN nodes. The <NUM>-AN/<NUM>-RAN node may be an access point (access point, AP), a next generation NodeB (NR nodeB, gNB), a gNB whose central unit (central unit, CU) is separated from a distributed unit (distributed unit, DU), a transmission reception point (transmission reception point, TRP), a transmission point (transmission point, TP), or another access node. This is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

Some of the foregoing network elements may work independently, or may be combined to implement some control functions. For example, the AMF <NUM>, the SMF <NUM>, and the PCF <NUM> may be combined to serve as a management device, to implement access control and mobility management functions such as access authentication, security encryption, and location registration of the terminal device, session management functions such as user plane transmission path establishment, release, and change, and functions such as analysis of data (such as congestion) related to some slices and data related to the terminal device. As a gateway device, the UPF <NUM> mainly implements functions such as user plane data routing and forwarding, for example, is responsible for filtering a data packet of the terminal device, transmitting/forwarding data, controlling a rate, and generating charging information. The method for determining a network quality of service flow provided in this application may be applied to the session management function and the policy control function. The session management function and the policy control function each include a hardware layer, an operating system layer running above the hardware layer, and an application layer running above the operating system layer. The hardware layer includes hardware such as a central processing unit (central processing unit, CPU), a memory management unit (memory management unit, MMU), and a memory (also referred to as a main memory). The operating system layer may be any one or more computer operating systems that process a service by using a process, for example, a Linux operating system, a Unix operating system, an Android operating system, an iOS operating system, or a windows operating system. The application layer includes applications such as a browser, a contact list, word processing software, and instant messaging software.

In addition, aspects or features of this application may be implemented as a method, an apparatus, or a product that uses standardized programming and/or engineering technologies. The term "product" used in this application covers a computer program that can be accessed from any computer readable component, carrier, or medium. For example, a computer readable medium may include but is not limited to a magnetic storage component (for example, a hard disk, a floppy disk, or a magnetic tape), an optical disc (for example, a compact disc (compact disc, CD), a digital versatile disc (digital versatile disc, DVD)), a smart card, and a flash memory component (for example, an erasable programmable read-only memory (erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM), a card, a stick, or a key drive). In addition, various storage media described in this specification may indicate one or more devices and/or other machine-readable media that are configured to store information. The term "machine-readable media" may include but is not limited to various media that can store, include, and/or carry an instruction and/or data.

<FIG> is merely a diagram of an example architecture. In addition to the functional units shown in <FIG>, the network architecture may further include another functional unit or functional entity. This is not limited in the embodiments of the present invention.

To better understand this application, the following describes this application with reference to <FIG> by using, as an example, a system that is the same as or similar to the system shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a schematic flowchart of a wireless communication method <NUM> according to this application. As shown in <FIG>, the method <NUM> includes the following steps. Step <NUM>: A policy control function determines quality of service (quality of service, QoS) parameters.

The QoS parameters include standardized QoS parameter indication information and a non-standardized QoS parameter, and the non-standardized QoS parameter includes at least one attribute comprised in a standardized QoS parameter corresponding to the standardized QoS parameter indication information and a corresponding value of the at least one attribute.

The QoS parameters indicate network quality of service parameters of a quality of service QoS flow that matches a policy and charging control (policy and charging control, PCC) rule. The QoS parameters are divided into a standardized QoS parameter and a non-standardized QoS parameter. The standardized QoS parameters are a set of QoS parameters that can be determined by using the standardized QoS parameter indication information. The non-standardized QoS parameter is a QoS parameter dynamically from the policy control function, and the non-standardized QoS parameter includes the at least one attribute comprised in the standardized QoS parameter corresponding to the standardized QoS parameter indication information and a corresponding value of the at least one attribute.

Step <NUM>: The policy control function sends a policy and charging control PCC rule to a session management function, where the PCC rule includes the QoS parameters. Step <NUM>: The session management function receives the PCC rule from the policy control function.

Step <NUM>: The session management function determines, based on the standardized QoS parameter indication information and the non-standardized QoS parameter, a quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule.

Therefore, in this embodiment of this application, the policy control function determines the QoS parameters, and sends the PCC rule including the QoS parameters to the session management function; and the session management function determines, by using both the standardized QoS parameter indication information and the non-standardized QoS parameter, the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule, thereby increasing an accuracy rate of determining the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule, and accordingly guaranteeing network quality of service of a data service transmitted by using the QoS flow.

It should be understood that, before step <NUM>, the session management function obtains address information or domain name information of the policy control function, and may find, through addressing, the policy control function based on the address information or the domain name information; or the policy control function receives a request message from the session management function, where the request message includes address information or domain name information of the session management function, and may find, through addressing, the session management function based on the address information or the domain name information. The session management function may initiate a PCC rule request, and the policy control function may initiate a PCC rule update.

The standardized QoS parameter indication information is a 5th generation (5th Generation, <NUM>) quality of service identifier SQI parameter value, and the non-standardized QoS parameter includes at least one of the following parameters:
a data packet delay budget (Packet Delay Budget, PDB), a data packet error rate (Packet Error Rate, PER), an averaging window (Averaging Window, AW), a priority level (Priority Level, PL), and a maximum data burst volume (Maximum Data Burst Volume, MDBV).

Specifically, the SQI parameter value is an index value, and one standardized QoS parameter can be determined based on the index value. The standardized QoS parameter includes a set of attributes and corresponding values, as shown in Table <NUM>.

In Table <NUM>, that the SQI parameter value is <NUM> indicates a set of SQI parameters in which the Resource Type is a guaranteed bit rate (Guaranteed Bit Rate, GBR) type, the PL is <NUM>, the PDB parameter is <NUM>, the PER is <NUM>-<NUM>, and the MDBV and the AW are to be defined. That the SQI parameter value is <NUM> indicates a set of parameters specified in a network protocol.

It should be understood that Table <NUM> merely shows a standardized QoS parameter corresponding to one SQI parameter value. In practice, there are different standardized QoS parameters corresponding to different SQI parameter values.

Optionally, that a policy control function determines QoS parameters in step <NUM> includes:.

Specifically, the policy control function receives the non-standardized QoS parameter from the application function. To be specific, the policy control function directly adds, to the PCC rule, the non-standardized QoS parameter from the application function, and sends the PCC rule to the session management function.

The first indication information may be application identifier information or <NUM>-tuple information (including a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, a destination port, and a transport layer protocol) from the application function. The first indication information is indication information for the policy control function determining the non-standardized QoS parameter, and the policy control function determines the non-standardized QoS parameter according to the first indication information and the first pre-configured policy. The first pre-configured policy includes operator configuration information, user subscription information, and/or the like. The operator configuration information may be the following information: a quality of service parameter configuration for a specific application, or a pre-configuration operation, for example, parameter information, such as a bandwidth guarantee and a scheduling priority, pre-configured by an operator for a specific application, or gating information set for a specific application. The user subscription information may be the following information: a user level, a specific-application value-added service to which a user subscribes, a user subscription package, and the like.

The second indication information may be request information from the session management function, and is used to request the PCF <NUM> to adjust the QoS parameters in the PCC rule. The second indication information may include an application event detection report, resource-constrained notification information, and/or the like. The application event detection report may carry an application identifier, and the resource-constrained notification information may carry a PCC rule ID.

In this case, the policy control function determines the non-standardized QoS parameter, so that the policy control function can dynamically determine the QoS parameters in real time to adjust the PCC rule in a timely manner, and then determine a quality of service QoS flow corresponding to an adjusted PCC rule, thereby increasing an accuracy rate of determining the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule, and accordingly improving network quality of service of a data service.

Optionally, the determining a quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule in step <NUM> includes:.

A <NUM> network is used as an example. It is assumed that a first QoS flow exists on the session management function, QoS parameters corresponding to the first QoS flow are {5QI: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}, and the QoS parameters included in the PCC rule from the policy control function are {5QI: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}. Because the first QoS flow whose QoS parameters match {5QI: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>} exists on the session management function, the session management function binds the first QoS flow to the PCC rule.

It is assumed that a first QoS flow exists on the session management function, QoS parameters corresponding to the first QoS flow are {5QI: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}, and the QoS parameters included in the PCC rule from the policy control function are {5QI: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}. Because no QoS flow whose QoS parameters match {5QI: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>} exists on the session management function, the session management function creates a new second QoS flow for the PCC rule. QoS parameters corresponding to the second QoS flow are determined according to the PCC rule. To be specific, the QoS parameters corresponding to the second QoS flow are {5QI: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}.

Optionally, in step <NUM>, the PCC rule further includes a first parameter, and the first parameter is any parameter that can represent quality of service and that is other than the standardized QoS parameter and the non-standardized QoS parameter.

The determining a quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule includes:.

Specifically, the first parameter may include an allocation and retention priority (Allocation and Retention Priority, ARP) and/or a quality of service notification control (QoS Notification Control, QNC) parameter.

A <NUM> network is used as an example. It is assumed that a first QoS flow exists on the session management function, QoS parameters corresponding to the first QoS flow are {5QI: <NUM>, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}, and the QoS parameters included in the PCC rule from the policy control function are {5QI: <NUM>, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}. Because the first QoS flow whose QoS parameters match {5QI: <NUM>, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>} exists on the session management function, the session management function binds the first QoS flow to the PCC rule.

It is assumed that a first QoS flow exists on the session management function, QoS parameters corresponding to the first QoS flow are {5QI: <NUM>, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}, and the QoS parameters included in the PCC rule from the policy control function are {5QI: <NUM>, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}. Because no QoS flow whose QoS parameters match {5QI: <NUM>, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>} exists on the session management function, the session management function creates a new second QoS flow for the PCC rule. QoS parameters corresponding to the second QoS flow are determined according to the PCC rule. To be specific, the QoS parameters corresponding to the second QoS flow are {5QI: <NUM>, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}.

In this case, when the PCC rule further includes the first parameter, the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule is determined by using the standardized QoS parameter indication information, the non-standardized QoS parameter, and the first parameter, so that an accuracy rate of determining the quality of service QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule can be further increased. Optionally, the PCC rule may further include the following parameters: uplink and downlink maximum service flow bandwidths (UL and DL Maximum Flow BitRate), uplink and downlink guaranteed service flow bandwidths (UL and DL Guaranteed Flow BitRate), and a precedence. The precedence precedence indicates a precedence of the PCC rule, to be specific, precedence processing performed when a data flow can match a plurality of PCC rules.

Optionally, the PCC rule further includes flow matching information. When the session management function determines the second QoS flow as the QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule, the method <NUM> further includes:.

Specifically, the session management function sends the flow identifier QFI <NUM> of the second QoS flow and the QoS parameters to the access network, so that the access network executes, when receiving a data packet whose header includes a QFI <NUM> marking, a QoS guarantee policy corresponding to the QFI <NUM> for the data packet.

It should be understood that the QoS parameter from the session management function to the access network may also be referred to as a QoS profile.

The session management function sends the QFI <NUM> and the flow matching information to the user plane function. The flow matching information is included in the PCC rule from the policy control function, and the flow matching information is used to instruct to add the QFI <NUM> marking to a header of a data packet of a service data flow that matches the flow matching information. The flow matching information indicates a specific service data flow for which the PCC rule should be executed. The flow matching information is packet filter set information, and includes IP quintuplets (including a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, a destination port, and a transport layer protocol). When the UPF <NUM> receives a downlink data packet, the UPF <NUM> matches the downlink data packet with the corresponding second QoS flow based on a destination address of the downlink data packet and the flow matching information, and adds the QFI <NUM> marking to a header of the data packet. When receiving the data packet including the QFI <NUM> marking, the access network provides the data packet with a service guarantee of the QoS flow corresponding to the QFI <NUM>.

The session management function sends the flow identifier of the second QoS flow and the flow matching information to the user equipment. When sending an uplink data packet, the user equipment matches the uplink data packet with the corresponding second QoS flow based on a destination address of the uplink data packet and the flow matching information, and adds the QFI <NUM> marking to a header of the data packet. When receiving the data packet including the QFI <NUM> marking, the access network provides the data packet with a service guarantee of the QoS flow corresponding to the QFI <NUM>.

It should be understood that, the foregoing describes a case in which when the flow matching information included in the PCC rule is the packet filter set information, the session management function delivers the flow identifier and the flow matching information to both the user equipment and the user plane function. However, when the flow matching information included in the PCC rule is an application identifier, the application identifier may not be sent to the user equipment, and therefore the UE may have no uplink flow matching information. The user equipment transmits an uplink data packet based on a default QoS flow. For example, the default QoS flow may be a QoS flow of a lowest matching priority. The session management function sends the application identifier and the flow identifier to the user plane function. When receiving a downlink data packet, the user plane function performs matching according to the application identifier and an application matching rule, and adds the flow identifier to a header of the downlink data packet if the matching succeeds. When the flow matching information included in the PCC rule is an application identifier, the session management function may alternatively send the application identifier and the flow identifier to the user equipment. The user equipment may determine an application type by using information such as a peer uniform resource locator (Uniform Resource Locator, URL) or a domain name address. If the determined application type is consistent with the application identifier, the user equipment adds the flow identifier to a header of the uplink data packet.

Optionally, the PCC rule further includes flow matching information. When the session management function determines the first QoS flow as the QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule, the method <NUM> further includes:.

Specifically, the session management function sends the flow identifier QFI <NUM> of the first QoS flow and the second parameter to the access network. The second parameter is indication information for the access network updating the value of the attribute corresponding to the QoS parameter corresponding to the flow identifier of the first QoS flow. For example, the second parameter is {GBR: <NUM> MB}, and original QoS parameters corresponding to the first QoS flow are {5QI: <NUM>, GBR: <NUM> MB, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}. After receiving the flow identifier QFI <NUM> of the first QoS flow and the second parameter, the access network changes the QoS parameters corresponding to the first QoS flow to {5QI: <NUM>, GBR: <NUM> MB, ARP: <NUM>, PL: <NUM>}. When receiving a data packet whose header includes a QFI <NUM> marking, the access network executes, for the data packet, a changed QoS guarantee policy corresponding to the QFI <NUM>.

It should be understood that, for a specific process in which the session management function sends the flow identifier of the first QoS flow and the flow matching information to each of the user plane function and the user equipment, correspondingly refer to a process in which the session management function sends the flow identifier of the second QoS flow and the flow matching information to each of the user plane function and the user equipment. To avoid repetition, details are not described herein again.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of a session management function <NUM> according to this application. As shown in <FIG>, the session management function <NUM> includes the following modules:.

Optionally, the receiving module <NUM> and the determining module <NUM> are configured to perform operations of the method <NUM> for determining a network quality of service flow in this application. For brevity, details are not described herein again.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of a policy control function <NUM> according to this application. As shown in <FIG>, the policy control function includes the following modules:.

Optionally, the determining module <NUM> and the sending module <NUM> are configured to perform operations of the method <NUM> for determining a network quality of service flow in this application. For brevity, details are not described herein again.

The session management function and the policy control function completely correspond to the session management function and the policy control function in the method embodiment, and a corresponding module performs a corresponding step. For details, refer to the corresponding method embodiment.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of a communications apparatus <NUM> according to this application. The communications apparatus <NUM> includes:.

Optionally, when the code is executed, the processor <NUM> may implement operations of the method <NUM>. For brevity, details are not described herein again. The transceiver <NUM> is configured to perform specific signal receiving/sending under the driving of the processor <NUM>.

The communications apparatus <NUM> may be the session management function or the policy control function. The processor performs an operation of the determining module. The transceiver may include a transmitter and/or a receiver, which respectively perform corresponding steps of the sending module and the receiving module.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of a communications system <NUM> according to this application. The communications system <NUM> includes a session management function <NUM> and a policy control function <NUM>. For a connection between the session management function <NUM> and the policy control function <NUM>, refer to corresponding descriptions in the system architecture in <FIG>.

Optionally, the communications system <NUM> further includes an application function. The application function sends a non-standardized QoS parameter or first indication information to the policy control function to instruct the policy control function to determine the non-standardized QoS parameter. The non-standardized QoS parameter includes at least one attribute comprised in a standardized QoS parameter corresponding to standardized QoS parameter indication information and a corresponding value of the at least one attribute.

Specifically, the policy control function receives the non-standardized QoS parameter from the application function. To be specific, the policy control function directly adds, to a PCC rule, the non-standardized QoS parameter from the application function, and sends the PCC rule to the session management function.

The first indication information may be application identifier information or <NUM>-tuple information (including a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, a destination port, and a transport layer protocol) from the application function. The first indication information is indication information for the policy control function determining the non-standardized QoS parameter.

It should be understood that the session management function <NUM> and the policy control function <NUM> are configured to perform operations of the method <NUM> for determining a network quality of service flow in this application. For brevity, details are not described herein again.

The session management function and the policy control function completely correspond to the session management function and the policy control function in the method embodiment. For details, refer to the corresponding method embodiment.

It should be understood that the communications system <NUM> may further include another network element or functional entity. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

A person of ordinary skill in the art may be aware that, in combination with the examples described in the embodiments disclosed in this specification, units and algorithm steps can be implemented by electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware.

It may be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art that, for the purpose of convenient and brief description, for a detailed working process of the foregoing system, apparatus, and unit, refer to a corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiment.

For example, the unit division is merely logical function division and may be other division during actual implementation. In addition, the displayed or discussed mutual couplings or direct couplings or communication connections may be implemented through some interfaces. The indirect couplings or communication connections between the apparatuses or units may be implemented in electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

It should be understood that the terms "and/or" and "at least one of A or B" in this specification describe only an association relationship for describing associated objects and represent that three relationships may exist.

An embodiment of this application provides a computer readable medium, configured to store a computer program. The computer program includes an instruction for performing the method for determining a network quality of service flow in the foregoing embodiment of this application in <FIG>. When the functions are implemented in a form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, the functions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solutions of this application essentially, or the part contributing to the prior art, or some of the technical solutions may be implemented in a form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, and includes several instructions for instructing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, or the like) to perform all or some of the steps of the methods described in the embodiments of this application. The foregoing storage medium includes any medium that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.

Claim 1:
A method for determining a network quality of service, QoS, flow, comprising:
receiving (<NUM>), by a session management function, a policy and charging control, PCC, rule from a policy control function, wherein the PCC rule comprises QoS parameters and wherein the QoS parameters comprise a standardized 5th generation quality of service identifier, 5QI, index value and a further QoS parameter, the standardized SQI index value indicates a set of standardized QoS parameters specified in a network protocol, each standardized QoS parameter includes an attribute and a corresponding value; and the further QoS parameter comprises at least one attribute from the set of standardized QoS parameters and a corresponding value of the at least one attribute that is dynamically determined by the policy control function;
determining (<NUM>), by the session management function by using the SQI index value and the further QoS parameter, a QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule; wherein QoS parameters of the QoS flow corresponding to the PCC rule matches both the SQI index value and the value of the further QoS parameter; and
binding, by the session management function, the PCC rule to the QoS flow.