Patent Description:
Embodiments of this application relate to communications technologies, and in particular, to a wireless communication method and a device.

One of development goals of mobile communication is to establish a wide interworking network including various types of terminals, which is also one of starting points for current development of the Internet of Things in a cellular communication framework. An Internet of Vehicles communications technology: V2X (Vehicle to Everything Communication) including vehicle to vehicle (Vehicle to Vehicle, V2V) communication, vehicle to infrastructure communication (Vehicle to Infrastructure Communication, V2I), vehicle to pedestrian (Vehicle to Person, V2P) communication, and the like, is becoming a new highlight of the Internet of Vehicles, and is a key technology of a future intelligent transportation system, thereby implementing communication between vehicles, between a vehicle and a base station, and between base stations. Therefore, a series of traffic information such as a real-time road condition, road information, and pedestrian information is obtained, thereby improving traffic safety and reducing a traffic accident rate.

A 5th generation mobile communication technology (5th-Generation) technical standard (technical standard) release (<NUM> TS22. <NUM>) summarizes application requirements and scenarios of the Internet of Vehicles, including four major scenarios: a platooning service (a platooning service e.g. a vehicle formation driving service), a remote driving service, a sensor data sharing service scenario, and an automated driving service scenario. Currently, the platooning service is a most valued service. In a platooning service scenario, a specific quantity of vehicles form a platoon to travel on a road. Like a train, a lead vehicle (a first vehicle) is responsible for management of the entire platoon, distribution of driving information, and communication between the platoon and an external environment (for example, an application server). A specific communication mechanism is as follows: The lead vehicle collects vehicle body surrounding information collected by all members in the platoon (other members send information such as sensor data collected by the members to the lead vehicle), makes a driving decision (for example, performing acceleration, making a lane change, and maintaining a current status) based on the information, and sends the driving decision to the other members.

<NUM> TS22. <NUM> clearly states that a 3rd generation partnership project (3rd Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP) network is required to take optimization measures for vehicle to vehicle communication in a V2X platoon. <NPL>) discloses that SMF may provide to the UPF forwarding rules; the SMF controls user-plane packet forwarding for traffic detected by a PDR by providing a FAR with instructions to the UPF. SMF may provide information that allows the UPF to determine that DL traffic detection based on MAC address learning on UL Traffic applies; local policies in the UPF allow broadcast and/or multicast of DL traffic on the Network Instance. <CIT> discloses SMF that sends a first notification message to the UPF and instruct the UPF to establish the multicast connection and maintain the network-level multicast member list.

Embodiments of this application provide a wireless communication method and a device, to implement a wireless communication method applied to V2X. The subject matter of this invention is defined by appended claims. The following is described for understanding.

According to a first aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a wireless communication method, including: receiving, by a first user plane function UPF entity, a first message from a session management function SMF entity, wherein the first message comprises a multicast address of a group comprising a first terminal and at least one second terminal and session information of at least one second terminal, and the first message is used by the first UPF entity to send received first service data to each of the at least one second terminal, the first service data being data that is from the first terminal and whose destination address is the multicast address, and wherein the session information of the at least one second terminal includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network, RAN, of each of the at least one second terminal and the first UPF entity or information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each of the at least one second terminal is located and the first UPF entity, and/or address information of each of the at least one second terminal, wherein the address information of each of the at least one second terminal comprises an Internet Protocol, IP, address of each of the at least one second; and duplicating, by the first UPF entity, received first service data from the first terminal to obtain N copies of first service data, and sending the duplicated first service data to each of the at least one second terminal based on the multicast address of the group and the session information of the at least one second terminal, wherein N is a total quantity of the at least one second terminal.

Beneficial effects of the first aspect in this embodiment of this application are as follows: The first UPF entity receives the first message sent by the SMF entity, duplicates the received first service data in the first message to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal. In this way, a wireless communication method applied to V2X can be implemented. Because the first UPF entity duplicates the first service data and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal, bandwidth consumed for communication between the first terminal and the at least one second terminal can be reduced in comparison with a one-to-one communication mode, thereby optimizing a vehicle to vehicle communication mode and a vehicle to infrastructure communication mode.

According to a second aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a user plane function entity, which is configured to perform the wireless communication transmission method according to the first aspect.

According to a third aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a communication system, comprising: a session management function, SMF, entity is configured to: receive a group route establishment request message, wherein the group route establishment request message comprises address information of a first terminal in a group and address information of at least one second terminal in the group, wherein the address information of the first terminal comprises an internet protocol, IP, address of the first terminal, and the address information of at least one second terminal comprises an IP address of the at least one second terminal; determine a first user plane function UPF entity based on the address information of the first terminal; and send to the first UPF entity, a first message comprising a multicast address of a group comprising a first terminal and at least one second terminal and session information of the at least one second terminal, and the first message is used by the first UPF entity to send received first service data to each of the at least one second terminal, the first service data being data that is from the first terminal and whose destination address is the multicast address of the group; wherein the session information of the at least one second terminal includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network, RAN, of each of the at least one second terminal and the first UPF entity or information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each of the at least one second terminal is located and the first UPF entity, and/or address information of each of the at least one second terminal; and the first user plane function, UPF, entity according to the second aspect.

According to a fourth aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a computer, which is configured to perform the wireless communication transmission method according to the first aspect. According to a fourth aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions; wherein the instructions are executed by a computer to perform the method according to the first aspect.

To describe the embodiments of the present invention more clearly, the following briefly describes the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of a communications system <NUM> according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in <FIG>, the communications system <NUM> in this embodiment may include a session management function (Session Management Function, SMF) entity <NUM> and a user plane function (User Plane Function, UPF) entity <NUM>, and the SMF entity <NUM> is communicatively connected to the UPF entity <NUM> for transmission.

It should be noted that there may be one or more UPF entities <NUM>. When there is one UPF entity <NUM>, the UPF entity <NUM> may serve as a first UPF entity. When there are a plurality of UPF entities <NUM>, one of the UPF entities <NUM> may serve as a first UPF entity, and each of the other UPF entities <NUM> may serve as a second UPF entity.

The communications system <NUM> in this application can implement a wireless communication method applied to V2X, thereby optimizing a vehicle to vehicle communication mode and a vehicle to infrastructure communication mode.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of a system architecture according to an embodiment of this application. The system architecture shown in <FIG> may be a specific representation form of the communications system shown in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the system architecture in this embodiment may be referred to as a <NUM> network architecture. A core network function entity is divided into a user plane function (User plane function, UPF) entity and a control plane function (Control plane function, CPF) entity. The user plane function entity is mainly responsible for packet data packet sending, quality of service (Quality of Service, QoS) control, charging information collection, or the like. The control plane function entity is mainly responsible for user registration and authentication, mobility management, delivering a data packet sending policy or a QoS control policy to the user plane function (UPF) entity, or the like. The CPF may be further subdivided into an access and mobility management function (Core Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF) entity, a session management function (Session Management Function, SMF) entity, and a policy control function (Policy Control Function, PCF) entity. Optionally, the AMF is responsible for performing a registration procedure during user access and location management in a user movement process. The SMF is responsible for establishing a corresponding session connection on a core network side when a user initiates a service, and providing a specific service or the like for the user.

Specifically, as shown in <FIG>, a terminal used by a user may be connected to a UPF by using a RAN, an AMF is separately connected to the terminal, an SMF, and a PCF, the SMF is connected to the UPF, and the UPF is connected to a V2X application server (V2X Application Server, V2X AS) or a V2X control function (V2X Control Function, V2X-C) entity.

The V2X application server (V2X Application Server, V2X AS) or the V2X control function (V2X Control Function, V2X-C) entity is configured to receive a group establishment request message sent by a terminal (referred to as a first terminal in this application). The group establishment request message carries address information of a group member (referred to as a second terminal in this application). The V2X AS or the V2X-C sends address information of the first terminal and address information of at least one second terminal to the SMF by using a group route establishment request message.

Specifically, the AMF entity, the SMF entity, and the terminal shown in <FIG> may perform steps in the following method embodiment to implement vehicle to vehicle communication and vehicle to infrastructure communication.

It should be noted that the SMF entity, the UPF entity, and the like in the system architecture shown in <FIG> may have other functions in addition to the functions in this embodiment of this application. This is not specifically limited in this embodiment of this application.

It should be noted that a radio access network (Radio Access Network, RAN) device involved in this specification is a device for connecting a terminal to wireless network. The base station may be a base transceiver station (Base Transceiver Station, BTS) in global system for mobile communication (Global System of Mobile communication, GSM) or code division multiple access (Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA); or may be a NodeB (NodeB, NB) in wideband code division multiple access (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA); or may further be an evolutional NodeB (Evolutional Node B, eNB or eNodeB) in long term evolution (Long Term Evolution, LTE), a relay station or an access point, a base station device in a future <NUM> network, or the like and is not specifically limited herein.

The terminal in this specification may also be referred to as a terminal device, user equipment (user equipment, UE), a mobile station (mobile station, MS), a mobile terminal (mobile terminal, MT), or the like. The terminal device may be a mobile phone (mobile phone), a tablet computer (Pad), a computer with a wireless sending/receiving function, a virtual reality (Virtual Reality, VR) terminal, an augmented reality (Augmented Reality, AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control (industrial control), a wireless terminal in self driving (self driving), a wireless terminal in remote medical surgery (remote medical surgery), a wireless terminal in a smart grid (smart grid), a wireless terminal in transportation safety (transportation safety), a wireless terminal in a smart city (smart city), a wireless terminal in a smart home (smart home), or the like.

In this application, "a plurality of" refers to two or more than two. The term "and/or" describes an association relationship for describing associated objects and represents that three relationships may exist. The character "/" generally indicates an "or" relationship between the associated objects.

It should be noted that a "first UPF entity" and a "second UPF entity" in the embodiments of this application are merely used to distinguish between different UPF entities, and names of the UPF entities are not limited thereto.

A "first terminal" and a "second terminal" in the embodiments of this application are merely used to distinguish between terminals connected to different UPF entities, and names of the terminals are not limited thereto.

<FIG> is a flowchart of a wireless communication method according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in <FIG>, the method in this embodiment may include the following steps.

Step <NUM>: A V2X AS/V2X-C sends a group route establishment request message to an SMF entity.

The SMF entity receives the group route establishment request message sent by the V2X AS/V2X-C.

The group route establishment request message includes address information of a first terminal in a group and address information of at least one second terminal in the group. The address information may be specifically an internet protocol (Internet Protocol, IP) address, that is, the address information of the first terminal is an IP address of the first terminal, and the address information of the at least one second terminal is an IP address of the at least one second terminal.

In an implementation, the V2X AS/V2X-C sends the group route establishment request message to the SMF entity by using a PCF entity.

It should be noted that the group route establishment request message may be another message name. This is not limited herein.

Step <NUM>: The SMF entity determines a first UPF entity based on the address information of the first terminal.

The SMF entity may determine, based on the address information of the first terminal, a UPF entity in which the first terminal is located, and the UPF entity is referred to as the first UPF entity. Specifically, the SMF entity may obtain, based on the address information of the first terminal, a context (context) of a packet data unit (packet data unit, PDU) session corresponding to the address information of the first terminal, and determine the first UPF entity based on the context.

Step <NUM>: The SMF entity sends a first message to the first UPF entity.

The first UPF entity receives the first message sent by the SMF entity.

The first message includes a multicast address of the group and session information of the at least one second terminal, and the first message is used by the first UPF entity to send received first service data to each second terminal. The first service data is data that is from the first terminal and whose destination address is the multicast address.

In a possible implementation, the multicast address of the group may be from the group route establishment request message in step <NUM>. In other words, the group route establishment request message may further carry the multicast address of the group.

In another possible implementation, the multicast address of the group may be allocated by the SMF entity to the group based on the group route establishment request message in step <NUM>. In other words, the group route establishment request message may not carry the multicast address of the group, and the multicast address is allocated by the SMF entity.

The "session information" in this specification may include tunnel information or address information, or may include tunnel information and address information. The tunnel information may be specifically a tunnel ID, and the tunnel information is used to identify a data transmission tunnel between different UPF entities or between a UPF entity and a RAN. The address information is used to identify a terminal, a context of a PDU session of the terminal may be obtained based on address information of the terminal (for example, an IP address of the terminal), and the context of the PDU session includes tunnel information for sending data of the terminal.

It should be noted that the first message is merely a message name, and may be another message name, for example, an N4 session modification message.

Step <NUM>: The first UPF entity duplicates the received first service data to obtain N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal.

N is a total quantity of the at least one second terminal. The first UPF entity establishes a correspondence between the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal. When the first UPF entity receives the first service data, because a destination address of the first service data is the multicast address, the first UPF entity duplicates the first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends each copy of first service data to each second terminal based on the session information that is of the at least one second terminal and that corresponds to the multicast address, or in other words, sends duplicated first service data to a corresponding second terminal based on session information of the second terminal, to implement group communication between the first terminal and the at least one second terminal.

For example, the first terminal may be a lead vehicle in a V2X platoon, and each second terminal may be a member vehicle.

It should be noted that, that the first UPF entity duplicates the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal in step <NUM> may be: the first UPF directly sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal, or the first UPF entity indirectly sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal, that is, the first UPF entity sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal through a second UPF entity. For example, the first UPF entity first sends the first service data to the second UPF entity, and the second UPF entity sends the received data to the second terminal.

In some embodiments, the method in this embodiment may further include: determining, by the SMF entity, each second UPF entity based on the address information of the at least one second terminal. The first UPF entity and each second UPF entity may be a same function entity or different function entities. For the foregoing two different application scenarios, the following uses several specific embodiments to further explain and describe the solution of this embodiment.

In this embodiment, the V2X AS/V2X-C sends the group route establishment request message to the SMF entity; the SMF entity determines the first UPF entity based on the address information of the first terminal; the SMF entity sends the first message to the first UPF entity, where the first message includes the multicast address of the group and the session information of the at least one second terminal; and the first UPF entity duplicates the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal. In this way, a wireless communication method applied to V2X can be implemented, thereby optimizing a vehicle to vehicle communication mode and a vehicle to infrastructure communication mode.

In addition, because the first UPF entity duplicates the first service data and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal, bandwidth consumed for communication between the first terminal and the at least one second terminal can be reduced in comparison with a one-to-one communication mode.

The following uses several specific embodiments to describe in detail the technical solution of the method embodiment shown in <FIG>.

In the following several embodiments, an example in which the first terminal is UE1 and the at least one second terminal includes UE2 and UE3 is used for description.

<FIG> is a flowchart of another wireless communication method according to an embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, a first UPF entity and each second UPF entity are a same function entity. As shown in <FIG>, the method in this embodiment may include the following steps.

Step <NUM>: UE1, UE2, and UE3 interact with each other to determine to establish a group.

The UE1 serves as a first terminal, for example, a lead vehicle. There may be a plurality of specific implementations in which the UE1, the UE2, and the UE3 interact with each other to determine to establish the group. This is not limited in this embodiment of this application. For example, the UE1 may initiate group establishment, and instruct the UE2 and the UE3 to establish the group, the UE2 and the UE3 feed back a response message to the UE1 if the UE2 and the UE3 agree to establish the group, and the UE1 determines to establish the group. The group includes the UE1, the UE2, and the UE3.

Step <NUM>: The UE1 sends a group establishment request message to V2X AS/V2X-C.

The V2X AS/V2X-C receives the group establishment request message sent by the UE1. The group establishment request message includes address information of the UE1, address information of the UE2, and address information of the UE3. That is, the V2X AS/V2X-C is requested to establish the group for the UE1, the UE2, and the UE3.

Step <NUM>: The V2X AS/V2X-C sends a group route establishment request message to an SMF entity.

For details of the group route establishment request message, refer to the explanations and descriptions in step <NUM> in the embodiment shown in <FIG>.

The V2X AS/V2X-C requests to establish a group route for the group, that is, to establish a sending path of service data in the group.

In an implementation, the group route establishment request message is explained in step <NUM> in the embodiment shown in <FIG>, and the group route establishment request message includes the address information of the UE1, the address information of the UE2, and the address information of the UE3.

In another implementation, the group route establishment request message may further include a multicast address. The multicast address may be allocated by the V2X AS/V2X-C to the group. That is, the group route establishment request message includes the multicast address, the address information of the UE1, the address information of the UE2, and the address information of the UE3.

Step <NUM>: The SMF determines a first UPF entity based on the address information of the UE1, determines two second UPF entities based on the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3, and determines that the first UPF entity and the two second UPF entities are a same function entity.

In this embodiment, the first UPF entity and the two second UPF entities are a same function entity, namely, a UPF entity.

Step <NUM>: The SMF entity sends a first message to the UPF entity.

The UPF entity receives the first message sent by the SMF entity. The first message includes the multicast address of the group and session information of at least one second terminal. The session information of the at least one second terminal may include information about a tunnel between a radio access network (Radio Access Network, RAN) of each second terminal and the first UPF entity, or address information of each second terminal.

The UPF entity may store, based on the first message, a group route corresponding to the multicast address, that is, establish, based on the first message, the group route corresponding to the multicast address. The group route includes the information about the tunnel between the RAN of each second terminal and the first UPF entity (the UPF entity), or the address information of each second terminal. Then, when receiving first service data, the UPF entity may send the service data based on the group route. For specific explanations and descriptions, refer to specific explanations and descriptions of the following step <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the session information of the at least one second terminal may include information about a tunnel between a RAN of the UE2 and the UPF entity and information about a tunnel between a RAN of the UE3 and the UPF entity, or include the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3.

Step <NUM>: The V2X AS/V2X-C sends a group establishment response message to the UE1.

The UE1 receives the group establishment response message sent by the V2X AS/V2X-C. The group establishment response message includes the multicast address.

It can be understood that after storing the group route corresponding to the multicast address, the UPF entity may further send a response message to the SMF entity or the V2X AS/V2X-C. The response message is used to indicate that establishment of the group route is completed. The V2X AS/V2X-C performs step <NUM> based on the response message, and sends the multicast address to the UE1. A specific implementation of step <NUM> may be flexibly set as required.

Step <NUM>: The UPF entity duplicates the received first service data to obtain N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal.

The UPF entity may store the group route corresponding to the multicast address. In an implementation, the group route includes the information about the tunnel between the RAN of each second terminal and the UPF entity, and the UPF entity duplicates the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address.

In this embodiment, if the first UPF entity in which the UE1 is located, a second UPF entity in which the UE2 is located, and a second UPF entity in which the UE3 is located are a same function entity, the UPF establishes a correspondence between the multicast address, and the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE2 and the UPF entity and the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE3 and the UPF entity, that is, stores the group route corresponding to the multicast address. When receiving the first service data, the UPF entity may obtain the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE2 and the UPF entity and the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE3 and the UPF entity based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address. The UPF entity duplicates the received first service data to obtain two copies of first service data, and directly sends the duplicated first service data to each corresponding tunnel based on the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE2 and the UPF entity and the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE3 and the UPF entity, to send the duplicated first service data to the UE2 and the UE3.

In the foregoing implementation, the information about the tunnel between the RAN of each second terminal and the UPF entity included in the group route may be carried in the first message sent by the SMF. Alternatively, the first message may carry the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3, and the UPF entity determines the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE2 and the UPF entity and the information about the tunnel between the RAN of the UE3 and the UPF entity based on the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3.

In another implementation, the group route includes the address information of each second terminal, and the UPF entity duplicates the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address.

In this embodiment, if the first UPF entity in which the UE1 is located, a second UPF entity in which the UE2 is located, and a second UPF entity in which the UE3 is located are a same function entity, the UPF establishes a correspondence between the multicast address, and the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3, that is, stores the group route corresponding to the multicast address. When receiving the first service data, the UPF may obtain the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3 based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address, duplicate the received first service data to obtain two copies of first service data, obtain corresponding tunnel information based on the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3, and directly send the duplicated first service data to each corresponding tunnel, to send the duplicated first service data to the UE2 and the UE3.

Step <NUM>: The UE1 sends a notification message to the UE2 and the UE3.

The notification message is used to notify the UE2 and the UE3 that the group is successfully established.

In an implementation, the notification message carries the multicast address. The UE2 and the UE3 may determine, based on the multicast address in the notification message, that first service data received by the UE2 and the UE3 is service data sent to the UE2 and the UE3.

In another implementation, the notification message does not carry the multicast address.

Correspondingly, the first message may further carry first instruction information, and the first instruction information is used to instruct the first UPF entity to modify a destination address of each of the N copies of duplicated first service data to an address of one of the at least one second terminal. In this embodiment, the first instruction information is used to instruct the UPF entity to separately modify destination addresses of the N copies of duplicated first service data to an address of the UE2 and an address of the UE3.

The first UPF entity separately modifies the destination address of each of the N copies of duplicated first service data to the address of one of the at least one second terminal according to the first instruction information. In this embodiment, the UPF entity separately modifies the destination addresses of the N copies of duplicated first service data to the address of the UE2 and the address of the UE3 according to the first instruction information.

It should be noted that a sequence of step <NUM> and step <NUM> is not limited by a sequence number.

<FIG> and <FIG> are flowcharts of another wireless communication method according to an embodiment of this application. This embodiment is not covered by the scope of the granted claims. A difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in <FIG> lies in that a first UPF entity and each second UPF entity are different function entities. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the method in this embodiment may include the following steps.

Step <NUM>: The V2X AS/V2X-C sends a group route establishment request message to an SMF.

For specific explanations and descriptions of step <NUM> to step <NUM>, refer to step <NUM> to step <NUM> in the embodiment shown in <FIG>.

Step <NUM>: The SMF entity determines a first UPF entity based on address information of the UE1, determines two second UPF entities based on address information of the UE2 and address information of the UE3, and determines that the first UPF entity and the two second UPF entities are different function entities.

In this embodiment, the first UPF entity and the two second UPF entities are different function entities. In this embodiment, an example in which a second UPF entity in which the UE2 is located is a UPF entity <NUM> and a second UPF entity in which the UE3 is located is a UPF entity <NUM> is used for description.

The SMF entity establishes a sending tunnel between the first UPF entity and each second UPF entity by using the following step <NUM>, step <NUM>, and step <NUM>.

Step <NUM>: The SMF entity sends a first message to a UPF entity <NUM>.

The UPF entity <NUM> receives the first message sent by the SMF entity. The first message includes a multicast address of a group and session information of at least one second terminal, and the session information of the at least one second terminal may include information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity, or address information of each second terminal and information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity.

The UPF entity <NUM> may store, based on the first message, a group route corresponding to the multicast address. The group route includes the session information of the at least one second terminal. Then, when receiving first service data, the UPF entity <NUM> may send the service data based on the group route. For specific explanations and descriptions, refer to specific explanations and descriptions of the following step <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the session information of the at least one second terminal may include information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM> and information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, or includes the address information of the UE2, information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, the address information of the UE3, and information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>.

Step <NUM>: The SMF entity sends a second message to each of the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the SMF entity sends the second message to the UPF entity <NUM>. The second message includes the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, the second message is further used by the UPF entity <NUM> to send received second service data to the UE2, and the second service data is from the tunnel corresponding to the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>.

The SMF entity sends the second message to the UPF entity <NUM>. The second message includes the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, the second message is further used by the UPF entity <NUM> to send received second service data to the UE3, and the second service data is from the tunnel corresponding to the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>.

It should be noted that the second service data is duplicated first service data that arrives at each second UPF entity.

For specific explanations and descriptions of step <NUM>, refer to step <NUM> in the embodiment shown in <FIG>.

Step <NUM>: The UPF entity <NUM> duplicates the received first service data to obtain N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal.

The UPF entity <NUM> (the first UPF entity) may store the group route corresponding to the multicast address. The group route includes information about a tunnel between a UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity, or the address information of each second terminal and information about a tunnel between a UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity. The UPF entity <NUM> duplicates the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address.

Specifically, because the first UPF entity and each second UPF entity are different function entities, a tunnel between the first UPF entity and each second UPF entity needs to be established to send service data. The SMF sends the multicast address and the information about the tunnel between the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity to the first UPF entity, and sends the information about the tunnel between the second UPF entity in which the second terminal is located and the first UPF entity to the corresponding second UPF entity, to establish the tunnel between the first UPF entity and each second UPF entity.

To duplicate and send the first service data, the first UPF entity establishes a correspondence between the multicast address and the session information of each second terminal, that is, stores the group route corresponding to the multicast address. The group route includes the information about the tunnel between the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity, or the information about the tunnel between the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity and the address information of each second terminal.

In this embodiment, the UPF entity <NUM> establishes a correspondence between the multicast address, and session information of the UE2 and session information of the UE3, that is, stores the group route corresponding to the multicast address. The group route includes information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM> and information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, or the group route includes the address information of the UE2, information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, the address information of the UE3, and information about a tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>. When receiving the first service data, the UPF entity <NUM> may obtain the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM> and the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM> or obtain the address information of the UE2, the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, the address information of the UE3, and the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM> based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address. The UPF entity <NUM> duplicates the received first service data to obtain two copies of first service data, send the duplicated first service data to the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM> based on the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM> and the information about the tunnel between the UPF entity <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, to send the duplicated first service data to the UE2 through the UPF entity <NUM> and send the duplicated first service data to the UE3 though the UPF entity <NUM>.

Step <NUM>: The UPF entity <NUM> sends the received second service data to the UE2, and the UPF entity <NUM> sends the received second service data to the UE3.

It should be noted that the first message may further include session information of a first terminal, and the session information of the first terminal includes information about a tunnel between a RAN of the first terminal and the first UPF entity, or address information of the first terminal. In this embodiment, the session information of the first terminal includes information about a tunnel between a RAN of the UE <NUM> and the UPF entity <NUM>, or the address information of the UE1.

The second message further includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network RAN of a second terminal X and a second UPF entity in which the second terminal X is located, or address information of a second terminal X. The second terminal X is any one of the at least one second terminal. In this embodiment, the second message further includes information about a tunnel between a RAN of the UE2 and the UPF entity <NUM> and information about a tunnel between a RAN of the UE3 and the UPF entity <NUM>, or the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3.

In this embodiment, the V2X AS/V2X-C sends the group route establishment request message to the SMF entity; the SMF entity determines the first UPF entity based on the address information of the first terminal, determines the two second UPF entities based on the address information of the UE2 and the address information of the UE3, and determines that the first UPF entity and the two second UPF entities are different function entities; the SMF entity sends the first message to the first UPF entity, where the first message includes the multicast address of the group and the session information of the at least one second terminal; the SMF entity sends the second message to the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located; and the first UPF duplicates the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal through the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located based on the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal. In this way, a wireless communication method applied to V2X can be implemented, thereby optimizing a vehicle to vehicle communication mode and a vehicle to infrastructure communication mode.

In addition, because the first UPF duplicates the first service data and sends the duplicated first service data to each second terminal, bandwidth consumed for communication between the first terminal and the at least one second terminal can be reduced in comparison with a one-to-one communication mode.

It can be understood that in the foregoing embodiments, the method or the steps implemented by the first UPF entity may be alternatively implemented by a chip in the first UPF entity. The method or the steps implemented by the SMF entity may be alternatively implemented by a chip in the SMF entity. The method or the steps implemented by the second UPF entity may be alternatively implemented by a chip in the second UPF entity.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of a communications device according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in <FIG>, the communications device in this embodiment serves as a first UPF entity and includes a receiving module <NUM>, a processing module <NUM>, and a sending module <NUM>.

The receiving module <NUM> is configured to receive a first message sent by an SMF entity, where the first message includes a multicast address of a group and session information of at least one second terminal.

The processing module <NUM> is configured to: duplicate received first service data to obtain N copies of first service data, and send the duplicated first service data to each second terminal through the sending module <NUM> based on the multicast address and the session information of the at least one second terminal.

The first service data is data that is from a first terminal and whose destination address is the multicast address, and N is a total quantity of the at least one second terminal.

In some embodiments, the session information of the at least one second terminal includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network RAN of each second terminal and the first UPF entity. The processing module <NUM> is configured to: store a group route corresponding to the multicast address, where the group route includes the information about the tunnel between the RAN of each second terminal and the first UPF entity; and duplicate the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and send the duplicated first service data to each second terminal through the sending module <NUM> based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address.

In some embodiments, the session information of the at least one second terminal includes address information of each second terminal. The processing module <NUM> is configured to: store a group route corresponding to the multicast address, where the group route includes the address information of each second terminal; and obtain the address information of each second terminal based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address, determine information about a tunnel between a RAN of each second terminal and the first UPF entity based on the address information of each second terminal, duplicate the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and send the duplicated first service data to each second terminal through the tunnel corresponding to the information about the tunnel between the RAN of each second terminal and the first UPF entity.

In some embodiments, the session information of the at least one second terminal includes information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity. The processing module <NUM> is configured to: store a group route corresponding to the multicast address, where the group route includes the information about the tunnel between the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity; and duplicate the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and send, through the sending module <NUM>, the duplicated first service data to each second terminal through the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address.

In some embodiments, the session information of the at least one second terminal includes address information of each second terminal and information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF. The processing module <NUM> is configured to: store a group route corresponding to the multicast address, where the group route includes the address information of each second terminal and the information about the tunnel between the second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity; and duplicate the received first service data to obtain the N copies of first service data, and send the duplicated first service data to each second terminal through the sending module <NUM> based on the group route corresponding to the multicast address.

In some embodiments, the first message further includes first instruction information, and the processing module <NUM> is further configured to modify a destination address of each of the N copies of duplicated first service data to an address of one of the at least one second terminal according to the first instruction information.

The first UPF entity described above in this embodiment may be configured to perform the technical solution performed by the first UPF entity/the chip in the first UPF entity in the foregoing method embodiment. An implementation principle and a technical effect of this embodiment are similar to those of the method embodiment. For functions of the modules, refer to the corresponding descriptions in the method embodiment.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of a communications device according to another embodiment of this application. As shown in <FIG>, the communications device in this embodiment serves as a first UPF entity and includes a transceiver <NUM> and a processor <NUM>.

In hardware implementation, the receiving module <NUM> and the sending module <NUM> may be the transceiver <NUM> in this embodiment. Alternatively, the transceiver <NUM> includes a receiver and a transmitter. In this case, the receiving module <NUM> may be the receiver in the transceiver <NUM>, and the sending module <NUM> may be the transmitter in the transceiver <NUM>. The processing module <NUM> may be built in or independent of the processor <NUM> of the first UPF entity in a hardware form.

The transceiver <NUM> may include a necessary radio frequency communication component such as a frequency mixer. The processor <NUM> may include at least one of a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU), a digital signal processor (digital signal processor, DSP), a microcontroller unit (Microcontroller Unit, MCU), an application-specific integrated circuit (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, ASIC), or a field-programmable gate array (Field-Programmable Gate Array, FPGA).

Optionally, the first UPF entity in this embodiment may further include a memory <NUM>. The memory <NUM> is configured to store a program instruction, and the processor <NUM> is configured to invoke the program instruction in the memory <NUM> to perform the foregoing solution.

The program instruction may be implemented in a form of a software functional unit and can be sold or used as an independent product. The memory <NUM> may be a computer readable storage medium in any form. Based on such an understanding, all or some of the technical solutions of this application may be embodied in a form of a software product, and the software product includes several instructions for instructing a computer device, which may be specifically the processor <NUM>, to perform all or some of the steps of the first UPF entity in the embodiments of this application. The foregoing computer readable 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.

The first UPF entity described above in this embodiment may be configured to perform the technical solution performed by the first UPF entity/the chip in the first UPF entity in the foregoing method embodiment. An implementation principle and a technical effect of this embodiment are similar to those of the method embodiment. For functions of the components, refer to the corresponding descriptions in the method embodiment.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of a chip according to an embodiment of this application. This embodiment is not covered by the scope of the granted claims. As shown in <FIG>, the chip in this embodiment may serve as a chip of a first UPF entity, and the chip in this embodiment may include a memory <NUM> and a processor <NUM>. The memory <NUM> is communicatively connected to the processor <NUM>.

In hardware implementation, the receiving module <NUM>, the processing module <NUM>, and the sending module <NUM> may be built in or independent of the processor <NUM> of the chip in a hardware form.

The memory <NUM> is configured to store a program instruction, and the processor <NUM> is configured to invoke the program instruction in the memory <NUM> to perform the foregoing solution.

The chip in this embodiment may be configured to perform the technical solution of the first UPF entity or the chip in the first UPF entity in the foregoing method embodiment of this application. An implementation principle and a technical effect of this embodiment are similar to those of the method embodiment. For functions of the modules, refer to the corresponding descriptions in the method embodiment.

Another embodiment of this application further provides a communications device. For a schematic structural diagram of the communications device, refer to <FIG>. The communications device in this embodiment serves as an SMF entity and includes a receiving module, a processing module, and a sending module. The receiving module is configured to receive a group route establishment request message, where the group route establishment request message includes address information of a first terminal in a group and address information of at least one second terminal in the group.

The processing module is configured to determine a first user plane function UPF entity based on the address information of the first terminal.

The sending module is configured to send a first message to a first UPF entity, where the first message includes a multicast address of the group and session information of the at least one second terminal, and the first message is used by the first UPF entity to send received first service data to each second terminal.

The first service data is data that is from the first terminal and whose destination address is the multicast address.

In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to determine each second UPF entity based on the address information of the at least one second terminal, where when the first UPF entity and each second UPF entity are a same function entity, the session information of the at least one second terminal includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network RAN of each second terminal and the first UPF entity, or address information of each second terminal.

In some embodiments, the processing module is further configured to determine each second UPF entity based on the address information of the at least one second terminal, where when the first UPF entity and each second UPF entity are different function entities, the session information of the at least one second terminal includes information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity, or address information of each second terminal and information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each second terminal is located and the first UPF entity.

In some embodiments, the sending module is further configured to send a second message to a second UPF entity in which a second terminal X in the at least one second terminal is located, where the second message includes information about a tunnel between the second UPF entity in which the second terminal X is located and the first UPF entity, the second message is further used by the second UPF entity in which the second terminal X is located to send received second service data to the second terminal X, and the second service data is from the tunnel corresponding to the information about the tunnel between the second UPF entity in which the second terminal X is located and the first UPF entity.

In some embodiments, the first message further includes first instruction information, and the first instruction information is used to instruct the first UPF entity to modify a destination address of each of N copies of duplicated first service data to an address of one of the at least one second terminal.

In some embodiments, the first message further includes session information of the first terminal, and the session information of the first terminal includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network RAN of the first terminal and the first UPF entity, or the address information of the first terminal.

In some embodiments, the second message further includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network RAN of the second terminal X and the second UPF entity in which the second terminal X is located, or address information of the second terminal X.

The communications device described above in this embodiment may be configured to perform the technical solution performed by the SMF entity/the chip in the SMF entity in the foregoing method embodiment. An implementation principle and a technical effect of this embodiment are similar to those of the method embodiment. For functions of the modules, refer to the corresponding descriptions in the method embodiment.

Another embodiment of this application further provides a communications device. For a schematic structural diagram of the communications device, refer to the schematic structural diagram shown in <FIG>. The communications device in this embodiment serves as an SMF entity. In hardware implementation, the receiving module and the sending module of the SMF entity in the foregoing embodiment may be a transceiver in this embodiment. Alternatively, a transceiver includes a receiver and a transmitter. In this case, the receiving module of the SMF entity in the foregoing embodiment may be the receiver in the transceiver, and the sending module of the SMF entity in the foregoing embodiment may be the transmitter in the transceiver. The processing module of the SMF entity in the foregoing embodiment may be built in or independent of a processor of the SMF entity in a hardware form.

The transceiver may include a necessary radio frequency communication component such as a frequency mixer. The processor may include at least one of a CPU, a DSP, an MCU, an ASIC, or an FPGA.

Optionally, the SMF entity in this embodiment may further include a memory. The memory is configured to store a program instruction, and the processor is configured to invoke the program instruction in the memory to perform the foregoing solution.

The program instruction may be implemented in a form of a software functional unit and can be sold or used as an independent product. The memory may be a computer readable storage medium in any form. Based on such an understanding, all or some of the technical solutions of this application may be embodied in a form of a software product, and the software product includes several instructions for instructing a computer device, which may be specifically the processor, to perform all or some of the steps of the SMF entity in the embodiments of this application. The foregoing computer readable storage medium includes: any medium that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a removable hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.

The communications device described above in this embodiment may be configured to perform the technical solution performed by the SMF entity/the chip in the SMF entity in the foregoing method embodiment. An implementation principle and a technical effect of this embodiment are similar to those of the method embodiment. For functions of the components, refer to the corresponding descriptions in the method embodiment.

Another embodiment of this application further provides a chip. For a schematic structural diagram of the chip, refer to <FIG>. The chip in this embodiment may serve as a chip of an SMF entity. The chip in this embodiment may include a memory and a processor. The memory is communicatively connected to the processor. The processor may include, for example, at least one of a CPU, a DSP, an MCU, an ASIC, or an FPGA.

In hardware implementation, the sending module and the receiving module of the SMF entity in the foregoing embodiments may be built in or independent of the processor of the chip in this embodiment in a hardware form.

The memory is configured to store a program instruction, and the processor is configured to invoke the program instruction in the memory to perform the foregoing solution.

The chip described above in this embodiment may be configured to perform the technical solution of the SMF entity or the chip in the SMF entity in the foregoing method embodiment of this application. An implementation principle and a technical effect of this embodiment are similar to those of the method embodiment. For functions of the modules, refer to the corresponding descriptions in the method embodiment.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of this application, module division is exemplary, and is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, another division manner may be used. Functional modules in the embodiments of this application may be integrated into one processing module, or each of the modules may exist alone physically, or two or more modules are integrated into one module. The integrated module may be implemented in a form of hardware, or may be implemented in a form of a software functional module.

When the integrated module is implemented in the form of a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, the integrated unit 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 all or some of the technical solutions may be implemented in the form of a software product. The 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, or a network device) or a processor (processor) 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 ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.

Claim 1:
A wireless communication method, comprising:
receiving (<NUM>; <NUM>), by a first user plane function, UPF, entity, a first message from a session management function, SMF, entity, wherein the first message comprises a multicast address of a group comprising a first terminal and at least one second terminal and session information of the at least one second terminal, and the first message is used by the first UPF entity to send received first service data to each of the at least one second terminal, the first service data being data that is from the first terminal and whose destination address is the multicast address of the group, and wherein the session information of the at least one second terminal includes information about a tunnel between a radio access network, RAN, of each of the at least one second terminal and the first UPF entity or information about a tunnel between a second UPF entity in which each of the at least one second terminal is located and the first UPF entity, and/or address information of each of the at least one second terminal, wherein the address information of each of the at least one second terminal comprises an Internet Protocol, IP, address of each of the at least one second terminal; and
duplicating (<NUM>; <NUM>), by the first UPF entity, received first service data from the first terminal to obtain N copies of first service data, and sending the duplicated first service data to each of the at least one second terminal based on the multicast address of the group and the session information of the at least one second terminal, wherein N is a total quantity of the at least one second terminal.