Patent Description:
A mobile communications network includes two parts: an access network and a core network. The access network is an edge part of the mobile communications network, and is responsible for connecting a terminal device to the core network, to implement a connection between the terminal device and the network. For example, the access network is an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, E-UTRAN). The core network is responsible for connecting the terminal device to different networks based on a call request or a data request sent by the terminal device by using the access network, and is responsible for charging, mobility management, and the like. For example, the core network is an evolved packet core (Evolved Packet Core, EPC).

The core network mainly includes the following key logical network elements: a mobility management entity (Mobility Management Entity, MME), a serving gateway (Serving Gateway, S-GW), a packet data network gateway (Packet Data Network Gateway, P-GW), a home subscriber server (Home Subscriber Server, HSS), and a policy and charging rules function (Policy and charging rules function, PCRF).

In the core network, core network devices may be classified into a control plane (Control Plane, CP) network element and a user plane (User Plane, UP) network element based on logical functions of the core network devices. The control plane network element is a network element responsible for mobility management or forwarding path management in a mobile network, and may be an MME, an S-GW, or a P-GW, may be an S-GW control plane or a P-GW control plane, or may be a control plane network element formed by integrating any network elements in an MME, an S-GW, and a P-GW, or a control plane network element formed by integrating an S-GW control plane and a P-GW control plane. The user plane network element is mainly responsible for forwarding a service packet of a terminal device, and may be a physical forwarding plane device such as an S-GW, a P-GW, a router, a switch, or a software-defined networking (Software-Defined Networking, SDN) virtual machine (switch), or may be a virtual forwarding plane network element such as an S-GW forwarding plane or a P-GW forwarding plane.

With development of wireless communications technologies and constantly changing user requirements, a terminal device type constantly changes, and more applications that meet various user requirements are born. However, services requested by different types of terminal devices or requested by different applications in a same terminal device have different requirements for a network. For example, a service requested by an application that provides a real-time video service has a relatively high requirement for service continuity of a network, while a service requested by an application that provides a common data service such as web browsing almost has no requirement for service continuity of a network. An existing mobile communications network provides networks with a same configuration for services requested by all types of terminal devices and all applications, and consequently, different services cannot be processed as required, resulting in relatively poor flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

<CIT> describes a UE which, when performing a handover from an access network B to an access network A, transmits an attach request to an MME. The UE requests the MME to establish a specific bearer that guarantees the necessary QoS for a flow. The MME receives the request for the establishment of the specific bearer, establishes the specific bearer that guarantees the QoS for the flow and sets up a path for performing communication of the flow between the UE and a PGW. This enables the mobile station to select a specific flow among a plurality of flows and be directly handed over to the bearer communication path when the mobile station performs a handover, thus providing a mobile communication system and the like that can realize a handover while maintaining communication quality.

<CIT> discloses a network usage manager in an operating system executing on a mobile device being configured to enable selection among different cellular data connections by application ("app") or by app class so that end users can tailor cellular network allocation, app performance, and costs to meet their specific needs while mobile operators can improve network utilization and provide more comprehensive data plan offerings. The network usage manager applies app usage policies to select among different cellular data connections which may be supported on the mobile device using single or multiple SIM/UICC (Subscriber Identity Module/Universal Integrated Circuit Card) cards. The app usage policies can be set for a given app or class of app on the mobile device so that, for example, apps that implement background synchronization processes can use typically less expensive, lower bandwidth connections while typically more expensive, higher bandwidth connections are selected for data intensive apps.

The<NPL> describes that an HPLMN provides a usage class selection policy to a UE. When an app in the UE requests a new IP flow, the UE determines a usage class for this IP flow based on the usage class selection policy. If the UE has a PDU session that matches the determined usage class of the IP flow, then the UE routes the IP flow to the matching PDU session. If the UE has no PDU session that matches the usage class of the IP flow, then the UE requests the establishment of a new PDU session with the usage class of the IP flow. Thereto, the determined usage class of the IP flow is provided to the RAN as assistance information for network-slice selection, to enable the network to select a network slice that can best serve the PDU session.

The <NPL> describes procedures for selection of a particular network slice for a UE. A multi-dimensional descriptor is configured in the UE, wherein a slice can be identified by at least two dimensions: one identifying an application/tenant, and another one identifying the network behaviors. The UE reports the multi-dimensional descriptor to the network. Based on this multi-dimensional descriptor and based on subscription information available in the network, the relevant functions within a certain network slice can be selected.

Specific embodiments are defined by the dependent claims.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a network connection configuration method, an apparatus, a system, and a computer-readable storage medium, to resolve a prior-art problem that different services cannot be processed as required because a mobile communications network provides networks with a same configuration for services requested by all types of terminal devices and all applications.

To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the following further describes the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The embodiments of the present invention provide a network connection configuration method and an apparatus, to resolve a prior-art problem that a mobile communications network provides networks with a same configuration for services requested by all types of terminal devices and all applications, and consequently, different services cannot be processed as required, resulting in relatively poor flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network. The method and the apparatus are based on a same inventive concept. Because a problem-resolving principle of the method is similar to that of the apparatus, mutual reference may be made between apparatus implementation and method implementation. Repeated parts are not described.

In the technical solutions of a not claimed embodiment of the present invention, after a terminal device obtains network configuration information of an application in the terminal device, the terminal device sends the network configuration information to a core network control plane network element, so that the core network control plane network element may determine a network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and a data network and that meets the network configuration information. The network configuration information is used to indicate a configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet. In the embodiments of the present invention, because the network configuration information can indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet, a mobile communications network can provide networks with different configurations based on requirements of services requested by applications in different types of terminal devices or requirements of services requested by different applications in a same terminal device, so that different services can be processed as required, thereby improving flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

Some terms in this application are explained below, to help persons skilled in the art have a better understanding.

<FIG> shows a possible mobile communications network architecture, namely, an evolved packet system (Evolved Packet System, EPS) architecture, to which a network connection configuration method is applicable according to an embodiment of the present invention. The EPS architecture is divided into two parts: an access network and a core network. The core network is an EPC.

The access network may be an evolved E-UTRAN, and implements a wireless access-related function for a terminal device. The terminal device includes but is not limited to a device such as an eNodeB, a Wi-Fi AP, or a WiMAX BS.

The EPC mainly includes the following key logical network elements: an MME, an S-GW, a P-GW, an HSS, and a PCRF. The network elements are described in detail below.

The MME mainly completes signaling plane function processing, such as user authentication, handover, mobility management on a terminal in an idle mode, or user context and bearer management.

The HSS is configured to store subscription information of a user.

The S-GW is used for routing and forwarding of a data network, and provides a lawful interception-related function.

The P-GW is a gateway connected to an external data network, is a user plane anchor between a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3rd Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP) access network and a non-3GPP access network, and is responsible for functions such as user address allocation, policy control and charging rules execution, and lawful interception. The S-GW and the P-GW may be deployed on a same entity device, or may be separately deployed on different entity devices. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present invention.

The PCRF provides a policy and charging rule.

When enabling an application, the terminal device may be connected to the P-GW by using the access network, and create a protocol data unit (Protocol Data Unit, PDU) connection by using the P-GW, to access the external data network.

In the mobile communications network architecture shown in <FIG>, the terminal device, the access network, the network elements in the EPC, and the DN perform communication interaction with each other by using corresponding interfaces.

Based on the EPS architecture shown in <FIG>, to reduce hardware platform design costs and accelerate mobile packet network deployment, an SDN idea is introduced in a mobile communications network, so that control and forwarding of a gateway device can be separated. <FIG> shows another possible mobile communications network architecture. As shown in the figure, the network architecture includes a core network control plane network element and a core network user plane network element.

The core network control plane network element is a network element responsible for mobility management and/or forwarding path management in a mobile communications network, and the core network user plane network element is a network element responsible for providing service packet forwarding for a user. Specific functions are not described herein.

A network connection configuration method provided in an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to the terminal device in the mobile communications network shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. Referring to <FIG>, a specific procedure of the method includes the following steps.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device obtains network configuration information of an application in the terminal device, where the network configuration information is used to indicate a configuration that a network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and a data network needs to meet.

Optionally, the network configuration information may include but is not limited to at least one of or a combination of the following items: mobility management requirement information, packet transfer mode information, quality of service (Quality of service, QoS) requirement information, network slice information, and a service type.

The mobility management requirement information is used to indicate whether the network connection needs to provide mobility management support for the application. For example, the mobility management requirement information includes: mobility management support is required, mobility management support is not required, or whether mobility management support is required is not limited.

The packet transfer mode information is used to indicate a packet transfer mode that the network connection can provide for the application. For example, the packet transfer mode information includes a non-IP packet transfer mode (such as a MAC packet transfer mode) or an IP packet transfer mode. Optionally, when the packet transfer mode information includes the IP packet transfer mode, the network configuration information may further include a packet type in the IP packet transfer mode, for example, Internet Protocol version <NUM> (Internet Protocol version <NUM>, IPv4), Internet Protocol version <NUM> (Internet Protocol version <NUM>, IPv6), or IPv4/v6.

The QoS requirement information is used to indicate a QoS requirement that the network connection needs to provide for the application. The QoS requirement information may include a delay requirement, a bandwidth requirement, a reliability requirement, and the like.

The network slice information is used to indicate whether the network connection needs to provide a network slice service for the application. Optionally, when the network slice information indicates that the network connection needs to provide a network slice for the application, the network configuration information may further include an identifier of a network slice required by the application. The network slice may be a mobile broadband (Mobile Broadband, MBB) network slice, a vehicle to vehicle (Vehicle to Vehicle, V2V) network slice, or a machine type communication (Machine Type Communication, MTC) network slice.

The service type is used to indicate a service type that the network connection needs to implement for the application. For example, the service type includes: The application requires the network connection to provide enhanced mobile broadband (enhanced Mobile Broadband, eMBB), critical communication (Critical Communication, CriC), massive Internet of Things (massive Internet of Things, mIoT), or the like.

Optionally, the network connection may be a PDU connection, a bearer, or a service flow. A granularity relationship among the PDU connection, the bearer, and the service flow is: PDU connection>bearer>service flow. To be specific, one PDU connection may include a plurality of bearers or a plurality of service flows, and one bearer may correspond to a plurality of service flows.

Optionally, the terminal device may obtain the network configuration information based on an application identifier of the application, or may obtain the network configuration information based on an application identifier of the application and a type of the terminal device.

The terminal device obtains the network configuration information in the following manner.

The terminal device sends a configuration information request to an application server, and receives the network configuration information returned by the application server.

The application server is configured to expose business logic to the terminal device by using various types of protocols.

That the terminal device receives the network configuration information returned by the application server includes: The terminal device receives a configuration information response that is returned by the application server and that carries the network configuration information.

For example, the terminal device obtains the application identifier of the application, and sends the obtained application identifier of the application to the application server. The application server determines, based on the application identifier of the application and in a stored correspondence between a plurality of application identifiers and network configuration information, the network configuration information corresponding to the application identifier of the application, or configures and generates the corresponding network configuration information for the application based on the application identifier of the application, and sends the determined or generated network configuration information to the terminal device. The configuration information request sent by the terminal device to the application server carries the application identifier of the application, and the configuration information response sent by the application server to the terminal device carries the network configuration information.

For another example, the terminal device obtains the application identifier of the application and the type of the terminal device, and sends the obtained application identifier of the application and the obtained type of the terminal device to the application server. The application server determines, based on the application identifier of the application and the type of the terminal device and in a stored correspondence between network configuration information and a plurality of application identifiers and terminal device types, the network configuration information corresponding to the application identifier of the application and the type of the terminal device, or configures and generates the corresponding network configuration information for the application based on the application identifier of the application and the type of the terminal device, and sends the determined or generated network configuration information to the terminal device. Optionally, the configuration information request sent by the terminal device to the application server may carry the application identifier of the application and the type of the terminal device, and the configuration information response sent by the application server to the terminal device may carry the network configuration information.

Optionally, the application server verifies the determined network configuration information before sending the network configuration information to the terminal device, and sends the network configuration information to the terminal device after the verification succeeds. That the application server verifies the network configuration information includes: The application server performs correctness verification, executability verification, or reasonableness verification on the network configuration information according to a verification policy of an operator of the application.

In the second and the third manners, the network information configuration software or the application server verifies the determined network configuration information before sending the network configuration information to the terminal device, and sends the network configuration information to the terminal device after determining that the verification succeeds. Therefore, accuracy and executability of the network configuration information for a service requested by the terminal device can be improved, thereby ensuring reliability of service processing of the terminal device.

The terminal device can accurately obtain the network configuration information corresponding to the application, so that the mobile communications network can provide a network with a corresponding configuration based on a requirement of a service requested by the application of the terminal device type.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device sends the network configuration information to a core network control plane network element.

After the terminal device obtains the network configuration information, and before step <NUM> is performed, the method further includes: The terminal device verifies the network configuration information, and the verification succeeds.

The verification performed by the terminal device on the network configuration information includes correctness verification, executability verification, or reasonableness verification performed on specific information included in the network configuration information. According to the foregoing method, accuracy and executability of the network configuration information for a service requested by the terminal device can be improved, and reliability of service processing of the terminal device can be ensured.

Optionally, when the terminal device performs step <NUM>, the terminal device may send, to the core network control plane network element, a message carrying the network configuration information. The message includes a service request message, an access request message, or a resource modification request message.

The access request message is sent by the terminal device to the core network control plane network element in a network registration process. For example, the access request message may be sent by the terminal device when the terminal device is powered on. The service request message is a request for establishing a signaling connection for each interface of a radio access network, and is used to enable the terminal device to be switched from an idle mode to a connected mode. The resource modification request message is a request actively initiated by the terminal device when the terminal device has a special service requirement.

According to the network connection configuration method in this embodiment of the present invention, after the terminal device obtains the network configuration information of the application in the terminal device, the terminal device sends the network configuration information to the core network control plane network element, so that the core network control plane network element may determine the network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information. The network configuration information is used to indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet. In this embodiment of the present invention, because the network configuration information can indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet, the mobile communications network can provide networks with different configurations based on requirements of services requested by applications in different types of terminal devices or requirements of services requested by different applications in a same terminal device, so that different services can be processed as required, thereby improving flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides another network connection configuration method. The method is applicable to the core network control plane network element in the mobile communications network shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. Referring to <FIG>, a specific procedure of the method includes the following steps.

Step <NUM>: The core network control plane network element receives network configuration information that is of an application and that is sent by a terminal device, where the network configuration information is used to indicate a configuration that a network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and a data network needs to meet.

Optionally, the network connection may be a protocol data unit PDU connection, a bearer, or a service flow. A granularity relationship among the PDU connection, the bearer, and the service flow is: PDU connection>bearer>service flow. To be specific, one PDU connection may include a plurality of bearers or a plurality of service flows, and one bearer may correspond to a plurality of service flows.

Optionally, the network configuration information may include but is not limited to at least one of or a combination of the following items: mobility management requirement information, packet transfer mode information, quality of service QoS requirement information, network slice information, and a service type. Specific examples of the mobility management requirement information, the packet transfer mode information, the quality of service QoS requirement information, the network slice information, and the service type are the same as those described in step <NUM> in <FIG>.

Step <NUM>: The core network control plane network element determines a network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information.

Optionally, that the core network control plane network element determines a network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information includes the following steps.

The core network control plane network element determines, in an established network connection between the terminal device and the data network, whether there is at least one to-be-selected network connection that meets the network configuration information.

When there is the at least one to-be-selected network connection, the core network control plane network element uses one of the at least one to-be-selected network connection as the network connection. For example, it is assumed that a delay requirement included in network configuration information of a specific application is "less than <NUM> milliseconds". The terminal device sends the network configuration information of the application to the core network control plane network element. After receiving the network configuration information sent by the terminal device, the core network control plane network element determines, in a plurality of established network connections between the terminal device and the data network, that there is a to-be-selected network connection meeting the delay requirement "less than <NUM> milliseconds", and the core network control plane network element uses the to-be-selected network connection as the network connection.

When there is no at least one to-be-selected network connection, the core network control plane network element initiates a procedure of establishing the network connection that meets the network configuration information. For example, the procedure of establishing the network connection that meets the network configuration information is initiated by using the following steps a to f:.

Optionally, after receiving the context setup response and the direct transfer message, the core network control plane network element sends a packet forwarding policy update message to the core network user plane network element, to update the packet forwarding policy on the core network user plane network element.

Optionally, the core network control plane network element receives a message that is sent by the terminal device and that carries the network configuration information. The message includes a service request message, an access request message, or a resource modification request message. The access request message is sent by the terminal device to the core network control plane network element in a network registration process. For example, the access request message may be sent by the terminal device when the terminal device is powered on. The service request message is a request for establishing a signaling connection for each interface of a radio access network, and is used to enable the terminal device to be switched from an idle mode to a connected mode. The resource modification request message is a request actively initiated by the terminal device when the terminal device has a special service requirement.

The network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information may be established by initiating the foregoing procedure.

Optionally, after the core network control plane network element receives the network configuration information, before step <NUM> is performed, the method further includes: The core network control plane network element verifies the network configuration information, and the verification succeeds. That the core network control plane network element verifies the network configuration information includes: The core network control plane network element performs correctness verification, executability verification, or reasonableness verification on the network configuration information according to a verification policy of an operator of the application.

According to the network connection configuration method in this embodiment of the present invention, after the terminal device sends the network configuration information of the application to the core network control plane network element, the core network control plane network element receives the network configuration information that is of the application and that is sent by the terminal device, and then the core network control plane network element may determine the network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information. The network configuration information is used to indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet. In this embodiment of the present invention, because the network configuration information can indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet, the mobile communications network can provide networks with different configurations based on requirements of services requested by all applications in different types of terminal devices or requirements of services requested by different applications in a same terminal device, so that different services can be processed as required, thereby improving flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

Based on the foregoing embodiments, an embodiment of the present invention further provides an example of a network connection configuration method. The example may be applied to the terminal device in the mobile communications network shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. This embodiment is described by using a PDU connection as an example of a network connection. Optionally, the network connection may alternatively be a bearer or a service flow between the terminal device and a data network. Referring to <FIG>, a specific procedure of the example includes the following steps.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device obtains network configuration information of an application (for example, an application of a video call service). For example, a delay requirement included in the network configuration information is "less than <NUM> milliseconds".

Optionally, the terminal device may obtain the network configuration information in the three manners described in step <NUM> in <FIG>, and details are not described herein again.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device verifies the network configuration information, where the verification performed by the terminal device on the network configuration information includes correctness verification, executability verification, or reasonableness verification on specific information included in the network configuration information.

Step <NUM>: After verification performed on the network configuration information by the terminal device succeeds, the terminal device sends the network configuration information to a core network control plane network element.

It should be noted that step <NUM> is an optional step. When step <NUM> is not performed, in step <NUM>, the terminal device may directly send the network configuration information to the core network control plane network element.

Step <NUM>: After receiving the network configuration information sent by the terminal device, the core network control plane network element determines, in an established PDU connection between the terminal device and a data network, whether there is a PDU connection meeting the network configuration information (such as a delay requirement "less than <NUM> milliseconds"), and directly performs step <NUM> when determining that there is the PDU connection meeting the network configuration information, or performs step <NUM> when determining that there is no PDU connection meeting the delay requirement "less than <NUM> milliseconds".

Step <NUM>: When determining that there is no PDU connection meeting the network configuration information, the terminal device initiates a procedure of establishing the PDU connection meeting the network configuration information.

Step <NUM>: A base station, the core network control plane network element, and a core network user plane network element perform communication interaction with each other, to execute the procedure of establishing the PDU connection meeting the network configuration information.

Step <NUM>: The terminal device accesses the data network based on the PDU connection meeting the network configuration information.

Based on the foregoing example, according to the network connection configuration method provided in this embodiment of the present invention, after obtaining the delay requirement "less than <NUM> milliseconds" corresponding to the video call application, the terminal device sends the delay requirement "less than <NUM> milliseconds" to the core network control plane network element, so that the core network control plane network element may determine the PDU connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the delay requirement "less than <NUM> milliseconds". In this way, the mobile communications network can process a service of the application in the terminal device as required based on a requirement of the service requested by the application in the terminal device, to improve flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

Based on the foregoing embodiments, an embodiment of the present invention further provides an application scenario of a network connection configuration method. As shown in <FIG>, the application scenario includes UE, a CP, a UP <NUM>, and a UP <NUM>. Applications in the terminal device may include an application (Application, APP) <NUM> and an APP <NUM>.

After obtaining network configuration information (to be specific, a delay needs to be less than <NUM> milliseconds) of the APP <NUM>, the UE sends the network configuration information of the APP <NUM> to the CP. The CP determines that there is no PDU connection meeting a condition, initiates a procedure of establishing a new PDU connection for the UE, and selects the UP <NUM> to serve the APP <NUM> of the UE. A service of the APP <NUM> of the UE accesses a data network by establishing a PDU connection <NUM>.

After obtaining network configuration information (to be specific, a delay needs to be less than <NUM> milliseconds) of the APP <NUM>, the UE sends the network configuration information of the APP <NUM> to the CP. The CP determines that there is a PDU connection <NUM> meeting a condition. As shown in the figure, a service of the APP <NUM> of the UE accesses the data network by using the PDU connection <NUM> meeting the condition.

Based on the foregoing embodiments, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a terminal device. The terminal device is applied to the mobile communications network shown in <FIG> or <FIG>, and is configured to implement the network connection configuration method shown in <FIG>. Referring to <FIG>, a terminal device <NUM> includes an obtaining unit <NUM> and a sending unit <NUM>.

The obtaining unit <NUM> is configured to obtain network configuration information of an application in the terminal device <NUM>, and the network configuration information is used to indicate a configuration that a network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device <NUM> and a data network needs to meet.

The sending unit <NUM> is configured to send the network configuration information to a core network control plane network element.

Optionally, the network connection is a protocol data unit PDU connection, a bearer, or a service flow.

The obtaining unit <NUM> is specifically configured to:
the sending unit <NUM> is further configured to send a configuration information request to an application server, and the obtaining unit <NUM> is specifically configured to receive the network configuration information returned by the application server.

Optionally, the terminal device <NUM> further includes:
a verification unit, configured to verify the network configuration information after the obtaining unit <NUM> obtains the network configuration information and before the sending unit <NUM> sends the network configuration information to the core network control plane network element.

Optionally, the network configuration information includes at least one of or a combination of the following items: mobility management requirement information, packet transfer mode information, quality of service QoS requirement information, network slice information, and a service type.

Optionally, the sending unit <NUM> is specifically configured to:
send, to the core network control plane network element, the message carrying the network configuration information, where the message includes a service request message, an access request message, or a resource modification request message.

In the terminal device provided in this embodiment of the present invention, after the terminal device obtains the network configuration information of the application in the terminal device, the terminal device sends the network configuration information to the core network control plane network element, so that the core network control plane network element may determine a network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information. The network configuration information is used to indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet. In this embodiment of the present invention, because the network configuration information can indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet, the mobile communications network can provide networks with different configurations based on requirements of services requested by applications in different types of terminal devices or requirements of services requested by different applications in a same terminal device, so that different services can be processed as required, thereby improving flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

Based on the foregoing embodiments, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a core network control plane network element. The core network control plane network element is applied to the mobile communications network shown in <FIG> or <FIG>, and is configured to implement the network connection configuration method shown in <FIG>. Referring to <FIG>, a core network control plane network element <NUM> includes an obtaining unit <NUM> and a processing unit <NUM>.

The obtaining unit <NUM> is configured to receive network configuration information that is of an application and that is sent by a terminal device, and the network configuration information is used to indicate a configuration that a network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and a data network needs to meet.

The processing unit <NUM> is configured to determine a network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information.

Optionally, the processing unit <NUM> is specifically configured to:.

Optionally, the obtaining unit <NUM> is specifically configured to:
receive a message that is sent by the terminal device and that carries the network configuration information, where the message includes a service request message, an access request message, or a resource modification request message.

Optionally, the core network control plane network element <NUM> further includes:
a verification unit, configured to verify the network configuration information after the obtaining unit <NUM> receives the network configuration information and before the processing unit <NUM> determines the network connection.

In the core network control plane network element provided in this embodiment of the present invention, the core network control plane network element receives the network configuration information that is of the application and that is sent by the terminal device, and then the core network control plane network element may determine the network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information. The network configuration information is used to indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet. In this embodiment of the present invention, because the network configuration information can indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet, the mobile communications network can provide networks with different configurations based on requirements of services requested by all applications in different types of terminal devices or requirements of services requested by different applications in a same terminal device, so that different services can be processed as required, thereby improving flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

It should be noted that unit division in the embodiments of the present invention is an example, and is merely logical function division. There may be another division manner in actual implementation. Functional units in the embodiments of this application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each of the units may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit.

When the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit 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 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, 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 read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), a random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.

Based on the foregoing embodiments, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a terminal device. The terminal device is applied to the mobile communications network shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. The mobile communications network further includes a core network control plane network element. Referring to <FIG>, a terminal device <NUM> includes a transceiver <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, a bus <NUM>, and a memory <NUM>.

The transceiver <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, and the memory <NUM> are connected to each other by using the bus <NUM>. The bus <NUM> may be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (peripheral component interconnect, PCI) bus, an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (extended industry standard architecture, EISA) bus, or the like. The bus may be classified into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used to represent the bus in <FIG>, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

The transceiver <NUM> is configured to perform communication interaction with another device connected to the terminal device <NUM> in the mobile communications network.

The processor <NUM> is configured to implement the network connection configuration method shown in <FIG>, including:
obtaining network configuration information of an application in the terminal device <NUM>, where the network configuration information is used to indicate a configuration that a network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device <NUM> and a data network needs to meet; and sending the network configuration information to the core network control plane network element.

When obtaining the network configuration information of the application in the terminal device <NUM>, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to:
send a configuration information request to an application server, and receive the network configuration information returned by the application server.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is further configured to:
verify the network configuration information after obtaining the network configuration information and before sending the network configuration information to the core network control plane network element.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to:
send, to the core network control plane network element, the message carrying the network configuration information, where the message includes a service request message, an access request message, or a resource modification request message.

The memory <NUM> is configured to store a program and the like. Specifically, the program may include program code, and the program code includes a computer operation instruction. The memory <NUM> may include a RAM, and may further include a non-volatile memory (non-volatile memory) such as at least one magnetic disk memory. The processor <NUM> executes the application program stored in the memory <NUM>, to implement the foregoing function, so as to implement the network connection configuration method shown in <FIG>.

Based on the foregoing embodiments, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a core network control plane network element. The core network control plane network element is applied to the mobile communications network shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. The mobile communications network includes a terminal device. Referring to <FIG>, a core network control plane network element <NUM> includes a transceiver <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, a bus <NUM>, and a memory <NUM>.

The transceiver <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, and the memory <NUM> are connected to each other by using the bus <NUM>. The bus <NUM> may be a PCI bus, an EISA bus, or the like. The bus may be classified into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, and the like. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used to represent the bus in <FIG>, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

The transceiver <NUM> is configured to perform communication interaction with another device connected to the core network control plane network element <NUM> in the mobile communications network.

The processor <NUM> is configured to implement the network connection configuration method shown in <FIG>, including:
receiving network configuration information that is of an application and that is sent by the terminal device, where the network configuration information is used to indicate a configuration that a network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and a data network needs to meet; and determining a network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is specifically configured to:
receive a message that is sent by the terminal device and that carries the network configuration information, where the message includes a service request message, an access request message, or a resource modification request message.

Optionally, the processor <NUM> is further configured to:
verify the network configuration information after receiving the network configuration information and before determining the network connection.

The memory <NUM> is configured to store a program and the like. Specifically, the program may include program code, and the program code includes a computer operation instruction. The memory <NUM> may include a RAM, and may further include a non-volatile memory such as at least one magnetic disk memory. The processor <NUM> executes the application program stored in the memory <NUM>, to implement the foregoing function, so as to implement the network connection configuration method shown in <FIG>.

In conclusion, according to the network connection configuration method and the apparatus that are provided in the embodiments of the present invention, after the terminal device obtains the network configuration information of the application in the terminal device, the terminal device sends the network configuration information to the core network control plane network element, so that the core network control plane network element may determine the network connection that is of the application and is between the terminal device and the data network and that meets the network configuration information. The network configuration information is used to indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet. In the embodiments of the present invention, because the network configuration information can indicate the configuration that the network connection that is of the application and that is between the terminal device and the data network needs to meet, the mobile communications network can provide networks with different configurations based on requirements of services requested by applications in different types of terminal devices or requirements of services requested by different applications in a same terminal device, so that different services can be processed as required. Therefore, services of different applications in the terminal device are processed as required, thereby improving flexibility of service processing in the mobile communications network.

Persons skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention may be provided as a method, a system, or a computer program product. Therefore, the present invention may use a form of hardware only embodiments, software only embodiments, or embodiments with a combination of software and hardware. Moreover, the present invention may use a form of a computer program product that is implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to a disk memory, a CD-ROM, an optical memory, and the like) that include computer-usable program code.

The present invention is described with reference to the flowcharts and/or block diagrams of the method, the device (system), and the computer program product according to the embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that computer program instructions may be used to implement each process and/or each block in the flowcharts and/or the block diagrams and a combination of a process and/or a block in the flowcharts and/or the block diagrams. These computer program instructions may be provided for a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, an embedded processor, or a processor of another programmable data processing device to generate a machine, so that the instructions executed by the computer or the processor of the another programmable data processing device generate an apparatus for implementing a specific function in one or more processes in the flowcharts and/or in one or more blocks in the block diagrams.

These computer program instructions may be stored in a computer readable memory that can instruct the computer or the another programmable data processing device to work in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory generate an artifact that includes an instruction apparatus.

These computer program instructions may be loaded onto the computer or the another programmable data processing device, so that a series of operations and steps are performed on the computer or the another programmable device, thereby generating computer-implemented processing.

Claim 1:
A network connection configuration method, comprising:
receiving, by an application server from a terminal device (<NUM>, <NUM>), a configuration information request, wherein the configuration information request comprises an application identifier of an application;
determining, by the application server, network configuration information corresponding to the application identifier of the application; and
transmitting, by the application server, the network configuration information corresponding to the application identifier of the application to the terminal device (<NUM>, <NUM>).