Message processing method, MME selection method, and apparatuses

• US 10,104,700 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Liu, Hai
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhu, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US15/099,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20160234872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers

Abstract

The present application discloses a message processing method, an MME selection method and apparatuses. The method includes: receiving, by a mobility management entity (MME), a first message sent by an evolved NodeB (eNB), where: multiple virtual machines are deployed in the MME; the first message includes a non-access stratum (NAS) message sent by user equipment UE and identification information of a target virtual machine; and the identification information of the target virtual machine is generated by the target virtual machine in the MME; determining, by the MME according to the identification information of the target virtual machine, the target virtual machine from the multiple virtual machines, and allocating the NAS message to the target virtual machine for processing; and returning, a first response message generated by the target virtual machine to the eNB, so that the first response message is sent to the UE by using the eNB.

Claims

1. A message processing method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobility management entity (MME), a first message sent by an evolved NodeB (eNB), wherein;

multiple virtual machines are deployed in the MME,

the first message comprises a non-access stratum (NAS) message sent by a user equipment (UE) and identification information of a target virtual machine,

the identification information of the target virtual machine is generated by the target virtual machine in the MME,

wherein the identification information of the target virtual machine is identification information generated after the target virtual machine processes an initial NAS message sent by the UE, where the target virtual machine processes the initial NAS message sent by the UE before the MME receives the first message sent by the eNB, and

wherein the initial NAS message sent by the UE to the eNB does not carry the identification information of the target virtual machine;

determining, by the MME according to the identification information of the target virtual machine, the target virtual machine from the multiple virtual machines, and allocating the NAS message to the target virtual machine for processing; and

returning, by the MME, a first response message generated by the target virtual machine to the eNB, so that the first response message is sent to the UE by using the eNB.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

before returning, by the MME, a first response message generated by the target virtual machine to the eNB, the method further comprises;

receiving, by the MME, the identification information that is of the target virtual machine and generated by the target virtual machine; and

the method further comprises;

returning, by the MME, the identification information that is of the target virtual machine and generated by the target virtual machine to the eNB.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

before returning, by the MME, a first response message generated by the target virtual machine to the eNB, the method further comprises;

receiving, by the MME, identification information of the target virtual machine updated by the target virtual machine; and

the method further comprises;

returning, by the MME, the updated identification information of the target virtual machine to the eNB.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving, by a mobility management entity (MME), a first message sent by an evolved NodeB (eNB) comprises:

receiving, by the MME by using the eNB, the NAS message sent by the user equipment, wherein;

the NAS message is carried in a connection establishment request sent by the UE to the eNB,

the NAS message carries the identification information of the target virtual machine, and

the identification information of the target virtual machine is sent by the MME to the UE for storing.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the NAS message further carries the identification information of the MME.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein:

the NAS message further carries a globally unique temporary identity (GUTI) comprising an identification code that identifies the target virtual machine.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

the GUTI comprises a globally unique mobility management entity identifier (GUMMEI) or a short temporary mobile subscriber identity S-TMSI; and

a mobility management entity code (MMEC) in the GUMMEI or the S-TMSI comprises the identification code that identifies the target virtual machine.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first message carries the NAS message and the identification information of the target virtual machine; and

the identification information of the target virtual machine is sent by the MME to the eNB for storing.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the initial NAS message is a radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment request that does not include identification information of the MME or identification information of the target virtual machine in the MME.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein upon receiving the initial NAS message from the UE, the eNB randomly selects the MME from multiple MMEs.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein upon receiving the initial NAS message from the UE, the eNB randomly selects the target virtual machine according to a load balancing principle.

12. A message processing apparatus applied to a mobility management entity (MME), the apparatus comprising:

a receiver, configured to receive a first message sent by an evolved NodeB (eNB), wherein;

multiple virtual machines are deployed in the MME,

the first message comprises a non-access stratum (NAS) message sent by a user equipment UE and identification information of a target virtual machine,

the identification information of the target virtual machine is generated by the target virtual machine in the MME,

wherein the identification information of the target virtual machine is identification information generated after the target virtual machine processes an initial NAS message sent by the UE, where the target virtual machine processes the initial NAS message sent by the UE before the receiver receives the first message sent by the eNB, and

wherein the initial NAS message sent by the UE to the eNB does not carry the identification information of the target virtual machine;

a processor, configured to determine, according to the identification information of the target virtual machine, the target virtual machine from the multiple virtual machines, and allocate the

NAS message to the target virtual machine for processing; and

a transmitter, configured to return a first response message generated by the target virtual machine to the eNB, so that the first response message is sent to the UE by using the eNB.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive the identification information that is of the target virtual machine and generated by the target virtual machine; and

the transmitter is configured to;

when the transmitter sends the first response message to the eNB, return the identification information that is of the target virtual machine and generated by the target virtual machine to the eNB.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the receiver is further configured to receive identification information of the target virtual machine updated by the target virtual machine; and

the transmitter is configured to;

when the transmitter sends the first response message to the eNB, return the updated identification information of the target virtual machine to the eNB.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the receiver is configured to receive, by using the eNB, the NAS message sent by the user equipment (UE), wherein:

the NAS message is carried in a connection establishment request sent by the UE to the eNB;

the NAS message carries the identification information of the target virtual machine; and

the identification information of the target virtual machine is generated by the target virtual machine in the MME, and is sent by the MME to the UE for storing.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the NAS message further carries the identification information of the MME.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the NAS message carries, in the NAS message, a globally unique temporary identity (GUTI) comprising an identification code that identifies the target virtual machine.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:

the GUTI comprises a globally unique mobility management entity identifier (GUMMEI) or a short temporary mobile subscriber identity (S-TMSI); and

a mobility management entity code (MMEC) in the GUMMEI or the S-TMSI comprises the identification code that identifies the target virtual machine.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the first message that is sent by the eNB and carries the NAS message, wherein:

the first message further carries the identification information of the target virtual machine; and

the identification information of the target virtual machine is generated by the target virtual machine, and is sent by the MME to the eNB for storing.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:

an S1 interface is established between the MME and the eNB; and

the first message carries an identifier (MME UE S1AP ID) that uniquely identifies the UE over the S1 interface within the MME, and the MME UE S1AP ID comprises an identification code that identifies the target virtual machine.

21. A mobility management entity (MME) selection apparatus applied to an evolved NodeB (eNB), the apparatus comprising:

a receiver, configured to receive a connection establishment request sent by a user equipment (UE), wherein;

the connection establishment request carries a non-access stratum (NAS) message and first identification information that need to be sent by the UE to an MME,

multiple virtual machines are deployed in the MME,

the first identification information comprises identification information that identifies the MME and identification information that identifies a target virtual machine in the MME, and

the first identification information is generated by the target virtual machine, and is sent to the UE,

wherein the first identification information of the target virtual machine is identification information that is generated after the target virtual machine processes an initial NAS message sent by the UE, where the target virtual machine processes the initial NAS message sent by the UE before the receiver receives the connection establishment request sent by the UE,

wherein the initial NAS message sent by the UE to the eNB does not carry the identification information of the target virtual machine;

a processor, configured to recognize the identification information of the MME from the first identification information, and determine, according to the identification information of the MME, the MME from multiple MMEs that establish an S1 interface to the eNB; and

a transmitter, configured to send the NAS message and the first identification information to the MME, so that the MME selects, according to the identification information of the target virtual machine in the first identification information, the target virtual machine from the multiple virtual machines to process the NAS message.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

the first identification information comprises a globally unique temporary identity (GUTI) comprising an identification code that identifies the MME and an identification code that identifies the target virtual machine; and

the processor is configured to recognize a preset identification code that is in the GUTI and identifies the MME, so as to determine the identification code of the MME.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein:

the GUTI comprises a globally unique mobility management entity identifier (GUMMEI) or a short temporary mobile subscriber identity (S-TMSI);

a mobility management entity code (MMEC) in the GUMMEI or the S-TMSI comprises the identification code that identifies the target virtual machine and the identification code that identifies the MME; and

the processor is configured to extract the MMEC from the GUMMEI or the S-TMSI in the GUTI, and recognize a specified part that is of the identification code in the MMEC and used to identify the MME, so as to determine the identification code of the MME.