# US 11,445,434 B2 · Method, terminal device, and network side device for accessing network side device

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- Number: US 11,445,434 B2
- Document ID: US11445434B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/544,661
- Filed: 2019-08-19
- Published: 2019-12-05
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-03
- Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Qinghai Zeng; Yada Huang; Jian Zhang; Lifeng Han
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445434B2

## CPC

- H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition
- H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service
- H04W 8/02: Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A communication method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, sub-network information of a RAN sent by a network side device, where the sub-network information is used to indicate at least one RAN sub-network included in the RAN; accessing, by the terminal device, a target RAN sub-network among the at least one RAN sub-network based on a service requirement of the terminal device; and communicating, by the terminal device, with the network side device by using the target RAN sub-network.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A communication method, for a communications network including network slices, the method, comprising:
accessing, by a terminal device, at least one target radio access network (RAN) sub-network based on a service requirement of the terminal device, wherein when accessing the at least one target RAN sub-network, the terminal device first accesses a public RAN sub-network, and then redirects to the at least one target RAN sub-network from the public RAN sub-network; and
communicating, by the terminal device, with a network device by using the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device comprise the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of radio bearers established for the terminal device are mapped to the plurality of RAN sub-networks respectively, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network corresponds to a core-net (CN) sub-network, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network and the CN sub-network form a network slice that satisfies the service requirement, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks correspond to a plurality of CN sub-networks respectively, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks and the plurality of CN sub-networks form a plurality of network slices respectively, wherein the plurality of network slices use a uniform mobility management manner for the terminal device, wherein the uniform mobility management manner comprises a uniform mobility management function for a plurality of terminal devices, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network comprises at least one of the following: a physical layer protocol layer, a media access control protocol layer, a radio link control protocol layer, or a packet data convergence protocol layer, and wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network shares one or more of the following functions with other RAN sub-network: a scheduling function of a MAC layer protocol, a function of multiplexing, a function of demultiplexing, a function of random access, a function of HARQ control, or a function of logical channel prioritization;
wherein the accessing, by the terminal device, at least one target RAN sub-network based on a service requirement of the terminal device includes:
determining, by the terminal device, the at least one target RAN sub-network based on the service requirement;
detecting, by the terminal device, a synchronization signal of the at least one target RAN sub-network; and
accessing, by the terminal device, the at least one target RAN sub-network based on the synchronization signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network supports a plurality of services.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device belong to one of the following: different public land mobile networks (PLMNs), different mobility management network elements (MMEs), a same PLMN, or a same MME.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the uniform mobility management function comprises: a shared public mobility management process.

### Claim 5

An apparatus applied for a terminal device and for a communications network including network slices, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
accessing at least one target radio access network (RAN) sub-network based on a service requirement of the terminal device, wherein when accessing the at least one target RAN sub-network, the terminal device first accesses a public RAN sub-network, and then redirects to the at least one target RAN sub-network from the public RAN sub-network; and
communicating with a network device by using the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device comprise the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of radio bearers established for the terminal device are mapped to the plurality of RAN sub-networks respectively, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network corresponds to a core-net (CN) sub-network, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network and the CN sub-network form a network slice that satisfies the service requirement, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks correspond to a plurality of CN sub-networks respectively, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks and the plurality of CN sub-networks form a plurality of network slices respectively, wherein the plurality of network slices use a uniform mobility management manner for the terminal device, wherein the uniform mobility management manner comprises a uniform mobility management function for a plurality of terminal devices, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network comprises at least one of the following: a physical layer protocol layer, a media access control protocol layer, a radio link control protocol layer, or a packet data convergence protocol layer, and wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network shares one or more of the following functions with other RAN sub-network: a scheduling function of a MAC layer protocol, a function of multiplexing, a function of demultiplexing, a function of random access, a function of HARQ control, or a function of logical channel prioritization;
wherein the accessing at least one target RAN sub-network based on a service requirement of the terminal device includes:
determining, by the terminal device, the at least one target RAN sub-network based on the service requirement;
detecting, by the terminal device, a synchronization signal of the at least one target RAN sub-network; and
accessing, by the terminal device, the at least one target RAN sub-network based on the synchronization signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network supports a plurality of services.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device belong to one of the following: different public land mobile networks (PLMNs), different mobility management network elements (MMEs), a same PLMN, or a same MME.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the uniform mobility management function comprises: a shared public mobility management process.

### Claim 9

A communication method for a communications network including network slices, the method comprising:
providing access, by a network device, at least one target radio access network (RAN) sub-network based on a service requirement of a terminal device, to the terminal device; wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network is determined based on the service requirement, and the at least one target RAN sub-network is accessed based on a synchronization signal of the at least one target RAN sub-network, and wherein when accessing the at least one target RAN sub-network, the terminal device first accesses a public RAN sub-network, and then redirects to the at least one target RAN sub-network from the public RAN sub-network; and
communicating, by the network device, with the terminal device by using the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device comprise the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of radio bearers established for the terminal device are mapped to the plurality of RAN sub-networks respectively, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network corresponds to a core-net (CN) sub-network, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network and the CN sub-network form a network slice that satisfies the service requirement, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks correspond to a plurality of CN sub-networks respectively, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks and the plurality of CN sub-networks form a plurality of network slices respectively, wherein the plurality of network slices use a uniform mobility management manner for the terminal device, wherein the uniform mobility management manner comprises a uniform mobility management function for a plurality of terminal devices, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network comprises at least one of the following: a physical layer protocol layer, a media access control protocol layer, a radio link control protocol layer, or a packet data convergence protocol layer, and wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network shares one or more of the following functions with other RAN sub-network: a scheduling function of a MAC layer protocol, a function of multiplexing, a function of demultiplexing, a function of random access, a function of HARQ control, or a function of logical channel prioritization.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The communication method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network supports a plurality of services.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The communication method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device belong to one of the following: different public land mobile networks (PLMNs), different mobility management network elements (MMEs), a same PLMN, or a same MME.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The communication method according to claim 9, wherein the uniform mobility management function comprises: a shared public mobility management process.

### Claim 13

An apparatus applied for a network device and for a communications network including network slices, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
providing access, at least one target radio access network (RAN) sub-network based on a service requirement of a terminal device, to the terminal device; wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network is determined based on the service requirement, and the at least one target RAN sub-network is accessed based on a synchronization signal of the at least one target RAN sub-network, and wherein when accessing the at least one target RAN sub-network, the terminal device first accesses a public RAN sub-network, and then redirects to the at least one target RAN sub-network from the public RAN sub-network; and
communicating, with the terminal device by using the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device comprise the at least one target RAN sub-network, wherein a plurality of radio bearers established for the terminal device are mapped to the plurality of RAN sub-networks respectively, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network corresponds to a core-net (CN) sub-network, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network and the CN sub-network form a network slice that satisfies the service requirement, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks correspond to a plurality of CN sub-networks respectively, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks and the plurality of CN sub-networks form a plurality of network slices respectively, wherein the plurality of network slices use a uniform mobility management manner for the terminal device, wherein the uniform mobility management manner comprises a uniform mobility management function for a plurality of terminal devices, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network comprises at least one of the following: a physical layer protocol layer, a media access control protocol layer, a radio link control protocol layer, or a packet data convergence protocol layer, and wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network shares one or more of the following functions with other RAN sub-network: a scheduling function of a MAC layer protocol, a function of multiplexing, a function of demultiplexing, a function of random access, a function of HARQ control, or a function of logical channel prioritization.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the at least one target RAN sub-network supports a plurality of services.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of RAN sub-networks accessed by the terminal device belong to one of the following: different public land mobile networks (PLMNs), different mobility management network elements (MMEs), a same PLMN, or a same MME.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the uniform mobility management function comprises: a shared public mobility management process.