# US 12,004,264 B2 · Session management method, device, and system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,264 B2 - Document ID: US12004264B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/860,533 - Filed: 2022-07-08 - Published: 2022-10-27 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-12 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Fenqin Zhu; Wenfu Wu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004264B2 ## CPC - H04L 12/1407: {Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture} - H04W 80/10: adapted for {application} session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] {(connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14)} - H04M 15/66: {Policy and charging system} - H04M 15/8033: {location-dependent, e.g. business or home} - H04M 15/8038: {Roaming or handoff} - H04M 15/8044: {Least cost routing} - H04M 15/8228: {Session based} - H04W 4/24: Accounting or billing - H04W 8/065: {involving selection of the user mobility server} - H04W 8/12: between location registers or mobility servers - H04W 40/20: based on geographic position or location - H04W 60/005: {Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming} - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers - H04L 61/5007: Internet protocol [IP] addresses - H04W 36/12: Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04W 76/22: Manipulation of transport tunnels - H04W 76/32: Release of transport tunnels - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A session management method, device, and system, such that a terminal can access a local data network using a local user plane function (UPF) network element even when the terminal is out of a management area of a remote anchor session management function (SMF) network element. The method includes: receiving, by an intermediate session management network element, one or more local data network access identifiers (DNAIs); and determining, by the intermediate session management network element, a target DNAI based on current location information of a terminal and the one or more local DNAIs, where the target DNAI is used to select a local session management network element for the terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A session management method comprising: receiving, by an intermediate session management network element from a remote anchor session management network element, one or more local data network access identifiers (DNAIs); determining, by the intermediate session management network element, a target DNAI based on current location information of a terminal and the one or more local DNAIs; selecting, by the intermediate session management network element, a local user plane function network element for the terminal based on the target DNAI; and sending, by the intermediate session management network element and to the remote anchor session management network element, the target DNAI for determining a first policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the local user plane function network element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The session management method of claim 1, wherein the one or more local DNAIs correspond to a session of the terminal, wherein the one or more local DNAIs are supported by the intermediate session management network element, and wherein the one or more local DNAIs are from a second PCC rule. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The session management method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining, by the intermediate session management network element from the remote anchor session management network element, information about a session access mode; determining, by the intermediate session management network element based on the information, that the session access mode is a multi-homing mode; and sending, by the intermediate session management network element to the remote anchor session management network element, local Internet Protocol (IP) address information of the terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The session management method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining, by the intermediate session management network element, application identification information corresponding to the target DNAI; and generating, by the intermediate session management network element based on the application identification information, a target rule instructing the local user plane function network element to forward a received data packet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The session management method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the local user plane function network element to offload a data packet to a local data network corresponding to the target DNAI, wherein the data packet comprises a source address that is a local Internet Protocol (IP) address. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The session management method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining, by the intermediate session management network element, remote Internet Protocol (IP) address information; and generating, by the intermediate session management network element based on the remote IP address information, a target rule instructing the local user plane function network element to forward a received data packet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The session management method of claim 1, further comprising instructing, by the intermediate session management network element, the local user plane function network element to offload a data packet to a remote anchor user plane function network element, wherein the data packet comprises a source address that is a remote Internet Protocol (IP) address. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The session management method of claim 7, wherein instructing, by the intermediate session management network element, the local user plane function network element comprises sending, to the local user plane function network element, a remote routing rule to offload the data packet to the remote anchor user plane function network element. ### Claim 9 An intermediate session management network element comprising: a memory configured to store instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the intermediate session management network element to: receive, from a remote anchor session management network element, one or more local data network access identifiers (DNAIs); determine a target DNAI based on current location information of a terminal and the one or more local DNAIs; select a local user plane function network element for the terminal based on the target DNAI; and send, to the remote anchor session management network element, the target DNAI for determining a first policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the local user plane function network element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The intermediate session management network element of claim 9, wherein the one or more local DNAIs correspond to a session of the terminal, wherein the one or more local DNAIs are supported by the intermediate session management network element, and wherein the one or more local DNAIs are from a second rule. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The intermediate session management network element of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the intermediate session management network element to: obtain, from the remote anchor session management network element, information about a session access mode; determine, based on the information, that the session access mode is a multi-homing mode; and send, to the remote anchor session management network element, local Internet Protocol (IP) address information of the terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The intermediate session management network element of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the intermediate session management network element to: obtain application identification information corresponding to the target DNAI; and generate, based on the application identification information, a target rule instructing the local user plane function network element to forward a received data packet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The intermediate session management network element of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the intermediate session management network element to instruct the local user plane function network element to offload a data packet to a local data network corresponding to the target DNAI, and wherein the data packet comprises a source address that is a local Internet Protocol (IP) address. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The intermediate session management network element of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the intermediate session management network element to: obtain remote Internet Protocol (IP) address information; and generate, based on the remote IP address information, a target rule instructing the local user plane function network element to forward a received data packet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The intermediate session management network element of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the intermediate session management network element to instruct the local user plane function network element to offload a data packet to a remote anchor user plane function network element, and wherein the data packet comprises a source address that is a remote Internet Protocol (IP) address. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The intermediate session management network element of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the intermediate session management network element to instruct the local user plane function network element by sending, to the local user plane function network element, a remote routing rule to offload the data packet to the remote anchor user plane function network element. ### Claim 17 A computer program product comprising instructions that are stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and that, when executed by a processor, cause an intermediate session management network element to: receive, from a remote anchor session management network element, one or more local data network access identifiers (DNAIs); determine a target DNAI based on current location information of a terminal and the one or more local DNAIs; select a local user plane function network element for the terminal based on the target DNAI; and send, to the remote anchor session management network element, the target DNAI for determining a first policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the local user plane function network element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the one or more local DNAIs correspond to a session of the terminal, wherein the one or more local DNAIs are supported by the intermediate session management network element, and wherein the one or more local DNAIs are from a second rule. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computer program product of to claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the intermediate session management network element to: obtain, from the remote anchor session management network element, information about a session access mode; determine, based on the information about the session access mode, that the session access mode is a multi-homing mode; and send, to the remote anchor session management network element, local Internet Protocol (IP) address information of the terminal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the intermediate session management network element to: obtain remote Internet Protocol (IP) address information; and generate, based on the remote IP address information, a target rule instructing the local user plane function network element to forward a received data packet. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the intermediate session management network element to instruct the local user plane function network element to offload a data packet to a remote anchor user plane function network element, and wherein the data packet comprises a source address that is a remote Internet Protocol (IP) address. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the intermediate session management network element to instruct the local user plane function network element by sending, to the local user plane function network element, a remote routing rule to offload the data packet to the remote anchor user plane function network element.