# US 12,015,503 B2 · Virtual network communication 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 12,015,503 B2 - Document ID: US12015503B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/526,339 - Filed: 2021-11-15 - Published: 2022-03-10 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-17 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Qi Yao; Wenyong Han; Wenfu Wu; Qianghua Zhu; Chunsheng Xie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015503B2 ## CPC - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04W 4/08: User group management - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - 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) ## Abstract Embodiments of this application provide a device and a system of a virtual network service across session management network elements. A group session management network element obtains tunnel information of a first user plane network element serving a first terminal device belonging to a first virtual network group, sends a first message to a second session management network element, where the first message includes an identifier of the first terminal device, an identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element for configuring a first forwarding rule on a second user plane network element, and the first forwarding rule is used by the second user plane network element to send a first data packet to the first user plane network element when one terminal device belonging to the first virtual network group sends the first data packet to the first terminal device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A group session management network element, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the group session management network element to: obtain tunnel information of a first user plane network element serving a first terminal device belonging to a first virtual network group, wherein the first user plane network element is managed by a first session management network element; and send a first message to a second session management network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first terminal device, an identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element; and the identifier of the first terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element are adapted to configure a first forwarding rule on a second user plane network element managed by the second session management network element, and the first forwarding rule is configured to indicate to the second user plane network element to send a first data packet to the first user plane network element when one terminal device that belongs to the first virtual network group and that is served by the second user plane network element sends the first data packet to the first terminal device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The group session management network element according to claim 1, wherein the program instructions further cause the group session management network element to: receive, in a process in which the first terminal device establishes a session, a second message from the first session management network element, wherein the second message comprises the identifier of the first terminal device and an identifier of the first session management network element; and store a mapping relationship between the identifier of the first terminal device and the identifier of the first session management network element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The group session management network element according to claim 2, wherein the second message further comprises at least one of an identifier of the first virtual network group or the tunnel information of the first user plane network element serving the first terminal device; and wherein the program instructions further cause the group session management network element to: store a mapping relationship between the identifier of the first terminal device, the identifier of the first session management network element, and at least one of the identifier of the first virtual network group and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The group session management network element according to claim 3, wherein the program instructions further cause the group session management network element to: obtain, when the mapping relationship comprises the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, the tunnel information of the first user plane network element serving the first terminal device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The group session management network element according to claim 3, wherein the program instructions further cause the group session management network element to: send, when the mapping relationship does not comprise the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, a third message to the first session management network element, wherein the third message requests to establish a tunnel for the first terminal device; and receive, from the first session management network element, the tunnel information of the first user plane network element serving the first terminal device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The group session management network element according to claim 5, wherein the program instructions further cause the group session management network element to: receive, from the second session management network element, tunnel information of the second user plane network element serving a second terminal device belonging to the first virtual network group; and send a fourth message to the first session management network element, wherein the fourth message comprises an identifier of the second terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the second user plane network element; and the identifier of the second terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the second user plane network element are adapted to configure a second forwarding rule on the first user plane network element, and the second forwarding rule is configured to indicate to the first user plane network element to send a second data packet to the second user plane network element when one terminal device that belongs to the first virtual network group and that is served by the first user plane network element sends the second data packet to the second terminal device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The group session management network element according to claim 1, wherein the program instructions further cause the group session management network element to: receive, before obtaining tunnel information of a first user plane network element, a fifth message for requesting the first forwarding rule from the second session management network element. ### Claim 8 A second session management network element, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second session management network element to: send, in a process in which a second terminal device belonging to a first virtual network group establishes a session, a first message to a group session management network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the second terminal device and an identifier of the second session management network element; receive a second message from the group session management network element, wherein the second message comprises an identifier of a first terminal device belonging to the first virtual network group, an identifier of the first virtual network group, and tunnel information of a first user plane network element serving the first terminal device, wherein the first user plane network element is managed by a first session management network element; and configure, based on the identifier of the first terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, a first forwarding rule on a second user plane network element managed by the second session management network element, wherein the first forwarding rule indicates the second user plane network element to send a first data packet to the first user plane network element when one terminal device that belongs to the first virtual network group and that is served by the second user plane network element sends the first data packet to the first terminal device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The second session management network element according to claim 8, wherein the program instructions further cause the second session management network element to: receive a third message for requesting the first forwarding rule from the second user plane network element; determine that the first forwarding rule does not exist on the second session management network element; and send a fourth message for requesting the first forwarding rule to the group session management network element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The second session management network element according to claim 8, wherein the first message further comprises the identifier of the first virtual network group. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The second session management network element according to claim 8, wherein the first message further comprises tunnel information of the second user plane network element serving the second terminal device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The second session management network element according to claim 8, wherein the program instructions further cause the second session management network element to: receive, from the group session management network element, a fifth message for requesting to establish a tunnel for the second terminal device; and send, to the group session management network element, tunnel information of the second user plane network element serving the second terminal device. ### Claim 13 A communication system, wherein the communication system comprises: a group session management network element and a second session management network element, the group session management network element is configured to obtain tunnel information of a first user plane network element serving a first terminal device belonging to a first virtual network group, wherein the first user plane network element is managed by a first session management network element; the group session management network element is further configured to send a first message to the second session management network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first terminal device, an identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element; and the second session management network element is configured to: receive the first message from the group session management network element, and configure, based on the identifier of the first terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, a first forwarding rule on a second user plane network element managed by the second session management network element, wherein the first forwarding rule is configured to indicate to the second user plane network element to send a first data packet to the first user plane network element when one terminal device that belongs to the first virtual network group and that is served by the second user plane network element sends the first data packet to the first terminal device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The communication system according to claim 13, wherein the communication system further comprises the first session management network element; the first session management network element is configured to: send, in a process in which the first terminal device establishes a session, a second message to the group session management network element, wherein the second message comprises the identifier of the first terminal device and an identifier of the first session management network element; and the group session management network element is further configured to: receive the second message from the first session management network element, and store a mapping relationship between the identifier of the first terminal device and the identifier of the first session management network element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The communication system according to claim 14, wherein the second message further comprises at least one of the identifier of the first virtual network group and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element serving the first terminal device; and that the group session management network element is further configured to store a mapping relationship between the identifier of the first terminal device and the identifier of the first session management network element comprises: the group session management network element is further configured to store a mapping relationship between the identifier of the first terminal device, the identifier of the first session management network element, and at least one of the identifier of the first virtual network group and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The communication system according to claim 15, wherein the group session management network element is configured to: obtain, when the mapping relationship comprises the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, the stored tunnel information of the first user plane network element serving the first terminal device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The communication system according to claim 15, wherein the group session management network element is configured to: send, when the mapping relationship does not comprise the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, a third message to the first session management network element, wherein the third message is used to request to establish a tunnel for the first terminal device; and the group session management network element is further configured to receive the tunnel information that is of the first user plane network element serving the first terminal device and that is from the first session management network element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The communication system according to claim 17, wherein the second session management network element is further configured to send, to the group session management network element, tunnel information of the second user plane network element serving a second terminal device belonging to the first virtual network group; the group session management network element is further configured to receive, from the second session management network element, the tunnel information of the second user plane network element serving the second terminal device; the group session management network element is further configured to send a fourth message to the first session management network element, wherein the fourth message comprises an identifier of the second terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the second user plane network element; and the first session management network element is further configured to: receive the fourth message from the group session management network element, and configure a second forwarding rule on the first user plane network element based on the identifier of the second terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the second user plane network element, wherein the second forwarding rule is configured to indicate to the first user plane network element to send a second data packet to the second user plane network element when one terminal device that belongs to the first virtual network group and that is served by the first user plane network element sends the second data packet to the second terminal device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The communication system according to claim 13, wherein the second session management network element is further configured to receive, from the second user plane network element, a fifth message for requesting the first forwarding rule; send, after determining that the first forwarding rule does not exist on the second session management network element, a sixth message for requesting the first forwarding rule to the group session management network element; and the group session management network element is further configured to: receive the sixth message from the second session management network element.