# US 12,225,615 B2 · Signaling handovers of terminals between user plane function network elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,225,615 B2 - Document ID: US12225615B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/136,944 - Filed: 2020-12-29 - Published: 2021-04-22 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-30 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yuan Wang; Zhongping Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225615B2 ## CPC - H04W 36/0033: {with transfer of context information} - H04W 76/25: Maintenance of established connections - H04W 8/08: Mobility data transfer - H04W 8/26: Network addressing or numbering for mobility support - H04W 36/10: Reselecting an access point controller - H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04L 61/103: across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP] - H04L 2101/622: Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses - H04W 88/14: Backbone network devices - H04W 92/24: between backbone network devices - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A communication method includes, after determining first session identifier information for a terminal device and obtaining an address of the terminal device, a session management network element sends a first correspondence between the first session identifier information and the address of the terminal device to a first user plane function network element, so that the first user plane function network element transmits an Ethernet packet to the terminal device based on the first correspondence. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication method comprising: obtaining, by a session management network element, first session identifier information for a terminal device and comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier; obtaining, by the session management network element from a source user plane function network element, an address of the terminal device, wherein the address of the terminal device is a media access control (MAC) address of the terminal device, and wherein the terminal device is handed over from the source user plane function network element to a new user plane function network element; generating, by the session management network element, a packet transmission rule indicating to the new user plane function network element how to transmit an Ethernet packet and comprising a correspondence between the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device; and sending, by the session management network element to the new user plane function network element, the packet transmission rule, wherein the first session identifier information indicates a first session channel of the new user plane function network element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication method of claim 1, further comprising further generating the packet transmission rule based on the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication method of claim 1, wherein obtaining, by the session management network element, the first session identifier information for the terminal device comprises allocating the first session identifier information to the terminal device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the MAC address of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element comprises: sending second session identifier information to the source user plane function network element and receiving the MAC address of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element, wherein the second session identifier information corresponds to the MAC address of the terminal device, and wherein the second session identifier information indicates a second session channel configured for the terminal device before the terminal device is handed over; or receiving the MAC address of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element, wherein the MAC address of the terminal device corresponds to the second session identifier information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining, by the session management network element, handover information indicating a handover of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element to the new user plane function network element; and determining, by the session management network element according to the handover information, the new user plane function network element for the terminal device. ### Claim 6 A communication method comprising: obtaining, by a session management network element, first session identifier information for a terminal device and comprising a tunnel endpoint identifier; obtaining, by the session management network element from a source user plane function network element, an address of the terminal device, wherein the address of the terminal device is a media access control (MAC) address of the terminal device, and wherein the terminal device is handed over from the source user plane function network element to a new user plane function network element; generating, by the session management network element, a packet transmission rule comprising a correspondence between the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device; sending, by the session management network element, to the new user plane function network element, the packet transmission rule, wherein the first session identifier information indicates a first session channel of the new user plane function network element; receiving, by the new user plane function network element from the session management network element, the packet transmission rule; and transmitting, by the new user plane function network element, an Ethernet packet to the terminal device based on the packet transmission rule. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The communication method of claim 6, wherein before transmitting the Ethernet packet, the method further comprises: receiving, by the new user plane function network element, the Ethernet packet, wherein the Ethernet packet comprises the MAC address of the terminal device; and determining, by the new user plane function network element, the first session identifier information based on the correspondence, wherein the first session identifier information corresponds to the MAC address of the terminal device, and wherein the communication method further comprises further transmitting, by the new user plane function network element, the Ethernet packet to the terminal device through the first session channel based on the first session identifier information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The communication method of claim 6, further comprising: obtaining, by the session management network element, handover information indicating a handover of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element to the new user plane function network element; and determining, by the session management network element according to the handover information, the new user plane function network element for the terminal device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The communication method of claim 6, wherein the packet transmission rule indicates to the new user plane function network element how to transmit the Ethernet packet. ### Claim 10 An apparatus comprising: a memory configured to store instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to: obtain first session identifier information for a terminal device, wherein the first session identifier information comprises a tunnel endpoint identifier; obtain an address of the terminal device from a source user plane function network element, wherein the address of the terminal device is a media access control (MAC) address of the terminal device, and wherein the terminal device is handed over from the source user plane function network element to a new user plane function network element; generate a packet transmission rule indicating to the new user plane function network element how to transmit an Ethernet packet and comprising a correspondence between the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device; and send, to the new user plane function network element, the packet transmission rule, wherein the first session identifier information indicates a first session channel of the new user plane function network element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to further generate the packet transmission rule based on the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to further obtain the first session identifier information for the terminal device by allocating the first session identifier information to the terminal device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to: obtain handover information indicating a handover of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element to the new user plane function network element; and determine the new user plane function network element for the terminal device according to the handover information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to further obtain the MAC address of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element by: sending second session identifier information to the source user plane function network element and receiving the MAC address of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element, wherein the second session identifier information corresponds to the MAC address of the terminal device, and wherein the second session identifier information indicates a second session channel configured for the terminal device before the terminal device is handed over; or receiving the MAC address of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element, wherein the MAC address of the terminal device corresponds to the second session identifier information. ### Claim 15 A system comprising: a session management network element configured to: obtain first session identifier information for a terminal device, wherein the first session identifier information comprises a tunnel endpoint identifier; obtain an address of the terminal device from a source user plane function network element, wherein the address of the terminal device is a media access control (MAC) address of the terminal device, and wherein the terminal device is handed over from the source user plane function network element to a first user plane function network element; generate a packet transmission rule comprising a correspondence between the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device; and send, to the first user plane function network element, the packet transmission rule, wherein the first session identifier information indicates a first session channel of the first user plane function network element; and the first user plane function network element configured to: receive, from the session management network element, the packet transmission rule; and transmit an Ethernet packet to the terminal device based on the packet transmission rule. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein before transmitting the Ethernet packet, the first user plane function network element is further configured to: receive the Ethernet packet, wherein the Ethernet packet comprises the MAC address of the terminal device; and determine the first session identifier information corresponding to the MAC address of the terminal device based on the correspondence, and wherein the first user plane function network element is further configured to further transmit the Ethernet packet to the terminal device through the first session channel based on the first session identifier information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the session management network element is further configured to: obtain handover information indicating a handover of the terminal device from the source user plane function network element to the first user plane function network element; and determine the first user plane function network element for the terminal device according to the handover information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the packet transmission rule indicates to the first user plane function network element how to transmit the Ethernet packet. ### Claim 19 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 apparatus to: obtain first session identifier information for a terminal device, wherein the first session identifier information comprises a tunnel endpoint identifier; obtain an address of the terminal device from a source user plane function network element, wherein the address of the terminal device is a media access control (MAC) address of the terminal device, and wherein the terminal device is handed over from the source user plane function network element to a new user plane function network element; generate a packet transmission rule indicating to the new user plane function network element how to transmit an Ethernet packet and comprising a correspondence between the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device; and send, to the new user plane function network element, the packet transmission rule, wherein the first session identifier information indicates a first session channel of the new user plane function network element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to further generate the packet transmission rule based on the first session identifier information and the MAC address of the terminal device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to obtain the first session identifier information for the terminal device by allocating the first session identifier information to the terminal device.