# US 2018/0323982 A1 · Data packet processing method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323982 A1 - Document ID: US20180323982A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/024,234 - Filed: 2018-06-29 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-31 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Wei Lu; Huan Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323982A1 ## CPC - H04L 12/1407: {Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture} - H04L 41/0853: by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information - H04L 41/0894: Policy-based network configuration management - H04L 43/028: by filtering - H04M 15/62: {based on trigger specification} - H04M 15/725: {by the operator} - H04M 15/74: {Backing up} - H04M 15/8214: {Data or packet based} - H04W 4/24: Accounting or billing - H04M 15/44: {Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A data packet processing method and apparatus is disclosed. According to the method, a storage apparatus disposed on a network side stores a correspondence between an identifier and data flow characteristic information. When configuring a policy for a data packet including a first identifier, a network-side device requests the storage apparatus for data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier. A PCEF receives a data packet that is sent by UE, matches the data packet against the data flow characteristic information, and when the data packet matches the data flow characteristic information, executes a policy on the data packet according to policy information corresponding to the first identifier. According to the method provided in embodiments of the present disclosure, transmitting a considerable amount of data flow characteristic information on an interface of an SCEF is avoided, and load on the SCEF is relieved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A data packet processing method, the method comprising: receiving, by a storage apparatus, information indicating a correspondence between an identifier and data flow characteristic information that is sent by a 3rd party application server (AS); receiving, by the storage apparatus, a fifth message that is sent by a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), wherein the fifth message comprises a first identifier, and the fifth message is used to request the storage apparatus for data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier; determining, by the storage apparatus according to the first identifier and the correspondence, the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier; and sending, by the storage apparatus, a sixth message to the PCEF, wherein the sixth message comprises the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence comprises a correspondence between an identifier and at least one of 5-tuple information or a uniform resource locator (URL). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein determining, by the storage apparatus according to the first identifier and the correspondence, the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier comprises: determining, by the storage apparatus according to the first identifier and the correspondence between an identifier and at least one of 5-tuple information or a URL, 5-tuple information and/or a URL corresponding to the first identifier, wherein the 5-tuple information and/or the URL corresponding to the first identifier is used as the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first identifier comprises an application name. ### Claim 5 A data packet processing method, comprising: receiving, by a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), a fourth message that is sent by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), wherein the fourth message comprises a first identifier and policy information corresponding to the first identifier; sending, by the PCEF, a fifth message to a storage apparatus for requesting the storage apparatus for data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier, wherein the fifth message comprises the first identifier, and the storage apparatus is configured to store a correspondence between an identifier and data flow characteristic information; and receiving, by the PCEF, a sixth message that is sent by the storage apparatus, wherein the sixth message comprises the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, further comprising: receiving, by the PCEF, a data packet that is sent by user equipment (UE), and matching information carried in the data packet against the data flow characteristic information; and executing, by the PCEF, a policy on the data packet according to the policy information when the information carried in the data packet matches the data flow characteristic information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier comprises 5-tuple information and/or a uniform resource locator URL corresponding to the first identifier, and the method further comprises: determining, by the PCEF, whether 5-tuple information and/or a URL comprised in the data packet is the 5-tuple information and/or the URL corresponding to the first identifier; and when the PCEF determines that the 5-tuple information and/or the URL comprised in the data packet is the 5-tuple information and/or the URL corresponding to the first identifier, executing, by the PCEF, the policy on the data packet according to the policy information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the policy information comprises at least one type of payer information, Quality of Service (QoS) information, or service chain information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the first identifier comprises an application name. ### Claim 10 A storage apparatus, comprising: a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions for: receiving information indicating a correspondence between an identifier and data flow characteristic information that is sent by a 3rd party application server (AS), receiving a fifth message that is sent by a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), wherein the fifth message comprises a first identifier, and the fifth message is used to request the storage apparatus for data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier, determining, according to the first identifier and the correspondence, the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier, and sending a sixth message to the PCEF, wherein the sixth message comprises the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The storage apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the correspondence comprises a correspondence between an identifier and at least one of 5-tuple information or a uniform resource locator (URL). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the program further includes instructions for: determining, according to the first identifier and the correspondence between an identifier and at least one of 5-tuple information or a URL, 5-tuple information and/or a URL corresponding to the first identifier, wherein the 5-tuple information and/or the URL corresponding to the first identifier is used as the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The storage apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first identifier comprises an application name. ### Claim 14 A policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF), comprising a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions for: receiving a fourth message that is sent by a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), wherein the fourth message comprises a first identifier and policy information corresponding to the first identifier; sending a fifth message to a storage apparatus for requesting the storage apparatus for data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier, wherein the fifth message comprises the first identifier, and the storage apparatus is configured to store a correspondence between an identifier and data flow characteristic information; and receiving a sixth message that is sent by the storage apparatus, wherein the sixth message comprises the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The PCEF according to claim 14, wherein the program further includes instructions for: receiving a data packet that is sent by user equipment UE; matching information carried in the data packet against the data flow characteristic information; and executing a policy on the data packet according to the policy information when the information carried in the data packet received by the receiving module matches the data flow characteristic information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The PCEF according to claim 15, wherein the data flow characteristic information corresponding to the first identifier comprises 5-tuple information and/or a uniform resource locator (URL) corresponding to the first identifier, and the program includes instructions for: determining whether 5-tuple information and/or a URL comprised in the data packet is the 5-tuple information and/or the URL corresponding to the first identifier, wherein when the 5-tuple information and/or the URL comprised in the data packet is the 5-tuple information and/or the URL corresponding to the first identifier, the PCEF executing the policy on the data packet according to the policy information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The PCEF according to claim 14, wherein the policy information comprises at least one type of payer information, Quality of Service (QoS) information, or service chain information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The PCEF according to claim 14, wherein the first identifier comprises an application name. ### Claim 19 A service capability exposure function (SCEF), comprising: a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions for: receiving a second message that is sent by a 3rd party application server (AS), wherein the second message comprises a first identifier and policy information corresponding to the first identifier, and sending a third message to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), wherein the third message comprises the first identifier and the policy information. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The SCEF according to claim 19, wherein the correspondence comprises a correspondence between an identifier and at least one of 5-tuple information or a uniform resource locator (URL).