# US 2021/0176801 A1 · Group Creation Method, Apparatus, and System > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0176801 A1 - Document ID: US20210176801A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/157,196 - Filed: 2021-01-25 - Published: 2021-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-26 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Qi Yao; Qianghua Zhu; Wenfu Wu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210176801A1 ## CPC - H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements - H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements - H04W 4/08: User group management - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers - H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)} - H04L 63/101: {Access control lists [ACL]} - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - 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 A group creation method, an apparatus, and a system, the method including receiving, by a group management network element on a first network, a group creation request requesting creation of a group for local area network communication, allocating, by the group management network element on the first network, a group identifier to the group, sending, by the group management network element on the first network, the group identifier to a terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network, and sending, by the group management network element on the first network when the group includes a terminal device whose home network is a second network, the group identifier and an identifier of the terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the second network to a group management network element on the second network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A group creation method, comprising: receiving, by a first group management network element on a first network, a group creation request, wherein the group creation request requests creation of a group for performing local area network communication, and wherein the group creation request comprises an identifier of each terminal device in the group; allocating, by the first group management network element, a group identifier to the group; sending, by the first group management network element, the group identifier to a first terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network; and sending, by the first group management network element, in response to the group having a second terminal device whose home network is a second network, the group identifier and an identifier of the second terminal device to a second group management network element on the second network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the group creation request comprises: receiving, by the first group management network element, the group creation request from a third terminal device, wherein a home network of the third terminal device is the first network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising performing, before the allocating the group identifier to the group: determining, by the first group management network element, that the third terminal device has permission to request to create the group. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the determining that the third terminal device has the permission to request to create the group comprises: determining, by the first group management network element, according to authentication information of the third terminal device, that the third terminal device has the permission to request to create the group. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the group creation request comprises: receiving, by the first group management network element, the group creation request from a first application network element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, further comprising performing, before the allocating the group identifier to the group: determining, by the first group management network element, that the first application network element has permission to request to create the group. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sending the group identifier to the first terminal device comprises: sending, by the first group management network element, the group identifier to the first terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network via a unified data management network element on the first network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the sending the group identifier to the first terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network via a unified data management network element on the first network comprises: sending, by the first group management network element on the first network, to the unified data management network element on the first network, a first message that triggers the unified data management network element to send the group identifier to the first terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network, wherein the first message comprises the group identifier and an identifier of the first terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network. ### Claim 9 A communications apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and a non-transitory memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions to: receive a group creation request, wherein the group creation request requests creation of a group for performing local area network communication, and wherein the group creation request comprises an identifier of each terminal device in the group; allocate a group identifier to the group; send the group identifier to a first terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is a first network; and send, to a group management network element on a second network, in response to the group having a second terminal device whose home network is the second network, the group identifier and an identifier of the second terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the second network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The communications apparatus according to claim 9, the group creation request is from a third terminal device, wherein a home network of the third terminal device is the first network. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The communications apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the program further includes instructions to, before allocating the group identifier to the group: determine that the third terminal device has permission to request to create the group. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The communications apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the program further includes instructions to: determine, according to authentication information of the third terminal device, that the third terminal device has the permission to request to create the group. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The communications apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: group creation request is received from a first application network element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The communications apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the program further includes instructions to, before allocating the group identifier to the group: determine that the first application network element has permission to request to create the group. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The communications apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the program further includes instructions to: send the group identifier to the first terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network via a unified data management network element on the first network. ### Claim 16 A communications system, comprising: a first group management network element on a first network; and a unified data management network element on the first network; wherein the first group management network element on the first network is configured to: send, after receiving a group creation request that is from a first terminal device, to the unified data management network element on the first network, a first request requesting authentication information of the first terminal device, wherein the group creation request requests creation of a group for performing local area network communication, and wherein the group creation request comprises an identifier of each terminal device in the group; wherein the unified data management network element on the first network is configured to: receive the first request; and send, in response to the first request, a response message to the first group management network element on the first network, wherein the response message-comprises the authentication information of the first terminal device, and the authentication information comprises information used to indicate whether the first terminal device has permission to request to create the group; and wherein the first group management network element on the first network is further configured to: receive the response message; determine, according to the authentication information of the first terminal device, that the first terminal device has the permission to request to create the group; and allocate a group identifier to the group. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The communications system according to claim 16, wherein the first group management network element is further configured to send, to the unified data management network element on the first network, a first message that triggers sending the group identifier to a second terminal device that is in the group and whose home network is the first network, wherein the first message comprises the group identifier and an identifier of the second terminal device; and wherein the unified data management network element on the first network is further configured to receive the first message, and separately update the group identifier into subscription data of a corresponding terminal device according to the identifier of the second terminal device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The communications system according to claim 17, wherein the unified data management network element on the first network is further configured to: send, in response to the second terminal device being not registered, in a registration process of the second terminal device, the group identifier to an access and mobility management network element as a part of subscription data of the terminal device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The communications system according to claim 17, wherein the unified data management network element on the first network is further configured to, send, in response to the second terminal device being registered, the group identifier to an access and mobility management network element using a subscription data update notification message. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The communications system according to claim 16, further comprising a second group management network element on a second network; wherein the first group management network element on the first network is further configured to send, in response to the group having a second terminal device whose home network is a second network, the group identifier and an identifier of the second terminal device to the second group management network element; and wherein the second group management network element is configured to receive the group identifier and the identifier of the second terminal device, and send the group identifier to the second terminal device.