Method, device, and system for controlling tunnel identifier allocation

Abstract

A method, a device, and a system for controlling tunnel identifier allocation are provided. The method includes: determining whether a type of a current procedure allows a Serving Gateway (SGW) to change a Tunnel Endpoint Identifier (TED) and/or an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and sending an modify bearer request message to the SGW, in which the modify bearer request message is used for notifying the SGW of whether the SGW is allowed to change the TED and/or the IP address. The loss of service data packets of a user or the service interruption caused by that the SGW modifies the TED and/or the IP address is avoided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) of a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) network element, comprising:
 receiving, by a mobility management network element, a tracking area update (TAU) request in a TAU procedure;   when the TAU procedure is initiated by a terminal device in a connected state, determining, by the mobility management network element, that it is not allowed to change an existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure; and   sending, by the mobility management network element, an indication to the GTP network element for indicating that changing the existing TEID is not allowed;   or   when the TAU procedure is initiated by the terminal device in an idle state, determining, by the mobility management network element, that the GTP network element is allowed to change the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure; and   sending, by the mobility management network element, an indication to the GTP network element for indicating that the GTP network element is allowed to change the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein sending the indication to the GTP network element comprises:
 sending, by the mobility management network element, a message including the indication to the GTP network element; and   
       wherein the method further comprises:
 when the indication indicates that changing the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure is not allowed, receiving, by the mobility management network element, a response from the GTP network element indicating that the existing TEID is unchanged; or 
 when the indication indicates that changing the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure is allowed, receiving, by the mobility management network element, a response from the GTP network element including a new TEID that replaces the existing TEID. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein after receiving, by the mobility management network element, the response from the GTP network element including the new TEID that replaces the existing TEID, the method further comprises:
 sending, by the mobility management network element, the new TEID to a base station serving the terminal device.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the mobility management network element is a mobility management entity (MME), the GTP network element is a serving gateway (SGW), the message is a modify bearer request message, and the response is a modify bearer response. 
     
     
         5 . A mobility management network element, comprising:
 a processor, and a storage medium storing a program for execution by the processor;   
       wherein the program includes instructions for:
 receiving a tracking area update (TAU) request in a TAU procedure; 
 when the TAU procedure is initiated by a terminal device in a connected state, determining that a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) network element is not allowed to change an existing tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure; and 
 sending an indication to the GTP network element for indicating that changing the existing TEID is not allowed; 
 or 
 when the TAU procedure is initiated by the terminal device in an idle state, determining that the GTP network element is allowed to change the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure; and 
 sending an indication to the GTP network element for indicating that the GTP network element is allowed to change the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure. 
 
     
     
         6 . The mobility management network element according to  claim 5 , wherein sending the indication to the GTP network element comprises:
 sending a message including the indication to the GTP network element; and   
       wherein the program further includes instructions for:
 when the indication indicates that changing the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure is not allowed, receiving a response in response from the GTP network element indicating that the existing TEID is unchanged; or 
 when the indication indicates that changing the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure is allowed, receiving a response from the GTP network element including a new TEID that replaces the existing TED. 
 
     
     
         7 . The mobility management network element according to  claim 6 , wherein the program further includes instructions for:
 sending the new TED to a base station serving the terminal device after receiving the response from the GTP network element including the new TED that replaces the existing TED.   
     
     
         8 . The mobility management network element according to  claim 6 , wherein the mobility management network element is a mobility management entity (MME), the GTP network element is a serving gateway (SGW), the message is a modify bearer request message, and the response is a modify bearer response. 
     
     
         9 . A communication system, comprising:
 a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) network element, and a mobility management network element;   
       wherein the mobility management network element is configured to:
 receive a tracking area update (TAU) request in a TAU procedure; 
 when the TAU procedure is initiated by a terminal device in a connected state, determine that it is not allowed to change an existing tunnel endpoint identifier (TED) of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure; and 
 send an indication to the GTP network element for indicating that changing the existing TED is not allowed; 
 or 
 when the TAU procedure is initiated by the terminal device in an idle state, determine that the GTP network element is allowed to change the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure; and 
 send an indication to the GTP network element for indicating that the GTP network element is allowed to change the existing TED of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure; 
 
       wherein the GTP network element is configured to:
 receive a message including the indication from the mobility management network element; and 
 when the indication indicates that changing the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure is not allowed, send a response to the mobility management network element indicating that the existing TEID of the GTP network element is unchanged; 
 or 
 when the indication indicates that changing the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure is allowed, send a response to the mobility management network element including a new TEID that replaces the existing TEID. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the mobility management network element is a mobility management entity (MME). 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the GTP network element is a serving gateway (SGW). 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein when the indication when the indication indicates that changing the existing TEID of the GTP network element in the TAU procedure is allowed, the GTP network element is further configured to:
 allocate a new TEID to replace the existing TEID.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the mobility management network element is further configured to:
 send the new TEID to a base station.