Methods and apparatuses for control of packet data connection
Methods and apparatuses for control of packet data connection are disclosed. According to an embodiment, a user plane entity receives, from a control plane entity, a request for modifying parameters related to a packet data connection at least part of which is to be deleted. Upon receipt of the request, the user plane entity stops forwarding and counting of packets in only one of downlink and uplink directions for the at least part of the packet data connection to be deleted.
1 . A method performed by a user plane function (UPF), the method comprising:
receiving, from a session management function (SMF), a first request concerning a protocol data unit (PDU) session;
after receiving the first request, stopping forwarding traffic for the PDU session in only an uplink direction and stopping taking the uplink traffic into account for usage monitoring;
after receiving the first request, receiving, from the SMF, a second request to drop any remaining packets for the PDU session; and
after receiving the second request, dropping remaining packets for the PDU session, if any, wherein
the SMF is a visited SMF (V-SMF), and
the UPF is a visited UPF (V-UPF).
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first request is an N4 Session Modification Request.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein
the second request is an N4 Session Release Request.
4 . A method performed by a session management function (SMF), the method comprising:
in response to a requested protocol data unit (PDU) session release procedure, sending to a user plane function (UPF) a first request to stop forwarding traffic for a protocol data unit (PDU) session in an uplink direction;
receiving from the UPF a first response responsive to the first request; and
after receiving the first response, sending to the UPF a second request to drop any remaining packets for the PDU session, wherein
the SMF is a visited SMF (V-SMF),
the UPF is a visited UPF (V-UPF), and
the V-UPF stops forwarding traffic for the PDU session in only the uplink direction and stops taking the uplink traffic into account for the usage monitoring.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein
the first request is an N4 Session Modification Request.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein
the second request is an N4 Session Release Request.