Tunnel redirection method and interworking function entity

1. A tunnel redirection method, comprising:

receiving, by an Interworking Solution (IWS) corresponding to an original tunnel, a tunnel redirection notification sent by an IWS corresponding to a new tunnel, the tunnel redirection notification indicating that a user equipment (UE) is being redirected from the original tunnel to the new tunnel;

sending, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, a signaling forwarding indication to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel according to the notification; and

receiving, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel according to the signaling forwarding indication,

wherein receiving the tunnel redirection notification comprises receiving the tunnel redirection notification that is sent, according to an identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel, wherein the identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel is sent by a mobility management entity (MME) to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel after the MME determines that a tunnel needs to be redirected.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel comprises:

receiving, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, the signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel until a signaling forwarding stop indication is returned to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel, wherein the indication instructs the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel to stop forwarding signaling.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising releasing, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, resources of the original tunnel after the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel stops forwarding signaling.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel comprises:

receiving, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, the signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel within a preset time period, whereupon the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel stops forwarding signaling after the preset time period.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the preset time period is preset or temporarily negotiated between the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel and the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel.

6. An interworking solution (IWS) function entity corresponding to an original tunnel, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:

receive a tunnel redirection notification sent by an Interworking Solution (IWS) corresponding to a new tunnel, the tunnel redirection notification indicating that a user equipment (UE) is being redirected from the original tunnel to the new tunnel;

send a signaling forwarding indication to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel according to the tunnel redirection notification; and

receive signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel according to the signaling forwarding indication,

wherein the instructions to receive the tunnel redirection notification includes instructions to receive the tunnel redirection notification that is sent, according to an identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel, wherein the identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel is sent by a mobility management entity (MME) to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel after the MME determines that a tunnel needs to be redirected.

7. The IWS function entity according to claim 6 , wherein the programming further includes instructions to receive the signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel until a signaling forwarding stop indication is returned to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel, wherein the indication instructs the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel to stop forwarding signaling.

8. The IWS function entity according to claim 6 , wherein the signaling forwarded by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel is received within a preset time period.

9. The IWS function entity according to claim 6 , wherein the programming further includes instructions to release resources of the original tunnel after the signaling interaction is terminated.

10. A tunnel redirection method, comprising:

receiving, by an Interworking Solution (IWS) function entity corresponding to an original tunnel, a tunnel redirection notification sent by an IWS corresponding to a new tunnel, the tunnel redirection notification indicating that a user equipment (UE) is being redirected from the original tunnel to the new tunnel; and

terminating, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, a signaling interaction according to the notification,

wherein receiving the tunnel redirection notification sent by an IWS corresponding to the new tunnel comprises receiving, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, the tunnel redirection notification that is sent, according to an identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel, wherein the identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel is sent by a mobility management entity (MME) to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel after the MME determines that a tunnel needs to be redirected.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein, after terminating the signaling interaction, the method further comprises releasing, by the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, resources of the original tunnel.

12. An interworking solution (IWS) function entity corresponding to an original tunnel, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to:

receive a tunnel redirection notification sent by an Interworking Solution (IWS) function entity corresponding to a new tunnel, the tunnel redirection notification indicating that a user equipment (UE) is being redirected from the original tunnel to the new tunnel; and

terminate signaling interaction according to the notification received by the receiving module,

wherein the instructions to receive the tunnel redirection notification sent by an IWS corresponding to the new tunnel includes instructions to receive the tunnel redirection notification that is sent, according to an identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel, by the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel, wherein the identifier of the IWS corresponding to the original tunnel is sent by a mobility management entity (MME) to the IWS corresponding to the new tunnel after the MME determines that a tunnel needs to be redirected.

13. The IWS function entity according to claim 12 , wherein the programming further includes instructions to release resources of the original tunnel after the processing module terminates the signaling interaction.