Core network functions

1. A method of transmitting packets in a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session in a data communications network, comprising:

receiving, by a component having interworking functionality to interwork between a 4G network and a 5G network, a plurality of packet data flows from a Packet Data Network (PDN), each relating to the PDU session, the PDU session having been set up for a user equipment using a Session Management Function (SMF), the PDU session created based on a session request from a legacy Mobility Management Entity (MME) comprising a plurality of parameters that are incompatible with the data communications network and translated by the component to generate a session management context request that is compatible with the data communications network;

encapsulating, by the component having the interworking functionality to interwork between the 4G network and 5G network, the plurality of packet data flows into a corresponding plurality of GTP-U tunnels, each relating to a different bearer for the user equipment; and

transmitting, by the component having the interworking functionality to interwork between the 4G network and 5G network, the plurality of packet data flows.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is transmitted to a base station serving said user equipment.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is transmitted to the base station using an S1-U interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is received from the PDN on an SGi/N6 interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is a 4G user equipment which is not 5G capable.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is both 4G and 5G capable.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each said different bearer relates to a different Quality of Service.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

computer-readable media having encoded thereon instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

receive, from a legacy Mobility Management Entity (MME), a session management context request for a PDU session, wherein the session management context request comprises parameters that are incompatible with a data communications network where the PDU session is to be established;

translate the session management context request to generate a session management context request that is compatible with the data communications network;

create the PDU session based on the translated session management context request;

receive a plurality of packet data flows from a Packet Data Network (PDN) relating to the PDU session, the PDU session having been set up for a user equipment using a Session Management Function (SMF);

encapsulate the plurality of packet data flows into a corresponding plurality of GTP-U tunnels, each relating to a different bearer for the user equipment; and

transmit the plurality of packet data flows.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer-readable instructions for transmitting packets in a Packet Data Unit (PDU) session in a data communications network that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a legacy Mobility Management Entity (MME), a session management context request for a PDU session, wherein the session management context request comprises parameters that are incompatible with the data communications network;

translating the session management context request to generate a session management context request that is compatible with the data communications network;

creating the PDU session based on the translated session management context request; receiving a plurality of packet data flows from a Packet Data Network (PDN), each relating to a PDU session, the PDU session having been set up for a user equipment using a Session Management Function (SMF);

encapsulating the plurality of packet data flows into a corresponding plurality of GTP-U tunnels, each relating to a different bearer for the user equipment; and

transmitting the plurality of packet data flows.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is transmitted to a base station serving said user equipment.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is transmitted to the base station using an S1-U interface.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is received from the PDN on an SGi/N6 interface.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user equipment is a 4G user equipment which is not 5G capable.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user equipment is both 4G and 5G capable.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein each said different bearer relates to a different Quality of Service.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is transmitted to a base station serving said user equipment.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is transmitted to the base station using an S1-U interface.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of packet data flows is received from the PDN on an SGi/N6 interface.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the user equipment is a 4G user equipment which is not 5G capable.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the user equipment is both 4G and 5G capable.