IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,739,204
Granted Patent B2
US 12,739,204 · App. 18/228,503 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Packet processing method and related apparatus with slice identifiers and sub-identifiers

Inventors: Zhenbin Li (Beijing, CN); Jie Dong (Beijing, CN); Tao Han (Nanjing, CN); Ping'an Yang (Nanjing, CN); Zhibo Hu (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
H04L45/76H04L41/40H04L45/036H04L45/308
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,739,204
App. No.
18/228,503
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

This application discloses a packet processing method and a related apparatus, applied to a network slice. The method includes: A first network device obtains a first packet, where the first packet includes a first slice identifier, the first slice identifier includes a plurality of consecutive sub-identifiers, the plurality of sub-identifiers indicate different attributes of a first network slice, and the first slice identifier identifies the first network slice to which the first packet belongs. The first network device forwards the first packet based on the first slice identifier. In this solution, a slice identifier including a plurality of sub-identifiers is carried in a packet. Different sub-identifiers indicate different attributes of a network slice.

Claims (43)

1 . A packet processing method, comprising:

obtaining, by a first network device, a first packet, wherein the first packet comprises a first slice identifier, the first slice identifier comprises a plurality of sub-identifiers, the plurality of sub-identifiers indicate different attributes of a first network slice, and the first slice identifier identifies the first network slice to which the first packet belongs, wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers comprise a topology identifier, wherein the topology identifier indicates a topology of the first network slice; and

forwarding, by the first network device, the first packet based on the first slice identifier.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers comprise a resource identifier, the resource identifier indicates a forwarding resource of the first network slice.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers further comprise an algorithm identifier, and the algorithm identifier indicates a path computation algorithm of the first network slice.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers comprise an algorithm identifier and a resource identifier, the algorithm identifier indicates a path computation algorithm of the first network slice, and the resource identifier indicates a forwarding resource of the first network slice.

5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers further comprise a domain identifier, and the domain identifier indicates a network domain in which the first slice identifier is effective.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers comprise a domain identifier and a resource identifier, the domain identifier indicates a network domain in which the first slice identifier is effective, and the resource identifier indicates a forwarding resource of the first network slice.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a forwarding resource comprises a physical interface, a logical sub-interface, and/or a packet queue.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the forwarding, by the first network device, the first packet based on the first slice identifier comprises:

determining, by the first network device based on the plurality of sub-identifiers in the first slice identifier and a mapping table, an interface for forwarding the first packet and a forwarding resource of the interface; and

forwarding, by the first network device, the first packet to a second network device based on the forwarding resource of the interface, wherein

the mapping table comprises a mapping relationship between the interface and the plurality of sub-identifiers.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers further comprise a flag bit identifier, the flag bit identifier indicates a forwarding policy corresponding to the first slice identifier, and the forwarding policy indicates a forwarding behavior performed after an interface is determined based on a sub-identifier for guiding forwarding.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the forwarding behavior comprises: if the interface for forwarding cannot be found based on the first slice identifier, skipping determining, based on the first slice identifier, the interface for forwarding; or

discarding the first packet if the interface for forwarding cannot be found based on the first slice identifier.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first network device, a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises a second slice identifier; and

updating, by the first network device, the second slice identifier to the first slice identifier, to obtain the first packet.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first slice identifier indicates the first network slice in a first network domain, the second slice identifier indicates a second network slice in a second network domain, and a service-level agreement (SLA) of the first network slice is the same as an SLA of the second network slice.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first network device is a boundary node of a bearer network, and the second slice identifier is single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) or an application-aware networking (APN) identifier.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first network device, a third packet;

determining, by the first network device, a network slice to which the third packet belongs; and

adding, by the first network device based on the network slice to which the third packet belongs, the first slice identifier to the third packet, to obtain the first packet.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the determining, by the first network device, a network slice to which the third packet belongs comprises:

determining, by the first network device based on information in the third packet, the network slice to which the third packet belongs, wherein

the information in the third packet comprises one or more of the following information: a source address, a destination address, a protocol number, a differentiated services code point (DSCP) field, a traffic class (TC) field, a virtual local area network identifier, or a port number.

16 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the adding, by the first network device based on the network slice to which the third packet belongs, the first slice identifier to the third packet comprises:

adding, by the first network device based on the network slice to which the third packet belongs, the first slice identifier and a fourth slice identifier to the third packet, to obtain the first packet, wherein

the fourth slice identifier identifies, in a bearer network comprising a plurality of network domains, the network slice to which the third packet belongs.

17 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the determining, by the first network device, a network slice to which the third packet belongs comprises:

determining, by the first network device based on a third slice identifier in the third packet, the network slice to which the third packet belongs, wherein

the third slice identifier identifies, in a bearer network comprising a plurality of network domains, the network slice to which the third packet belongs.

18 . A network device, comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory; wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the network device to be configured to:

obtain a first packet, wherein the first packet comprises a first slice identifier, the first slice identifier comprises a plurality of sub-identifiers, the plurality of sub-identifiers indicate different attributes of a first network slice, and the first slice identifier identifies the first network slice to which the first packet belongs, wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers comprise a topology identifier, wherein the topology identifier indicates a topology of the first network slice; and

forward the first packet based on the first slice identifier.

19 . The network device according to claim 18 , wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers comprise a resource identifier, the resource identifier indicates a forwarding resource of the first network slice.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-readable instructions, and when the computer-readable instructions are executed by a processor to cause a network device to perform operations:

obtaining a first packet, wherein the first packet comprises a first slice identifier, the first slice identifier comprises a plurality of sub-identifiers, the plurality of sub-identifiers indicate different attributes of a first network slice, and the first slice identifier identifies the first network slice to which the first packet belongs, wherein the plurality of sub-identifiers comprise a topology identifier, wherein the topology identifier indicates a topology of the first network slice; and

forwarding the first packet based on the first slice identifier.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2025
From: LI, ZHENBIN; DONG, JIE; HAN, TAO; YANG, PING’AN; HU, ZHIBO
To: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 072577/0806 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 202110143450.6 · Feb 2, 2021 · national
CN 202110461985.8 · Apr 27, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021141540 · Dec 27, 2021
Related Publication 20230412508A1 · Dec 21, 2023
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