Communication method and apparatus
This application discloses a communication method and an apparatus. When a terminal device switches to a target cell or is connected to a new primary cell, by requesting a network device to release a session corresponding to a network slice that is not supported by the target cell or the new primary cell and to keep a session corresponding to a network slice that is supported by the target cell or the new primary cell, the session corresponding to the network slice that is not supported by the target cell or the new primary cell can be quickly released, and a network resource is saved while a session corresponding to a network slice supported by the target cell or the new primary cell is enabled to be continued.
1. A communication method comprising:
receiving, by a terminal device, a handover command from a source access network device, wherein the handover command comprises an identifier of a target cell;
sending, by the terminal device, a session release request to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network device that performs access and mobility management functions, wherein the session release request is used to request to release a session performed by the terminal device on at least one network slice in a source cell, and the session release request comprises the identifier of the target cell, wherein the handover command comprises an indication of whether the target cell supports the at least one network slice in the source cell, or the handover command comprises a network slice identifier supported by the target cell, or the handover command comprises a network slice identifier not supported by the target cell, wherein the session release request is forwarded to a session management function (SMF) network device that performs session management functions for the terminal device;
sending, by the SMF network device, a session release request acknowledgement to the terminal device, wherein, before the sending of the session release request acknowledgement to the terminal device: comparing, by the SMF, based on the identifier of the target cell, a network slice supported by the source cell with a network slice supported by the target cell, to determine the at least one network slice not supported by the target cell; and determining, by the SMF, to release a session performed on the at least one network slice; and
receiving, by the terminal device, the session release request acknowledgement from the SMF network device.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the session release request comprises an identifier of the session performed on the at least one network slice and one network slice corresponds to at least one session.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, after the receiving, by a terminal device, a handover command from a source access network device, the method further comprises:
starting, by the terminal device, a timer; and
the sending, by the terminal device, a session release request to an AMF network device comprises:
sending, by the terminal device, when the timer expires, the session release request to the AMF network device.
4. A communication method comprising:
receiving, by an access and mobility management function (AMF) network device that performs access and mobility management functions, a session release request from a terminal device, the session release request message being forwarded to a session management function (SMF) network device that performs session management functions for the terminal device, wherein the session release request is used to request to release a session performed by the terminal device on at least one network slice in a source cell, and the session release request comprises an identifier of a target cell; and
sending, by the SMF network device, a session release request acknowledgement to the terminal device, wherein, before the sending of the session release request acknowledgement to the terminal device:
comparing, by the SMF, based on the identifier of the target cell, a network slice supported by the source cell with a network slice supported by the target cell, to determine the at least one network slice not supported by the target cell; and
determining, by the SMF, to release a session performed on the at least one network slice.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the session release request comprises an identifier of the session performed on the at least one network slice, and one network slice corresponds to at least one session; and
before the sending, by the SMF network device, a session release request acknowledgement to the terminal device, the method further comprises:
determining, by the SMF network device, to release a session corresponding to the identifier of the session performed on the at least one network slice.
6. A terminal device comprising:
a receiving unit configured to receive a handover command from a source access network device, wherein the handover command comprises an identifier of a target cell; and
a sending unit configured to send a session release request to an access and mobility management function (AMF) network device that performs access and mobility management functions, wherein the session release request is used to request to release a session performed by the terminal device on at least one network slice in a source cell, and the session release request comprises the identifier of the target cell, wherein the handover command comprises an indication of whether the target cell supports the at least one network slice in the source cell, or the handover command comprises a network slice identifier supported by the target cell, or the handover command comprises a network slice identifier not supported by the target cell, wherein, the session release request is forwarded to a session management function (SMF) network device that performs session management functions for the terminal device, wherein,
the receiving unit is further configured to receive a session release request acknowledgement from the SMF network device, wherein, before the sending of the session release request acknowledgement to the terminal device, the SMF: compares, based on the identifier of the target cell, a network slice supported by the source cell with a network slice supported by the target cell, to determine the at least one network slice not supported by the target cell; and determines to release a session performed on the at least one network slice.
7. The terminal device according to claim 6 , wherein the session release request comprises an identifier of the session performed on the at least one network slice, and one network slice corresponds to at least one session.
8. The terminal device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a timing unit, configured to start a timer, wherein,
the sending unit is configured to send, when the timer expires, the session release request to the AMF network device.