A routing rule management method and a communications apparatus, where after a first user plane function network element receives, through a protocol data unit (PDU) session, a first data packet, from a terminal, whose source address is a first address, the first user plane function network element generates a first routing rule corresponding to the PDU session when determining that the first address is an unknown media access control (MAC) address, and where the first routing rule is used to forward, to the PDU session, a data packet sent to the first address. After detecting the unknown MAC address, the first user plane function network element may generate a routing rule corresponding to the unknown MAC address without involvement of a session management function network element.

A communication method executed by a terminal device included in a plurality of terminal devices, the communication method comprising obtain first identification information used in a group including the plurality of terminal devices and state information, the first identification information being used for device identification in communication between a base station and each of the plurality of terminal devices, the state information indicating whether the first identification information is allocated to the terminal device or not, and when it is determined that the first identification information is not allocated to the terminal device based on the state information, requesting a usage right of the first identification information for the plurality of terminal devices in response to obtaining data to be transmitted to the base station, and transmitting the data to the base station using the first identification information after obtaining the usage right.

Multicasting in Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) nodes and the respective nodes. The method in a node configured as an MBMS gateway includes, in response to receipt of a session start request message for a multicast session, allocating a transport network IPv4 multicast address and a transport network IPv6 multicast address for the session, and generating another session start request message and transmitting it to a node configured as a Mobility Management Element (MME). The session start request message includes a first pair of the allocated transport network IPv4 multicast address and an IPv4 multicast source address, and a second pair of the allocated transport network IPv6 multicast address and an IPv6 multicast source address. In response to receipt of MBMS data from a node configured as a Broadcast-Multicast Service Center (BM-SC), the MBMS data is sent using at least one of the first and second pair of addresses.

A method implemented in a first user equipment (UE) includes generating a first intermediate address. The method further includes transmitting a data packet using the first intermediate address by (i) applying a first address mechanism to a first part of the first intermediate address, and (ii) applying a second address mechanism to a second part of the first intermediate address.

One embodiment is directed to a centralized radio access network (C-RAN) system that is configured so that physical layer processing for the wireless interface is split so that some of the physical layer processing is performed in a controller and some of the physical layer processing is performed in a plurality of radio points. The system is configured so that scrambling of first downlink data to be communicated to a UE over the wireless interface is performed in the controller and so that scrambling of second downlink data to be communicated to said UE over the wireless interface is performed in one of the radio points. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A system for exchanging messages between a business user and another messaging-capable device, and associated methods are presented. The system may include a business server, an application programming interface (“API”) and/or an SMS database. The business server may be configured to exchange messages with the business user and to obtain a public identifier for the business user to enable duplex message exchange between the business user and the messaging-capable device by either retrieving the public identifier or associating the business user with the messaging-capable device and a public identifier. The system may accommodate temporary events, such as emergencies, by associated a public identifier with a business user initiating the temporary event and one or more messaging-capable devices involved in the event.

In one embodiment, a first networking device associated with a switched network comprises one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising configuring, on the first networking device, a network-address-translation (NAT) rule indicating that a first multicast group is to be translated to a second multicast group. The acts further include, at least partly in response to the configuring of the NAT rule, storing the NAT rule at the first networking device, generating a message indicating the NAT rule, and sending the message to at least a second networking device associated with the switched network.

A method and a network device in a cloud computing system, including a first blockchain component that is one of a plurality of blockchain components forming a blockchain system, of dynamic discovery of another blockchain component of the blockchain system are described. A multicast address including a multicast group identifier is generated. The multicast group identifier is generated at least in part based on a genesis block identifier that uniquely identifies a blockchain serviced by the blockchain system. The network device joins a multicast group identified by the multicast group identifier; and transmits a message destined to the multicast address, where the message includes a request for a unicast address of another component of the blockchain system.

A method and a network device in a cloud computing system, including a first blockchain component that is one of a plurality of blockchain components forming a blockchain system, of dynamic discovery of another blockchain component of the blockchain system are described. A multicast address including a multicast group identifier is generated. The multicast group identifier is generated at least in part based on a genesis block identifier that uniquely identifies a blockchain serviced by the blockchain system. The network device joins a multicast group identified by the multicast group identifier; and transmits a message destined to the multicast address, where the message includes a request for a unicast address of another component of the blockchain system.

A multicast service processing method and an access point are disclosed. The method includes: generating, by an access point (AP), a first group addressed frame and an individually addressed frame based on a multicast packet, where the first group addressed frame is encrypted by a first multicast key, and the individually addressed frame is encrypted by a unicast key of a second terminal.