KR100309680B1 - Application Protocols of the Home Location Register - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a signaling protocol structure of a home location register (HLR) in a circuit switched network in a mobile communication system providing a circuit switched service and a packet switched data service. In particular, a home location register connected to an internet network and a common line signal network ( An application protocol structure of 400), wherein the home location register protocol commonly uses the question and answer function application unit 421 and the mobile communication application unit 422 proposed to simultaneously accommodate the Internet protocol and the common line signaling protocol. And, by accepting each of the Internet protocol 413 and the common line signaling protocol under the question and answer function application unit 421 and the mobile communication application unit 421, the home location register 400 exchanges packets through the Internet network. Signal messages can be transmitted to and from the physical objects in the network, and they can be signaled through common line signaling networks with other physical objects in the circuit-switched network. It enables message delivery, reduces the delay of signaling messages by not applying complex common line signaling between physical objects of packet switched network, provides ease of implementation compared to existing common line signaling protocol, and simplifies protocol. It is an advantage that physical entities providing packet data services do not have to have a separate common line signaling protocol and a common line signaling network for communication with a home locator.

Description

Application Protocol Structure of Home Locator

The present invention relates to a signaling protocol structure of a home location register (hereinafter referred to as HLR) in a circuit switched network in a mobile communication system that provides a circuit switched service and a packet switched data service, and in particular, an internet network and a common line signal network. And an application protocol structure of a home location register connected to the home location register.

In the mobile communication system based on the present invention, a circuit switching network and a packet switching network for providing a voice service exist respectively, and some functions such as a radio part and a location registration part are overlapped and commonly used. Based.

As a conventional technique in this field, the home location register has been commonly applied to the common channel signaling method (Common Channel Signaling No. 7, hereinafter referred to as CCS No. 7).

As an example of a signaling protocol structure of a home location register related to a packet data service, a generic packet radio service (hereinafter referred to as GSM) of the global mobile communication system (hereinafter referred to as GSM) is a mobile communication system of Europe. GPRS)).

In GPRS, a common line signaling method (CCS No. 7) protocol is applied as a physical entity providing a packet data service and a home location registration period signaling protocol.

Therefore, it can be said that the signal protocol of most home location registers adopts common line signaling.

The common line signaling method protocol structure of the existing home location register 100 is shown in FIG. 1.

The common line signaling protocol is based on an open system interconnection (OSI) layer. The application layer includes a mobile application part (hereinafter referred to as MAP) 116 and an application for a question-and-answer function. There is a section 115 (Transaction Capabilities Application Part, hereinafter referred to as TCAP).

There is no separate protocol in layers 4, 5, and 6, and in the layer 3 (13) which is an asynchronous transmission mode layer, a signaling connection control part (hereinafter referred to as SCCP) 114 and a message delivery unit-layer 3 (Message Transfer Part-3 for B-ISDN) 113 exists.

In Layer 2, there is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Layer (hereinafter referred to as ATM Layer) 112, and in Layer 1, which is a physical layer, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Physical Layer (hereinafter referred to as ATM-PHY). 111 is present.

The home location register having this protocol structure is connected to the common line signal (CCS No. 7) network to communicate with other physical entities.

The conventional home location register as described above has a disadvantage in that only the circuit switched service subscriber information is stored and maintained in order to provide only a circuit switched based voice service.

However, as the mobile communication system evolves, research for providing a packet switched data service has been conducted, and a protocol structure of a new home location register has also been proposed.

A mobile communication system providing such a service is a GPRS in Europe. In the mobile communication system providing a packet data service as in the GPRS, when there is a separate packet switched network, the physical entities and the home location providing the packet data service are provided. Registration period interactions exist.

The purpose of the interaction is for the physical objects providing the packet data service to retrieve, store and maintain the information of the packet data service subscriber through the home locator.

In order to solve the above disadvantages, the present invention relates to physical objects providing packet data services and physical objects providing a home location registration period packet data service when a packet switching network exists separately in a mobile communication system providing a packet data service. An object of the present invention is to provide an interaction for retrieving, storing, and maintaining information of a packet data service subscriber through a home locator.

According to the above, the signaling protocol of the present invention should be able to transmit signal messages through the Internet network by adding the Internet protocol while leaving the existing common line signaling (CCS No. 7) protocol.

In this case, the home location register should be able to transmit signaling messages with the physical objects of the packet switched network through the Internet network and also through the common line signaling network with other physical objects of the circuit switched network. .

This signaling protocol provides the home locator with Internet access, thereby reducing the delay of the signaling message, providing ease of implementation, and simplifying the protocol, compared to the existing common line signaling (CCS No. 7) signaling protocol. Due to the improved performance, there is an advantage that the physical entities providing the packet data service do not have to have a separate common line signaling protocol and a common line signaling network for communication with the home locator.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a new function for accommodating the Internet protocol User Datagram Protocol (hereinafter referred to as UDP) and Internet Protocol (hereinafter referred to as IP) to a home location register. In addition, it provides a function of providing a connection function with an Internet-based packet switched network by providing a TCAP and a mobile communication application unit (MAP) existing in the application layer.

However, in this case, a signal connection control unit (SCCP) and an internet protocol (IP) exist simultaneously in the network layer (layer 3) of the OSI.

Therefore, in order to accommodate these two signaling protocols, new functions need to be added to the existing TCAP and MAP existing in the application layer.

To this end, the present invention has devised a proposed question processing function application unit (TCAP) and the proposed mobile communication application unit (MAP).

1 is a signal protocol structure diagram of a conventional home location register,

2 is a structural diagram of a mobile communication network based on the present invention;

3 is a signal protocol structure diagram of a home location register to which the present invention is applied;

4 is a structural diagram of a question-and-answer function application unit proposed in an application layer protocol according to the present invention;

5 is a structural diagram of a mobile communication application unit of an application layer protocol according to the present invention;

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

100,400: home location register 301: terminal

302: base station 303: control station

310: packet switched network 311: packet data service node

312: packet data gate node 313: internal IP backbone

320: Internet backbone 330: circuit switched network

331: exchange / visitor location register 332: common line signal network

401: asynchronous transfer mode physical layer 402: asynchronous transfer mode layer

403: message transfer layer 404: signaling connection control

411: Layer 1 (Ethernet) 1 412: Layer 2

413: Internet Protocol

414: User Datagram Protocol

421: Proposed question and answer function application unit

421a: ITU-T. Question and answer function application section in accordance with Q.771 to Q.774

421b: connection management sublayer 421c: routing address translation sublayer

421d: Message Distribution Sublayer 421e: UDP Interface Sublayer

421f: connection management service function unit 421f1: failure management function unit

421f2: Load balancing function 421f3: Dynamic setting function

421f4: statistical function unit 422: proposed mobile communication application unit

422a: Other mobile communication applications such as IS-41 422b: IP address management sublayer

500: internal IP backbone 600: common line signaling network

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 shows a structure of a telecommunications communication system that is the basis of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a circuit switched network 330 and a packet switched network 310 exist, and the location information of the circuit switched service subscriber and the location information of the packet switched data service subscriber are stored in the home location register 100. maintain.

This network structure is based on the existing GPRS network structure, but the following three things are different.

First, the home location register 100 communicates with a packet data service node (hereinafter referred to as PDSN) 311 or a packet data gateway node (hereinafter referred to as PDGN) 312. For connection to the common line signal (CCS No.7) network 332, but in the present invention is connected to the internal IP backbone (Intra-IP Backbone) network 313 in the packet switched network.

Second, although the packet data service node 311 and the packet data gateway node 312 are connected to the common line signal (CCS No. 7) 332 network for communication with the home location register 100, in the present invention, It is connected to the intra-IP backbone 313 network in the packet switched network.

Third, the Packet Data Service Node (PDSN) 311 and the Packet Data Gateway Node (PDGN) 312 serve as the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), which provide packet data service functions. Perform each.

That is, the packet data service node 311 plays a role similar to that of the SGSN, and the packet data gateway node 312 plays a role similar to the GGSN.

However, their roles follow the Packet Data Service Nodes (PDSN) and Packet Data Gateway Nodes (PDGN) as defined in ITU-T SG-11.

Therefore, the role played by each may be slightly different from SGSN and GGSN of GPRS.

3 illustrates a signal protocol structure of the home location register 400 proposed in the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, in order to be connected to an internet-based packet switched network, the proposed mobile communication application unit 422, the proposed question-processing function application unit 421, the layer 4 user datagram protocol 414, and the layer 3 internet. The combination of protocol 413, layer 2 412 and layer 1 411 protocol is applied.

The physical layer is connected to the internal IP backbone of the packet-switched network via Ethernet.

In order to be connected to the common line signaling network based on the common line signaling method (CCS No. 7), the proposed mobile communication application unit 422, the proposed question processing function application unit 421, the signal connection control unit 404, and the message transfer unit- A combination of Layer 3 (403), Asynchronous Transfer Mode Layer (402), and Asynchronous Transfer Mode Physical Layer (401) protocols is applied.

The physical layer based on the asynchronous transmission mode is connected to the common line signal (CCS No. 7) network.

Therefore, the proposed mobile communication application unit 422 and the proposed question-processing function application unit 421 which are application layer protocols are commonly used for both signal protocol structures.

In FIG. 3, application protocols include a question-and-answer function application unit (TCAP) and a mobile communication application unit (MAP).

In order for the home locator to accept both common line signaling (CCS No. 7) and Internet protocols simultaneously, some functionality must be added to the application protocols.

The reason for this is that the existing TCAP and MAP have a signaling connection control unit (SCCP) as a lower layer.

However, in the present invention, since the user datagram protocol (UDP) 414 and the internet protocol (IP) 413, which are Internet protocols, are placed below, a separate function must be added to the application layer to accommodate the two signaling protocols.

4 shows a function to be added based on the Q & A function application unit defined in the existing ITU-T, Q.771 to Q.774.

The main function of the proposed question-processing function application unit 421 additionally provides a TCAP message exchange function on a logical connection of the user datagram protocol (UDP).

The question-and-answer function application unit 421 basically includes the functions defined in ITU-T Q.771-Q.774, and the following four functional blocks are additionally required.

First, the connection and connection can be established using the standard socket library provided by the workstation operating system UNIX and the personal computer operating system Windows'95 (WIN95).

For this purpose, a UDP interface sub-layer 421e that can interface with the following UDP 414 layer is separately added to the proposed question-processing function application unit 421.

Second, the question and answer function application unit 421 is an application service element (hereinafter referred to as an ASE) for processing a signal message received through the Internet protocol and an application for processing the signal message received through the common line signaling protocol. The function of classifying and distributing service elements (ASE) is needed.

On the contrary, a function of distributing and sending a signal message transmitted from a higher-level mobile communication application unit to a signal connection control unit (SCCP) 404 or a user datagram protocol unit (UDP) 414 below is required.

The message distribution sublayer 421d performs a distribution function when transmitting and receiving a signal message.

Third, IP routing, a routing technique used in the Internet, is provided by the IP 413 layer below.

Accordingly, the question-and-answer function application unit 421 must provide a routing address translation function required in the upper layer of the UDP 414.

That is, it should have a global title translation function of common line signaling provided by the existing signal connection control unit (SCCP), and should be able to specify an IP address based on this.

This function is performed by the Routing Address Translation Sub-Layer 421c of FIG.

However, this sublayer should not be applied in two cases:

First, since the address translation function is performed by the upper mobile communication application unit (MAP) 422 and second, when a signaling message is transmitted to the lower signaling connection control unit (SCCP) 404, the function of this sub-layer is optional. Should be applied.

Fourth, a connection management service function should be provided.

This feature is necessary to deliver more reliable messages to the network integrity and higher layers.

The connection management service is performed in a separate connection management sub-layer 421b. The sub-layer provides the following functions.

First, a failure management function 421f1 is provided, and the operation is periodically checked whether the peer is in an operating state by using a keep alive technique, and then continuously operated in an operating state, and not in an operating state. There is a separate fault management function.

In addition, the load balancing function 421f2 is provided. When a plurality of connections exist in the same host, if an overload occurs, the load is distributed to another connection having a relatively low load.

In addition, the dynamic configuration function 421f3 should allow configuration dynamically during software execution.

Next, the statistics function 421f4 provides statistical functions such as the total number of messages transmitted and received and the number of error messages.

The statistical data generated by the statistical function is used as basic data of the load balancing function 421f2.

5 shows a function to be added in comparison with the existing mobile communication application unit such as IS-41.

In addition to the basic functions of the mobile communication application unit 422 applied to other mobile communication systems such as the IS-41, one sub-layer, that is, an IP address management sub-layer, is added. It stores the address information of each node of the packet switched network to communicate in the form of IP address.

When sending a signaling message, the IP address stored in the signaling message is designated and transmitted to the corresponding node.

Conversely, when a signal message is received, the transmitted IP address is stored.

This address management action is the same as the address management function of the existing common line signaling method (CCS No. 7), but the form of the address is changed to IP.

As described above, according to the present invention, by adding the Internet protocol, the home location register can transmit a signal message with the physical objects of the packet switched network through the Internet network, and also share the common line signal with other physical objects of the circuit switched network. Signaling messages can be delivered through the network.

In addition, since the common common signaling between physical objects in the packet switched network is not applied, delay of the signaling message is reduced, and it is easier to implement than the conventional common signaling (CCS No. 7) protocol. The performance improvement due to the simplification and the physical entity providing the packet data service do not have to have a separate common line signaling (CCS No. 7) protocol and common line signaling network for communication with the home locator.

In addition, when the signaling protocol of the home location register is common line signaling (CCS No. 7) and the signaling protocol structure of the physical objects of the packet switched network is the Internet protocol, a protocol conversion device for interworking these two signaling protocols is unnecessary.

Claims (5)

In the signaling protocol of a home location register in a circuit switched network of a mobile communication system providing a circuit switched service and a packet data service, a question-and-answer function application unit for simultaneously accommodating an internet protocol and a common line signaling protocol in the home location register protocol And a mobile communication application unit in common, and each accepts an internet protocol and a common line signaling protocol under the question-and-process function application unit. The method according to claim 1, wherein the question processing function application unit further complies with ITU-T Q.771-Q.774 for providing a TCAP message exchange function on a logical connection of a user datagram protocol (UDP). Wealth; A UDP interface sublayer capable of interfacing with the UDP layer; A message distribution sublayer for distributing and transmitting a signal message transmitted from an upper mobile communication application unit to a signal connection control unit or a user datagram protocol unit in case of transmission; And a routing address translation sublayer that provides a routing address translation function so that an IP address can be specified based on a global number system translation function of common line signaling provided by a signaling connection controller required by a higher layer of UDP. Application protocol for home locator. The method of claim 2, wherein the connection management sublayer periodically operates whether the partner is in an operating state by using a keep alive technique in the operating state, and if not, separate failure management. A fault management function that performs the function; A load balancing function for distributing the load to another connection having a relatively low load when an overload occurs when a plurality of connections exist in the same host; A dynamic setting function that enables dynamic setting even during software execution; And a statistics function for providing statistical functions such as the total number of messages transmitted and received, the number of error messages, and the like, so that the statistical data is used as basic data of the load balancing function. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication application unit stores the address information of each node of a packet-switching network to be communicated in the form of an IP address, and designates an IP address stored in a signal message and transmits the signal to a corresponding node when transmitting a signal message. And an IP address management sublayer that stores an IP address transmitted when a message is received. 5. The application protocol of claim 4, wherein the IP address management sublayer stores the address information of each node of a packet switching network to be communicated in the form of an IP address.