WO2007051407A1

WO2007051407A1 - Evolved mobile communication system and a terminal register method thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2007051407A1
Application number: PCT/CN2006/002909
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lan Liu; Hai Zhang; Wenlin Zhang; Sihong Zhou
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-11-01
Filing date: 2006-10-30
Publication date: 2007-05-10
Also published as: CN1960565A; CN100488282C

Abstract

An evolved mobile communication system and a terminal register method thereof are disclosed. The infrastructure mainly adds a user plane entity including the functions of the GGSN in 3GPP system and providing connections between the mobile communication system and the external data network, so as to accomplish the access and transfer of the data traffics, a mobility management entity managing and maintaining the register information related to the terminal, managing the roaming of the terminal between the UTRAN and the E-UTRAN as well as the mobility management in the E-UTRAN. When initiating an attaching request to the network, the terminal establishes a bearer to the UPE and obtains an IP address, so as to accomplish the register in the evolved network infrastructure of the 3GPP, so that the terminal or the network could initiate a service request. The invention could reduce the session establishment time delay greatly, simplify the procedure, optimize the exchange of the signaling and save the network resource.

Description

Evolved mobile communication network and terminal registration method The present application claims to be submitted to the Chinese Patent Office on November 1, 2005, the application number is 200510118984.4, and the invention name is "Evolved mobile communication network system terminal registration to the evolved 3G access network" The priority of the Chinese patent application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to the field of mobile communication technologies, and in particular, to an evolved mobile communication network system and a method for terminal registration in a third generation mobile communication system. Background technique

In order to ensure the competitiveness of the 3GPP system in the next 10 years and beyond, an access technology evolution work is being carried out within the 3GPP organization. In particular, in order to enhance the ability of 3GPP systems to handle rapidly growing IP data services, the use of packet technology within 3GPP systems requires further enhancement. The most important parts of this type of technology evolution include reduced latency, higher user data rates, increased system capacity and coverage, and lower overall carrier costs. Moreover, the evolved network structure is also an important indicator for the backward compatibility of existing networks.

Several elements that need to be met by an evolving network architecture are:

In the initialization phase of the terminal access network, the basic IP connection needs to be established in the evolved network;

The evolving network architecture must minimize the delay of user data;

The definition of each functional module in the evolved network architecture should avoid overlapping or duplication of functions to avoid unnecessary signaling interactions and delays.

In the structure of the existing Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), the structure of the user data plane enables the transmission of user data through the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) and the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN). , Serving GPRS Support Node ), the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) can reach the terminal, and the delay generated far exceeds the evolution of the network. The required delay.

In addition, in the original UMTS system, the attachment process of the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and the activation process of the Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context are two separate processes. After booting up, the terminal will perform a GPRS attach procedure, which is primarily an authentication process. After attaching, the terminal has no IP connection before activating the PDP context. Only when a network access point is selected and a PDP context activation request is initiated to the GGSN through the SGSN, the terminal is provided with an IP address and corresponding configuration parameters. As a result, the delay of the user initiating the service becomes longer, and the process is obviously inconsistent with the requirements of the evolved network. Therefore, the evolved network structure requires a new architecture and a registration process to minimize the delay.

Currently, the process of GPRS attach and PDP context activation for terminals defined in 3GPP is as shown in Figure 1:

1. The terminal initiates a GPRS attach request to the SGSN through the UTRAN;

2. Complete security functions such as authentication and authentication;

3. The SGSN initiates a location update request to the hierarchical service system HSS and obtains user subscription information from the HSS;

4. The SGSN sends a GPRS attach request to the terminal to accept;

5. Complete GPRS attachment;

6. The terminal initiates an activation PDP context request to the SGSN;

7. The SGSN initiates a PDP context establishment request to the GGSN; the GGSN performs authentication and address allocation through a Radius, Remote Access Dial in User Service server, or uses Radius for authentication and dynamic host configuration protocols. (DHCP, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) performs one of the two methods of assigning an IP address to the terminal, and then the GGSN responds to the PDP context establishment request;

8. Establishing a radio bearer between the terminal and the UTRAN;

9. The SGSN sends a PDP context update notification GGSN, and the GGSN accepts and confirms; (This signaling is triggered only when the wireless QoS level is lowered and cannot meet the required QoS level in the PDP context) 10. The PDP context activation is complete.

In addition, the network may also initiate a PDP context activation request, and Figure 2 is a network activation PDP context procedure, as shown in Figure 2:

21. The GGSN receives a protocol data unit PDP PDU ( Protocol Data Unit) of the packet data protocol;

22. The GGSN decides to initiate a PDP activation procedure for the network request and sends GPRS routing information to the HSS to obtain the SGSN information associated with the PDP address. The HSS sends GPRS routing information confirmation information to the GGSN;

23. The GGSN sends a PDU to notify the request message to the corresponding SGSN. The SGSN notifies the GGSN of the acknowledgment information to the GGSN to indicate that it will request the terminal to activate the relevant PDP context;

24. The SGSN requests the terminal to activate the PDP context;

25. The terminal enters the PDP context activation process.

As can be seen from the above description, the GPRS attachment and PDP context activation in the prior art are two independent processes, so that when a service comes, if there is no existing PDP context, the terminal must perform a PDP context activation request to obtain an IP. The address establishes a bearer completion session. In this way, the delay of service establishment will greatly exceed the maximum delay required by the evolved network. Moreover, the entire process involves many signaling interactions, which wastes a lot of network resources, especially air interface resources. Summary of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention provide an evolved mobile communication network and a terminal registration method, which provide a more optimized terminal registration process by establishing an evolved mobile communication network system architecture.

An evolved mobile communication network system provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes: a user plane entity UPE, configured to provide a connection between a mobile communication network and an external data network, and complete access and transmission of user service data;

The mobility management entity MME is configured to manage and save registration and session information related to the terminal, manage roaming of the terminal between different access networks, and move within the evolved universal terrestrial radio access network E-UTRAN. The UPE includes a user plane function of a GPRS support node; the MME includes a control plane function of a GPRS support node.

The mobility management function entity MME has an authentication and authentication control function.

The terminal-related registration and session information includes at least one of mobility management information, bearer description information, terminal identifier, status, user security parameters, and user subscription information.

The UPE has an interface with one or more of the MME, the SGSN, the E-UTRAN, and the UTRAN. These interfaces are user data planes through which user data is transmitted.

The interface protocol with the different access networks is a GTP-based enhanced protocol based on the GPRS tunneling protocol.

More suitably, the UPE module is directly connected to an external data network.

Preferably, the interface of the UPE module connected to the external data network is an enhanced Gi interface Gi +.

The MME has an interface with one or more of the UPE, the SGSN, and the E-UTRAN UTRAN. These interfaces constitute a signaling plane, and control signals for interaction between the transmission interfaces.

Preferably, the interface protocol is an enhanced GTP protocol.

The embodiment of the invention further provides a method for a terminal to register with an evolved mobile communication network, including:

The terminal establishes a bearer to the UPE in the process of initiating the registration process to the network, and obtains the IP address assigned by the network, and the terminal uses the obtained IP address to initiate a service request or respond to a network initiated service request.

Further, the method further includes the step of authenticating and authenticating the terminal.

The terminal is registered with the evolving mobile network, and is registered with the mobile communication network by using the E-UTRAN or the UTRAN, and specifically includes:

The terminal initiates a registration request to the MME function;

The MME and the UPE complete the bearer setup from the E-UTRAN or UTRAN to the UPE, and assign one to the terminal: [P address to establish the bearer of the terminal to the UPE. When the terminal registers with the mobile communication network through the UTRAN, the bearer established to the UPE is a bearer established directly from the SGSN to the UPE.

In summary, the present invention proposes a process for a terminal to register in an evolved mobile communication network system architecture. When the terminal initiates an attach registration to the network, the access system gateway (or user plane entity) establishes a terminal for the terminal. The default PDP context, and an IP address is assigned, so that when the terminal needs to initiate a service, the access system gateway (or user plane entity) can quickly configure the service according to the default PDP context and respond to the terminal, so that the entire service is established. The latency is greatly reduced and the need for UMTS network evolution is reached. When the response network initiates the service request, the UPE does not query the HSS for the MME of the terminal, but infers that the corresponding MME directly sends a service request notification to the MME according to the reserved default PDP context, thereby further reducing the service establishment time. Delay.

By combining the GPRS attach and PDP context activation processes of the terminal, the terminal obtains an IP address and a default PDP context immediately after the registration is completed, so that the session establishment delay is greatly shortened when the terminal initiates a service or responds to a network initiated session. And, by simplifying the process, the signaling interaction is optimized, and the resources of the network are greatly saved. DRAWINGS

1 is an evolved mobile communication system network architecture of the present invention;

2 is a flow chart of GPRS attachment and PDP context activation of a terminal in an existing UMTS system;

3 is a flow of a network activation PDP context in an existing UMTS system; FIG. 4 is a flow chart of terminal registration in the evolved mobile communication system network architecture of the present invention;

5 is a structural diagram of an evolved mobile communication system separated from an MME and a UPE according to the present invention;

6 is a schematic diagram of a terminal registration process to an evolved mobile communication system in the first embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a schematic diagram of a terminal originating service request flow in a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a terminal originating service request flow in a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is another embodiment of the present invention. Evolved mobile communication system architecture, in the shelf The MME is part of the UPE;

10 is a schematic diagram of a process of registering a terminal by E-UTRA to an evolved mobile communication system in a fourth embodiment of the present invention based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 9;

11 is a schematic diagram of a process of registering a terminal with an evolved mobile communication system via a SGSN through a UTRAN in a fifth embodiment of the present invention based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 9;

12 is a schematic diagram of a process of registering a terminal to an evolved mobile communication network via UPE through UTRA in a sixth embodiment of the present invention based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 9;

13 is a network architecture diagram when a terminal registers with an evolved mobile network through an SGSN when the MME and the UPE are separated;

FIG. 14 is a network architecture diagram when a terminal registers with an evolved mobile network through an SGSN when the MME and the UPE are both an entity. detailed description

Hereinafter, the evolved mobile communication network system architecture of the present invention and the method for its terminal to register with the evolved 3G access network will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

Figure 1 shows an evolved mobile communication system network architecture of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the portion of the present invention is a portion within a solid line frame.

In the evolved network architecture of the present invention, two new functional modules are newly established, namely an Access System Gateway (ASGW) module and an Evolved Mobility Management (E-MM) module. Can be #爻 in the same entity, or can be set separately.

The interface between the ASGW and the SGSN, UTRAN, and evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN, Evolved-UTRAN) is the user data plane. Therefore, the ASGW is also called the User Plan Entity (UPE). For the sake of specification, the following The ASGW is collectively referred to as a user plane entity UPE. The E-MM [interface with SGSN, UTRAN, E-UTRAN is the signaling plane, and E-MM is also called "Mobility Management Entity"). For the sake of specification, the following E-MM is collectively referred to as The entity MME is managed for mobility. That is, all signaling that interacts with the SGSN, UTRAN, E-UTRAN is transmitted by the interface with the MME, and all user data is transmitted by the UPE interface.

The main function of the MME is to manage and save the mobility management context related to the terminal. Bearer description context, terminal ID, status, user security parameters, user subscription information, etc., including but not limited to all control functions of the SGSN in the original 3GPP system, and the interface protocol connected to SGSN, UTRAN, E-UTRA is based on Enhanced protocol for the GPRS tunneling protocol GTP-C.

The UPE is responsible for the connection of the mobile communication network to the external data network, and provides data transmission between the evolved network and the external data network. The interface protocol between UPE and SGSN, UTRAN, and E-UTRAN is an enhanced protocol based on GTP-U.

Based on the network architecture described above, the following describes the specific process for the terminal to register with the network: As shown in FIG. 4, the process of registering the terminal in the evolved network architecture in the embodiment of the present invention is as follows:

Step S401. After the terminal is powered on, initiate a registration request to the MME.

Step S402. Performing security functions including authentication, authentication, and the like by an entity such as 3GPP-MME and HSS;

First, if the MME does not have a previously stored authentication vector, the authentication message is sent to the HSS to obtain an authentication vector (triple or quintuple) and then the MME sends an authentication and encryption request message to the terminal, and the terminal replies to the corresponding packet. The right encryption response, the MME authenticates and authenticates the terminal according to whether the parameter in the terminal reply information matches the obtained by the HSS.

Step S403. The MME, the UPE, and the like participate in the bearer establishment from the E-UTRAN to the UPE, and allocate an IP address to the terminal. The specific process is as follows:

The MME sends a bearer setup request to the UPE, and the UPE and the policy control rule function entity

(PCRP, Policy Control Rules Function) interacts to establish the context associated with the device, and assigns an IP address to the terminal, where the heterogeneous access system mobility management anchor (Hetero AS MM, Hetero AS Mobility Management Anchor) is A functional module for locating a user plane in which a terminal moves between different access systems. The IP address and the QoS parameters are returned to the MME, and the MME sends a radio bearer setup request to the E-UTRAN to include the necessary information such as the corresponding QoS parameters, and the radio bearer and the radio bearer established by the E-UTRAN to the terminal complete the entire bearer setup process.

Step S404. The MME initiates a user location update through the UPE or directly to the HSS and obtains user subscription data. Step S405. The MME sends a registration request to the terminal to accept;

Step S406. The registration process is completed, and a bearer to the UPE is established.

The procedure for registering a terminal to an evolved mobile communication system based on the architecture shown in FIG. 5 is described in the following FIG. 5, the MME and the UPE are separate physical entities, and the interface between the UPE and the MME is GTP-based. C is an enhanced protocol; MME is connected to SGSN, UTRAN, and E-UTRAN respectively, and its interface protocol is a GTP-C-based enhanced protocol; UPE is connected to SGSN and UTRAN>E-UTRAN, respectively, and its interface protocol is GTP-based. Enhanced agreement.

Embodiment 1:

Figure 6 is an embodiment of a process for a terminal to register an evolved mobile communication network through E-UTRAN in the evolved network architecture of the present invention. As can be seen from this embodiment, the key point is that when the terminal registers with the network, a bearer to the UPE is established, and an IP address is assigned to the terminal. As shown in Figure 6, the registration process is as follows:

Step S601. After the terminal is powered on, initiate a registration request to the MME.

Step S602. Entity, such as the MME and the HSS, participate in the security function, including authentication, authentication, and the like;

Step S603. The MME initiates a request for creating a bearer to the UPE, and the UPE performs authentication and address allocation through the server, or uses a Radius or Diameter network protocol for authentication. The Diameter (diameter) protocol is an upgraded version of the RADIUS protocol, including a basic protocol. Network Access Service (NAS) protocol, Extensible Authentication (EAP) protocol, Mobile IP (MIP) protocol, Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) protocol, etc. The Diameter protocol supports the authentication, authorization, and accounting of mobile IP, NAS requests, and mobile agents. It uses TCP protocol, supports distributed accounting, overcomes many shortcomings of RADIUS, and is the most suitable AAA protocol for future mobile communication systems. The DHCP assigns an address to the terminal to allocate an IP address, and then returns a request response for creating a bearer to the MME, including parameters such as the IP address of the terminal. The returned information mainly includes the following contents: an IP address allocated to the terminal; an MME storing the terminal information; a UPE allocated to the terminal;

Step S604. The MME initiates a user location update through the UPE or directly to the HSS and obtains user subscription data. Step S605. The MME sends a registration request acceptance to the terminal, and carries an IP address allocated for the terminal.

Step S606. The registration process is completed, and a bearer to the UPE is established.

Embodiment 2:

Figure 7 is a diagram showing the terminal in the evolved network architecture of the present invention through UTRAN or

An embodiment of the GERAN or UMA registration process to the evolved mobile communication network via the SGSN. The evolved network architecture diagram at this time, as shown in FIG. 13, can be seen from this embodiment. The key point is that when the terminal registers with the network, a bearer to the UPE is established, and an IP address is assigned to the terminal. The signaling from the SGSN to the UPE is transparently transmitted through the MME. The MME does not actually participate in the registration process during the whole process, as shown in Figure 7, as follows:

Step S701. After the terminal is powered on, initiate a registration request to the SGSN.

Step S702. Participating in security functions, including authentication, authentication, etc., by an entity such as an SGSN entity or an HSS;

Step S703. The SGSN initiates a request for creating a bearer to the UPE, and the UPE performs authentication and address allocation through the server, or uses the Radius or Diameter network protocol for authentication and address allocation by DHCP to assign an IP to the terminal. The address, and then returns a request response to the SGSN to create a bearer, including parameters such as the IP address of the terminal. The returned information mainly includes the following contents: an IP address allocated to the terminal; an SGSN storing the terminal information; a UPE allocated to the terminal;

Step S704. The SGSN initiates user location update and obtains user subscription data through the UPE or directly to the HSS.

Step S705. The SGSN sends a registration request acceptance to the terminal, and carries an IP address allocated for the terminal.

Step S706. The registration process is completed, and a bearer to the UPE is established.

Embodiment 3:

8 is an embodiment of a process for a terminal to register with an evolved mobile communication network via the MME via the UTRAN in the evolved network architecture of the present invention. It can be seen from this embodiment that the key point is that when the terminal registers with the network, a bearer to the UPE is established, and And assign an IP address to the terminal. As shown in FIG. 8, the registration process is completely the same as that in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described.

The specific registration process of the terminal to the evolved mobile communication system through E-UTRAN based on the system architecture shown in FIG. 9 will be described below with reference to specific embodiments. In the architecture diagram 9, the MME is part of the UPE, and the UPE is connected to the SGSN, UTRAN, and E-UTRAN respectively, and the interface protocol is a GTP-based enhanced protocol.

Embodiment 4:

Figure 10 is an embodiment of a process for a terminal to register an evolved mobile communication network through E-UTRAN in the evolved network architecture of the present invention. As can be seen from this embodiment, the key point is that when the terminal registers with the network, a bearer to the UPE is established, and an IP address is assigned to the terminal. As shown in Figure 10, the details are as follows:

Step S1001. After the terminal is powered on, initiate a registration request to the UPE.

Step S1002. The UPE entity, the HSS, and other entities participate in the security function, including authentication, authentication, etc. ^

Step S1003. The UPE initiates a user location update to the HSS and obtains the user subscription data. Step S1004. The UPE performs authentication and address allocation through the server, or uses the Radius or Diameter network protocol for authentication and DHCP to perform address allocation. One of the terminals assigns an IP address to the terminal, and establishes a context information, which mainly includes the following contents: an IP address assigned to the terminal; an MME storing the terminal information; and a UPE allocated to the terminal. The UPE then sends a registration request to the terminal to accept and carries the IP address assigned to the terminal.

Step S1005. Complete the registration process and establish a bearer to the UPE.

Embodiment 5:

11 is an embodiment of a process for a terminal to register with an evolved mobile communication network via SGSN through UTRAN or GERAN or UMA in the evolved network architecture of the present invention. At this time, the evolved network architecture diagram, as shown in FIG. 14, can be seen from the embodiment. The key point is that when the terminal registers with the network, a bearer to the UPE is established, and the terminal is assigned an address. As shown in Figure 11, the details are as follows:

Step S1101. After the terminal is powered on, initiate a registration request to the SGSN. Step S1102. Participating in security functions, including authentication, authentication, etc., by an entity such as an SGSN entity or an HSS;

Step S1103. The SGSN initiates a request for creating a bearer to the UPE, and the UPE uses the server to perform authentication and address allocation, or uses the Radius or Diameter network protocol for authentication and DHCP to perform address allocation. The address, and then returns a request response to the SGSN to create a bearer, including parameters such as the IP address of the terminal. The returned information mainly includes the following contents: an IP address allocated to the terminal; an SGSN storing the terminal information; a UPE allocated to the terminal;

Step S1104. The SGSN initiates user location update and obtains user subscription data through the UPE or directly to the HSS;

Step S1105. The SGSN sends a registration request acceptance to the terminal, and carries an IP address assigned to the terminal.

Step S1106. Complete the registration process and establish a bearer to the UPE.

Example 6:

Figure 12 is an embodiment of a process for a terminal to register with an evolved mobile communication network via UPE via UTRAN in the evolved network architecture of the present invention. As can be seen from this embodiment, the key point is that when the terminal registers with the network, a bearer to the UPE is established, and an IP address is assigned to the terminal. As shown in Figure 12, the registration process is completely consistent with that in the fourth embodiment, so it is not described.

The above embodiments are intended to illustrate and explain the principles of the invention. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

Rights request

An evolved mobile communication network system, comprising:

The user plane entity UPE is configured to provide a connection between the mobile communication network and the external data network, and complete access and transmission of user service data;

The mobility management entity MME is configured to manage and store registration and session information related to the terminal, manage roaming of the terminal between different access networks, and move within the evolved universal terrestrial radio access network E-UTRAN.

2. The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 1, wherein said UPE comprises a user plane function of a GPRS support node, and said MME comprises a control plane function of a GPRS support node.

The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 1, characterized in that said mobility management function entity MME has an authentication and authentication control function.

The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 1, wherein the registration and session information related to the terminal includes mobility management information, bearer description information, terminal identifier, status, security parameters of the user, and a user. At least one of the signing information.

The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 1, wherein the UPE has an interface with one or more of an MME, a serving GPRS support node SGSN, an E-UTRAN, and a universal terrestrial radio access network UTRAN. These interfaces are user data planes through which user data is transmitted.

The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 1, wherein the interface protocol of the mobility management entity MME and the different access network is an enhanced protocol based on the GPRS Tunneling Protocol GTP.

7. The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 1, wherein said UPE is directly connected to an external data network.

8. The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 7, wherein the interface of the UPE connected to the external data network is an enhanced Gi interface Gi+.

The evolved mobile communication network system according to claim 1, wherein the MME has an interface with one or more of a UPE, an SGSN, an E-UTRAN, and a UTRAN, and the interfaces constitute a signaling plane, and the transmission interface Control signaling between interactions.

10. The mobile communication network system according to claim 9, wherein the interface protocol is an enhanced GTP protocol.

A method for a terminal to register with an evolved mobile communication network, the method for the mobile communication system of claim 1, comprising:

The terminal establishes a bearer to the UPE in the process of initiating the registration process to the network, and obtains the IP address assigned by the network, and the terminal uses the obtained IP address to initiate a service request or respond to a network-initiated service request.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of authenticating and authenticating the terminal.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the terminal registers with the evolved mobile network and registers with the mobile communication network through the E-UTRAN or the UTRAN, including:

The terminal initiates a registration request to the MME function;

The MME and the UPE complete the bearer establishment from the E-UTRAN or the UTRAN to the UPE, and allocate an IP address to the terminal to establish a bearer from the terminal to the UPE.

The method according to claim 11, wherein when the terminal registers with the mobile communication network through the UTRAN, the bearer established to the UPE is a bearer established directly from the SGSN to the UPE.

The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the registration method further comprises the following steps:

The MME initiates a user location update to the HSS directly or through the UPE and obtains user subscription data.

The method according to claim 11, wherein said establishing a bearer to the UPE comprises:

The MME initiates a bearer setup request to the UPE, and the server performs authentication and address assignment. The server assigns an IP address to the terminal, and returns a request response for creating a default bearer to the MME.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the UPE uses the remote dial-up user service to access the Radius protocol or the DIAMETER protocol for authentication, and is served by the DHCP. The server performs address allocation.

The method according to claim 16, wherein the default bearer information mainly comprises: an IP address allocated to the terminal, an MME or SGSN node information storing the terminal information, and at least one of the UPE node information allocated to the terminal. .