JP7170694B2 - Customer management device, communication system, program and management method of display name for communication - Google Patents

Description

The present invention uses a domain name or APN (Access Point Name) that is operated by a user company that uses a registration device such as a DNS (Domain Name System) operated by a management company, and is assigned to a customer of the user company. ), a communication system, a program, and a method for managing communication display names.

Conventionally, a method using a wildcard APN is known as a method of collectively registering correspondence relationships between a communication address of a PGW (packet data network (PDN) gateway (GW)) and a plurality of APNs (Patent Document 1). In the system disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a home subscriber server (HSS) manages the correspondence relationship between the communication address of the PGW and the APN for each subscriber. In this system, when communication using a new APN different from the APN managed by HSS is performed from a communication terminal used by a subscriber who subscribes to a wildcard APN, Then, the new APN is added.

Japanese Patent No. 4991969

In the field of mobile communications, virtual mobile network operators (MVNO: Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is known. When an MVNO conducts a mobile communication business, the APN (communication display name) assigned to the MVNO and the relevant A registration process is required for registering the correspondence relationship with the communication address of the MVNO's PGW in the DNS (registration device) of the MNO.

MVNOs are considering developing a business in which customers to whom APNs are assigned use APNs containing character strings desired by the customers themselves. However, if an MVNO that uses MNO's mobile communication facilities allocates an APN desired by the customer to the customer in response to a request from the customer of the MVNO, each time the MVNO receives the customer's request, , the MNO for the registration process described above. Therefore, there is a problem that the procedure for allocating the APN desired by the customer is complicated and time-consuming.

This problem is not limited to the case where the service provider is the MVNO, but it is a virtual mobile service provider (MVNE: Mobile Virtual Network Enabler) that provides services that support the mobile communication business of the MVNO using the mobile communication facilities of the MNO. ) is a user business operator, the same problem arises. For example, if the MVNE allocates an APN desired by the MVNO to an MVNO that is a customer of the MVNE, the MVNE needs to request the MNO to perform the registration process described above every time it receives a request from the MVNO. There is a problem that the procedure is complicated.
Moreover, the above problem is not limited to the mobile communication business, but is a problem that occurs in a wide range of network businesses as well.

A customer management device according to an aspect of the present invention is a registration device operated by a management business operator, and includes a communication address of a communication device used by a business operator who uses the registration device and a plurality of display names for communication. are collectively registered, and when a communication terminal used by a customer of said user business and said communication device communicate with each other, the communication display name assigned to said customer out of said plurality of communication display names Customer management operated by the user business operator for a communication system that acquires the communication address of the communication device from the registration device and establishes communication between the communication terminal and the communication device using an acquisition unit for acquiring one or more communication display names selected from the plurality of communication display names by the plurality of customers; a correspondence relationship between the one or more communication display names acquired by the acquiring unit and the customer who selected the communication display name is stored in a storage unit that stores the correspondence relationship between each assigned communication display name; and a registration unit for registering.
In the customer management device, the acquisition unit may acquire the one or more display names for communication via a communication network.
Further, in the customer management device, the communication display name may be an APN (Access Point Name) of the communication device.
Further, in the customer management device, the communication device may be a gateway device.
Further, in the customer management device, the communication device selects a gateway device from among a plurality of gateway devices based on a communication display name corresponding to communication data to be received, and transmits the communication data to the selected gateway device. It may be a data sorting device for transmission.
Further, in the customer management device, the gateway device may be a gateway device of a closed network used by the customer.
Further, in the customer management device, the user operator uses a DNS (Domain Name System), which is the registration device managed by a mobile network operator (MNO), which is the management operator. a mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE), and the customer is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to which a display name for communication is assigned by the virtual mobile service provider may be

Further, a communication system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a registration device operated by a management company and collectively registering a correspondence relationship between a communication address of a communication device and a plurality of display names for communication, and the registration device. and a customer management device that is operated by a service provider that uses the service provider and manages a display name for communication assigned to a customer of the service provider from among the plurality of display names for communication, and used by the customer When the communication terminal and the communication device communicate with each other, the communication display name assigned to the customer is used to obtain the communication address of the communication device from the registration device, and the communication terminal and the communication device communicate with each other. A communication system for establishing communication between and, wherein the customer management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is used as the customer management apparatus.

Further, a program according to still another aspect of the present invention provides a registration device operated by a management business operator with a communication address of a communication device used by a user business operator who uses the registration device and a plurality of communication displays. When the communication terminal used by the customer of the user business and the communication device communicate with each other, the communication display name assigned to the customer among the plurality of communication display names is registered collectively. Operated by the user operator for a communication system that acquires the communication address of the communication device from the registration device using the name and establishes communication between the communication terminal and the communication device A program for a computer of a customer management device to function, the acquisition unit for acquiring one or more communication display names selected from among the plurality of communication display names by a plurality of customers of said using business operator. and the one or more communication display names acquired by the acquisition unit and the one or more communication display names acquired by the acquisition unit in a storage unit that stores correspondence relationships between the plurality of customers of the user business operator and the communication display names assigned to each of the plurality of customers. The computer is caused to function as a registration unit for registering a correspondence relationship with a customer who has selected the display name for communication.

Further, in a communication display name management method according to still another aspect of the present invention, a registration device operated by a management business operator is provided with a communication address of a communication device used by a user business operator who uses the registration device. and a plurality of communication display names are collectively registered, and when a communication terminal used by a customer of said user business and said communication device communicate with each other, said customer among said plurality of communication display names A communication display name in a communication system that acquires a communication address of the communication device from the registration device using the assigned communication display name and establishes communication between the communication terminal and the communication device. A management method comprising: obtaining one or more communication display names selected from among the plurality of communication display names by a plurality of customers of the user business operator; Registering the correspondence relationship between the one or more acquired communication display names and the customer who selected the communication display name in a storage unit that stores the correspondence relationship with the communication display name assigned to each of the plurality of customers. including doing and
The communication display name management method further includes collectively registering in the registration device a correspondence relationship between the communication address of the communication device and the plurality of communication display names, and As the plurality of display names for communication, a display name for communication in a format including special characters that mean a plurality of types of characters or a plurality of types of character strings may be used.

According to the present invention, it is possible to simplify procedures when a user business operator allocates a communication display name including a character string desired by a customer to the customer in response to the customer's request.

1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication system according to an embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an overview of the flow of processing for a communication terminal to connect from a PGW to a PDN in the same communication system; Explanatory drawing which shows the outline|summary of the procedure between the operators in connection with this communication system. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of schematic structure of the communication system which concerns on a modification. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an overview of the flow of processing for a communication terminal used by user C to connect from PGW-C to user C's closed PDN in the same communication system; FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication system according to this embodiment.
In this embodiment, a virtual mobile service provider (MVNE), which is a user operator, for a plurality of virtual mobile communication operators (MVNO-A, MVNO-B, MVNO-C), which are customers of the MVNE, This is an example of providing a service that supports the mobile communication business conducted by each MVNO using the mobile communication facilities of the mobile communication business MNO, which is the management business. In this embodiment, the MVNE assigns an individual APN (communication display name) to each MVNO, and the communication terminal used by each MVNO user through the PGW 70 as a gateway device that is a communication device used by the MVNE. 10A, 10B, and 10C enable communication via PDN (Packet Data Network) 1 .

Here, MVNO-A is assigned an APN of "AAA.apn", MVNO-B is assigned an APN of "BBB.apn", and MVNO-C is assigned an APN of "CCC.apn". ing. Also, in the example of FIG. 1, for convenience of illustration, only one communication terminal 10A, 10B, and 10C of each MVNO is shown, but normally there are two or more communication terminals. Also, the PDN 1 may be the Internet or the like, or may be a closed network.

In the communication system of the present embodiment, communication terminals 10A, 10B, and 10C (communication terminals used by users of each MVNO) are used by three MVNOs (MVNO-A, MVNO-B, and MVNO-C) that are customers of the MVNE. communicates via the PDN 1, it is necessary to establish communication between the communication terminals 10A, 10B, 10C and the PGW 70 of the MVNE. At this time, the APN assigned to each MVNO is used to acquire the communication address (PGW address) of the PGW 70 from the DNS 50 as a registration device, and communication between the communication terminals 10A, 10B, 10C and the PGW 70 is established. This process is performed by MME (Mobility Management Entity) 40, for example.

The communication system of this embodiment mainly includes communication terminals 10A, 10B, and 10C used by each MVNO, equipment operated by the MNO, and equipment operated by the MVNE. Facilities operated by the MNO are, for example, a base station 20, an SGW (Serving Gateway) 30, an MME 40, and a DNS 50. Facilities operated by the MVNE are, for example, an HSS (Home Subscriber Server) 60, a PGW 70, a customer management device 80, and an authentication server 90.

Regarding facilities operated by the MVNE, the customer management device 80 is managed and operated by the MVNE, which is the business operator, but other facilities may be managed and operated by other business operators. For example, at least one of the HSS 60, PGW 70, and authentication server 90 may be managed and operated by each MVNO that is a customer of the MVNE. As in this embodiment, the HSS 60, PGW 70, and authentication server 90 are managed and operated by the MVNE, so that each MVNO, which is a customer of the MVNE, can operate the mobile communication business without preparing its own equipment. It becomes possible.

Each of the communication terminals 10A to 10C of this embodiment has at least a mobile communication unit 12, a control unit 13 and a storage unit 14, and according to the functions of the communication terminals 10A to 10C, a display unit 11 and an operation unit 15 Prepare.

The mobile communication unit 12 is a communication unit for mobile communication, also called a mobile station, and functions as communication means for communicating via a mobile communication network. performs high-frequency signal processing for wireless communication with the base station 20 of . The mobile communication unit 12 has a function of performing communication using IP (Internet Protocol) via a mobile communication network. This mobile communication unit 12 is configured as, for example, a communication module. The mobile communication unit 12 allows the communication terminals 10A to 10C to perform wireless communication with the base station 20 using a predetermined wireless communication method and connect to the mobile communication network.

The control unit 13 controls operations of the communication terminals 10A to 10C. The control unit 13 is configured by, for example, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). By executing a program such as predetermined firmware, the control unit 13 can execute various processes using communication via the PDN 1, for example.

The storage unit 14 is composed of RAM, ROM, etc., and stores various data used by the control unit 13 . For example, in the storage unit 14, IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) or GUTI (Globally Unique Temporary ID) (hereinafter referred to as "IMSI"), which is terminal identification information assigned in advance to each of the communication terminals 10A to 10C ) information is stored. The storage unit 14 also stores PCO (Protocol Configuration Options) used for communication via the PDN, setting data such as APN assigned to the MVNO corresponding to the communication terminal, and the like.

In addition, the base station 20 constitutes a radio access network (RAN), and is also called eNodeB (eNB), gNodeB, or the like, or may be called a macro cell base station, a small cell base station, or the like depending on the size of the cell it forms. be called. The base station 20 includes, for example, a radio unit (RRH) that transmits and receives radio signals and a baseband unit (BBU) that performs digital baseband signal processing. For example, the RRH converts the digital baseband signal received from the BBU into an RF signal, power-amplifies it to a predetermined signal level, and transmits it to the communication terminals 10A to 10C. Also, the RRH converts the RF signal received from the mobile communication unit 12 of the communication terminals 10A to 10C into a digital baseband signal and transmits the digital baseband signal to the BBU.

The SGW 30 is a gateway device that performs data communication with the base station 20 through a mobile communication network without using IP. relays data communication using That is, the SGW 30 serves as an anchor point for the RAN including the base station 20 and relays user packet data between the PGWs 70 .

A core network included in a mobile communication network is also called an EPC (Evolved Packet Core) in LTE/LTE-Advanced, for example, and is connected to a base station 20 via a predetermined communication interface. A core network may have other nodes, such as SCEF (Service Capability Exposure Function) and PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function), other than MME40.

The MME 40 is a node that accommodates the base station 20 and performs wireless communication network control, mobility control, handover control, user authentication control, communication establishment control, and the like. The MME 40 may have a function of collecting and storing information such as communication log information and communication control parameters for each of the communication terminals 10A to 10C and the base station 20. FIG.

The DNS 50 is managed and operated by the MNO, and is used by the communication terminals 10A to 10C when the communication terminals 10A to 10C used by the MVNOs that are customers of the MVNE communicate with the PGW 70. Name resolution processing for identifying the communication address of the PGW 70 is performed based on the APN assigned to the MVNO. The DNS 50 of this embodiment includes at least a name resolution database 51 in which correspondence relationships between the communication addresses of the PGW 70 used by the MVNE and the multiple APNs assigned to each MVNO that is the customer of the MVNE are registered.

The HSS 60 includes a database of information on users (subscribers) who use the communication services of the mobile communication business of each MVNO, who are customers of the MVNE. A process of notifying the information to the MME 40 at the opportunity of position registration is performed.

The PGW 70 is a gateway device for an external network such as the PDN 1, and is a communication device for communicating via the PDN 1 with the communication terminals 10A to 10C used by the MVNO, which is the customer of the MVNE. The PGW 70 has functions such as issuing IP addresses to the communication terminals 10A to 10C, user authentication for connection to the PDN 1, creating communication usage data for billing (for example, CDR: Call Data Record), and DHCP server functions.

Here, the name resolution database 51 of the DNS 50 described above uses a wildcard APN in a format including a wildcard represented by a special character "*", which means a plurality of types of characters or a plurality of types of character strings, as the APN to be registered. corresponds to In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the correspondence relationship between the communication address of the PGW 70 and the wildcard APN "*.apn" is registered in the name resolution database 51. FIG. By using such a wildcard APN, it becomes easier to collectively register the correspondence between one communication address and a plurality of APNs, manage the plurality of APNs, and so on. In particular, as a method of collectively registering the correspondence between one communication address and a plurality of APNs, the correspondence between the communication address and each APN may be individually registered. are associated with the same communication address, it is convenient to use a wildcard APN.

When an MVNE assigns an individual APN to a new customer MVNO, conventionally, every time a new MVNO is created, the corresponding relationship between the APN assigned to the new MVNO and the PGW 70 used by the MVNE is defined as the name of the DNS 50. The registration process for newly registering in the resolution database 51 is requested to the MNO that manages and operates the DNS 50 . In this case, both the MVNE side and the MNO side are cumbersome in that procedures are generated each time a new MVNO is generated. In addition, since the necessary processing and procedures on the MNO side take time, a lot of time is required before the MVNE can allocate an APN to the new MVNO.

In particular, recently, MVNOs to which APNs are assigned often request MVNEs to use APNs containing their desired character strings. In order to respond to such a request, the MVNE, which has received the APN desired by the MVNO, has to perform a procedure to inquire of the MNO whether the APN can be used, which further complicates and lengthens the procedure.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the correspondence relationship between a plurality of APNs that the MVNE may assign to the MVNO in the future and the communication address of the PGW 70 to be used by the MVNO, which is the customer of the MVNE, is collectively registered in the DNS 50 in advance. MVNE performs the procedure to MNO. Specifically, the MVNE requests the MNO in advance to perform a registration process of registering the correspondence between the communication address of the PGW 70 and the wildcard APN "*.apn" in the name resolution database 51 . By completing this registration process, if the MVNE is an APN included within the wildcard range of "*.apn", when allocating a new APN to the MVNO, the new APN is sent to the MNO. Procedures for requesting registration processing become unnecessary.

In order to implement the above processes and procedures, this embodiment uses a customer management device 80 managed and operated by the MVNE. This customer management device 80 mainly comprises a customer database 81 , an external communication section 82 , a processing section 83 and an internal communication section 84 .

The customer database 81 functions as a storage unit that stores the correspondence between MVNO-A, MVNO-B, and MVNO-C, which are customers of MVNE, and their assigned APNs. Other information stored in the customer database 81 includes, for example, IMSIs issued to customers MVNO-A, MVNO-B, and MVNO-C. In addition, the information stored in the customer database 81 can be arbitrarily set, and examples thereof include information such as a user name used for authentication, a password, an authentication method (PAP, CHAP, etc.), band limitation, and the like. If the authentication server 90 is managed by the customer MVNO, it is not necessary to store information such as the user name and password for authentication in the customer database 81. Instead, for example, the authentication server 90 may store the communication address of

The external communication unit 82 communicates with devices outside the control of the MVNE. In particular, the external communication unit 82 of this embodiment is used by operators of MVNO-A, MVNO-B, and MVNO-C, who are customers of the MVNE, to access the customer management device 80 through a network such as the Internet using a communication device. used as an interface for At each MVNO, an operator operates a terminal device such as a personal computer and accesses the customer management device 80 through the external communication unit 82, so that various information can be input from the customer page of the MVNE. can improve performance. In particular, in this embodiment, each MVNO can input the desired APN from the MVNE's customer page within the wildcard range of "*.apn" that the MVNE has registered in the MNO's DNS 50 in advance. can be done. Therefore, the external communication unit 82 allows multiple customers MVNO-A, MVNO-B, and MVNO-C to select one or two or more from within the wildcard range of "*.apn" pre-registered in the DNS 50. It functions as an acquisition unit that acquires an APN.

The processing unit 83 executes various processes performed by the customer management device 80 . In particular, the processing unit 83 of the present embodiment functions as a registration unit, and registers in the customer database 81 the correspondence between the APN selected by each MVNO acquired by the external communication unit 82 and the MVNO that selected the APN. process.

Further, the processing unit 83 of the present embodiment, when the MVNO, who is the customer of the MVNE, registers the desired APN input from the MVNE customer page in the customer database 81, the internal communication unit 84 sends the HSS 60 the APN and Request processing is performed to register the corresponding relationship with the user of the MVNO. In this case, in response to a request from the internal communication unit 84 of the customer management device 80, the HSS 60 associates (links) the requested APN with the IMSI of the MVNO user corresponding to the APN in the subscriber information database. process). Although this processing is performed in this embodiment in which the HSS 60 is managed by the MVNE, it is not necessary when the HSS 60 is managed by the MNO. Instead, the wildcard APN is registered in the HSS managed by the MNO once for the first time.

In addition, the processing unit 83 of the present embodiment provides authentication information managed by the customer database 81 to the authentication server 90 that performs user authentication for the PGW 70 to authenticate the connection to the PND 1 of the communication terminals 10A to 10C. Also process. For example, when the MVNO, who is the customer of the MVNE, registers the desired APN input from the customer page of the MVNE in the customer database 81, the processing unit 83 transmits the APN and the MVNO from the internal communication unit 84 to the authentication server 90. Perform request processing to register the corresponding relationship with the user. In this case, in response to a request from the internal communication unit 84 of the customer management device 80, the authentication server 90 associates the requested APN with the IMSI of the MVNO user corresponding to the APN in the authentication database ( link) process.

The internal communication unit 84 communicates with devices under the control of the MVNE, and is used as an interface when communicating with the HSS 60 and the authentication server 90 managed and operated by the MVNE.

Also, the authentication server 90 performs user authentication of the communication terminals 10A to 10C connected to the PDN 1 via the PGW 70. FIG. Upon receiving the user authentication request from the PGW 70, the authentication server 90 refers to the authentication database and performs user authentication based on the IMSI and APN related to the user authentication request. When a new APN is registered in the customer database 81 in the customer management device 80, information in the authentication database (authentication confirmation information) is updated. Although the authentication server 90 and the customer management device 80 may each have a database as in the present embodiment, they may be integrated into one of the databases. For example, the customer database 81 of the customer management device 80 may be integrated with the authentication database of the authentication server 90 .

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an outline of the flow of processing for the communication terminals 10A to 10C to connect from the PGW 70 to the PDN 1 in the communication system of this embodiment.
In the description here, the communication terminal 10A of MVNO-A is used, but the communication terminals 10B and 10C of other MVNOs are the same.

For example, when the user powers on the communication terminal 10A, the mobile communication unit 12 of the communication terminal 10A transmits a connection request including IMSI information assigned in advance to the MME 40 via the base station 20 (S101). , S102). The MME 40 transmits an authentication request to the HSS 60 to confirm whether this IMSI has been authenticated (S103). The HSS 60 performs authentication processing to determine whether the IMSI related to this authentication request is registered in the HSS 60 (S104), and transmits the authentication response to the MME 40 (S105). Through this authentication processing, it is authenticated whether or not the communication terminal 10A that has transmitted the connection request is the communication terminal of the MVNO-A that uses the mobile communication facilities of the MNO to provide mobile communication services.

Next, the MME 40 transmits an APN request via the base station 20 to the communication terminal 10A that transmitted the connection request (S106, S107). The communication terminal 10A that has received this APN request transmits the APN stored in the storage unit 14 to the MME 40 via the base station 20 (S108, S109).

Having thus received the APN of the communication terminal 10A, the MME 40 transmits the APN to the DNS 50 (S110). As a result, the DNS 50 refers to the name resolution database 51, performs name resolution processing for specifying the communication address (PGW address) of the PGW 70 associated with the received APN (S111), and sends the specified PGW address to the MME 40. Notify (S112).

Next, the MME 40 transmits a session creation request including the APN and IMSI received from the communication terminal 10A to the PGW 70 corresponding to the PGW address via the SGW 30 (S113, S114). Upon receiving this session creation request, the PGW 70 transmits a user authentication request to the authentication server 90 to confirm whether the communication terminal 10A related to the session creation request is permitted to connect to the PDN 1 via the PGW 70. (S115).

The authentication server 90 performs user authentication processing to confirm whether the IMSI and APN related to this user authentication request are registered in the authentication database (S116), and transmits the user authentication response to the PGW 70 (S117). Through this user authentication process, authentication is performed as to whether or not the communication terminal 10A that has transmitted the connection request is permitted to connect to the PDN 1 via the PGW 70 .

After completing the user authentication process, the PGW 70 creates a session (S118) and transmits the session creation response to the SGW 30 (S119). As a result, the SGW 30 executes processing for passing the communication data from the communication terminal 10A to the PGW 70, and also transmits a session creation response to the MME 40 (S120). The MME 40 that has received this session creation response notifies the communication terminal 10A that has transmitted the connection request of connection permission via the base station 20 (S121, S122). As a result, the communication terminal 10A can connect from the PGW 70 to the PDN1 and perform data communication with other devices connected to the PDN1.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of procedures between operators involved in the communication system of this embodiment.
In one example of this embodiment, an MVNE that provides a service for supporting a mobile communication business carried out by an MVNO using the MNO's mobile communication facilities first receives an IMSI from the MNO. MVNE provides a SIM containing the rented IMSI to MVNO-A, who is a customer of MVNE, and MVNO-A allows MVNO users to use the provided SIM, thereby providing MVNO-A users with It is possible to conduct a mobile communication business using the MNO's mobile communication facilities.

MVNE uses the PGW 70 used by MVNE (which MVNO-A uses PGW) should be assigned to that MVNO-A. For this purpose, it is necessary to have the correspondence between the communication address (PGW address) of the PGW 70 used by the MVNE and the APN registered in the DNS 50 managed and operated by the VNO.

In this embodiment, as described above, in order to simplify this procedure, the MVNE collectively registers in the DNS 50 in advance the correspondence between a plurality of APNs that may be assigned to customers in the future and the communication addresses of the PGW 70. perform procedures to Specifically, the MNO is requested to perform a registration process of collectively registering in the DNS 50 the correspondence between the communication address (PGW address) of the PGW 70 used by the MVNE and a plurality of APNs (S201). In response to this, the MNO registers the correspondence relationship between the communication address of the PGW 70 and the wildcard APN "*.apn" in the name resolution database 51 of the DNS 50 (S202). Specifically, the MNO sets a NAPTR (The Naming Authority Pointer) record so that the node list of the PGW 70 can be obtained with an APN that matches the wildcard APN "*.apn".

After completing the registration in the name resolution database 51, the MNO sends a registration completion notification to the MVNE (S203). As a result, when the MVNE allocates an APN to MVNO-A, which is a new customer, the APN is transferred to the new MVNO-A without performing the procedure of requesting the MNO to register the new APN. can be assigned.

MVNO-A, who has become a customer of the MVNE, can access the customer page of the MVNE through the external communication section 82 of the customer management device 80 managed and operated by the MVNE (S204). Then, MVNO-A, in this customer page, a character string that it wishes to include in the APN assigned to itself (a character string to be applied to the wildcard "*" of the wildcard APN "*.apn" registered in the DNS 50 ) (S205). Here, it is assumed that MVNO-A desires the character string "AAA".

The MVNE, which has received this input in the customer management apparatus 80, applies the input character string "AAA" to the wildcard APN "*" of the wildcard APN "*.apn" by the processing unit 83 of the customer management apparatus 80. "AAA.apn" is associated with the MVNO-A and registered in the customer database 81 (S206). At this time, information associated with the APN, such as user name and password used for authentication, authentication method in the authentication server 90, band limitation in the PGW 70, etc., may also be managed in the customer database 81. FIG. In this case, it is possible to prevent the communication of the communication terminals 10A to 10C from being permitted unless the information such as the user name and password are entered correctly in the communication terminals 10A to 10C.

Also, the MVNE uses the processing unit 83 of the customer management device 80 to update the authentication confirmation information of the subscriber information database of the HSS 60 and the authentication database of the authentication server 90 for the APN "AAA.apn" registered in the customer database 81. Update (S207, S208).

When the above processing and procedures are completed, the MVNE assigns the APN "AAA.apn" selected (desired) by MVNO-A to MVNO-A (S209). As a result, MVNO-A notifies the communication terminal 10A of its own user (the user using the SIM provided from MVNE to MVNO-A) the APN "AAA.apn" assigned by MVNE. As a result, for example, when the user of the communication terminal 10A sets the APN to "AAA.apn" on the communication terminal 10A (S210), the APN "AAA.apn" is stored in the storage unit 14 of the communication terminal 10A, and the communication terminal 10A can connect to PDN1 from PGW 70 used by MVNE and perform data communication with other devices connected to PDN1. If information such as a user name and password is required to permit this data communication, such information is also communicated to the user, and the user inputs the information into the communication terminal 10A.

As described above, by using the customer management device 80 of the present embodiment, the MVNE, when allocating a new APN (on-demand APN) selected (desired) by the MVNO, which is a customer, to the MNO On the other hand, the procedure for requesting the registration processing of the new APN becomes unnecessary. Therefore, procedures on both the MVNE side and the MNO side are simplified, and the MVNE can quickly allocate the APN selected (desired) by the customer's MVNO.

Also, as in the present embodiment, the MVNO, which is the customer of the MVNE, can set an APN containing the desired character string, which is advantageous for the branding strategy of the mobile communication business carried out by the MVNO.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the service provider using the DNS 50 managed and operated by the MNO is the MVNE has been described, but the same applies when the service provider is the MVNO. In other words, even if the MVNO performs procedures directly with the MNO without going through the MVNE, for example, it is possible for the MVNO to assign its own APN to users (for example, corporate customers) who are customers of the MVNO. be done. Even in this case, according to the above-described embodiment, by using the customer management device 80 managed and operated by the MVNO, the MVNO can ask the user who is the customer to select (desired) a new APN (on). When allocating a demand APN, there is no need for a procedure to request the MNO to register the new APN. Therefore, procedures on both the MVNO side and the MNO side are simplified, and the MVNO can quickly allocate the APN selected (desired) by the user of the customer.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the HSS 60 may be managed and operated by the MVNE, which is the user operator, or may be managed and operated by the MNO, which is the management operator. When using the HSS 60 managed and operated by the MNO, a wildcard APN may be registered in the HSS 60 as well as the DNS 50 . In this case, if the APN is within the range of the wildcard, there is no need to request the MNO to register a new APN, and communication between the customer management device 80 and the HSS 60 is also unnecessary. It is possible to

[Modification]
Next, a modified example of the communication system in the embodiment described above will be described.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication system according to this modification.
This modification is an example in which the MVNO performs procedures directly with the MNO without going through the MVNE. APN is assigned. Here, user A is assigned an APN of "AAA.apn", user B is assigned an APN of "BBB.apn", and user C is assigned an APN of "CCC.apn".

In addition, in this modification, User C manages and operates a closed PDN 1C, which is a closed network (for example, User C's internal network). When the communication terminal 10C, which is the authorized communication terminal used by the user C, connects from the PGW-C 70C to the closed PDN 1C via the base station 20, authentication processing is performed by the authentication system provided by the MVNO. The authentication system in this modified example uses the APN assigned to user C by the MVNO, and realizes highly secure authentication processing.

Note that the APNs assigned to the user A and the user B respectively connect the communication terminals 10A and 10B of the user A and the user B from the PGW 70 to the PDN1. It is the same as connecting to Therefore, in the following description, points that are redundant with the above-described embodiment will be omitted, and points unique to this modified example will be mainly described.

In the communication system according to this modified example, as shown in FIG. 4, the equipment operated by the MVNO, which is the user company, is different from that in the above-described embodiment. Specifically, an LB (Load Balancer) 100 as a communication device operated by the MVNO is installed between the SGW 30 and the PGW 70 and PGW-C 70C. The LB 100 distributes communication data, processing requests, etc. sent from the SGW 30 to a plurality of component devices that function in the same manner and constitute the PGW 70, and is used for processing to reduce the load per component device.

In this modification 100, one of the PGW 70 and the PGW-C 70C is selected based on the APN corresponding to the communication terminal that is the transmission source of the communication data sent via the SGW 30 using the LB 100. LB 100 functions as a data sorting device that sends communication data to PGW 70 or PGW-C 70C. The LB 100 has a sorting database 101 in which the correspondence between each APN of users A to C and the PGW 70 or PGW-C 70C corresponding to each APN is registered. Based on the APN corresponding to the communication terminal of the transmission source of the transmitted communication data, sorting processing is performed to transmit the communication data to the PGW 70 or PGW-C 70C corresponding to the APN.

In this modified example, the LB 100 is used to perform the sorting process, but a communication device different from the LB 100 may be used to perform the sorting process. Also, in this modified example, the sorting process is performed based on the APN corresponding to the communication terminal that is the transmission source of the communication data, but it is also possible to perform the sorting process based on the IMSI of the communication terminal that is the transmission source of the communication data. .

Since the sorting process as described above is performed, the name resolution database 51 of the DNS 50 in this modification contains the communication address (LB address) of the LB 100 and the wildcard APN "*.apn" as shown in FIG. Correspondence is registered. As a result, when communication terminals 10A to 10C of users A to C, who are customers of the MVNO, communicate by connecting to their respective PDN 1 or closed PDN 1C, any communication data is once sent to LB 100, and then They are sorted by the LB 100 and sent to the corresponding PGW 70 or PGW-C 70C.

APNs selected (desired) by users A to C are registered in the customer database 81 of the customer management device 80 of the MVNO, as in the above-described embodiment. After that, the processing unit 83 of the customer management device 80 in this modification performs update processing for the HSS 60 and the authentication server 90 in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment. A process for registering the correspondence between the APN and the user of the MVNO in the sorting database 101 is performed.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an outline of the flow of processing for the communication terminal 10C used by the user C to connect from the PGW-C 70C to the closed PDN 1C of the user C in the communication system of this modification.
In addition, although user C's communication terminal 10C will be described here, other user A's and user B's communication terminals 10A and 10B are the same.

When the communication terminal 10C of the user C connects to the closed PDN 1C via the base station 20, the name resolution processing (S111', S112') in the DNS 50 is followed by the MME 40 via the SGW 30, A session creation request is transmitted to the LB 100 specified by the LB address corresponding to (S101 to S114). The LB 100, which has received this session creation request, refers to the sorting database 101 and performs a sorting process of selecting the PGW-C 70C associated with the APN of the communication terminal 10C included in the session creation request (S201). Then, it sends a session creation request to the selected PGW-C 70C (S202).

The PGW-C70C, which has received the session creation request from the LB 100, performs a user An authentication request is sent to the authentication server 90C as an authentication device (S115).

The authentication server 90C performs user authentication processing to confirm whether the IMSI and APN related to this user authentication request are registered in the authentication database (S116), and transmits the user authentication response to the PGW-C 70C (S117 ). Through this user authentication process, authentication is performed as to whether or not the communication terminal 10C that has transmitted the connection request is permitted to connect to the closed PDN 1C via the PGW-C 70C.

Here, the authentication server 90C that performs authentication processing for connecting to the closed PDN 1C may be managed and operated by the MVNO. in operation. User C who manages and operates the closed PDN 1C may already manage and operate the authentication server 90C that performs authentication processing for connecting to the closed PDN 1C without going through the base station 20. An authentication server (internal account management server, etc.) can be used. The update processing of the authentication server 90C can be performed via the external communication section 82 as the transmission section of the customer management apparatus 80, or can be performed without the customer management apparatus 80. FIG.

When the user C manages and operates the authentication server 90C as in this modification, the customer management device 80 does not manage information such as user names and passwords, but manages the communication address of the authentication server 90C. good too. In this case, for example, the PGW-C 70C refers to the communication address of the authentication server 90C stored in the customer management device 80, and transmits an authentication request to the authentication server 90C for a request whose APN and IMSI match. As a result, the authentication server 90C performs authentication processing and returns an authentication response to the PGW-C 70C. When the communication address of the authentication server 90C is managed by the customer management device 80 in this way, the authentication server 90C and the customer management device 80 can be updated, managed and operated independently, so the existing authentication server 90C remains unchanged. It becomes possible to update, manage and operate. Therefore, the user C can update and manage the authentication server 90C without considering the customer management device 80, which is highly convenient for the user.

After completing the user authentication process, the PGW-C 70C creates a session (S118) and transmits the session creation response to the SGW 30 (S119), as in the above-described embodiment. As a result, the SGW 30 executes processing for passing the communication data from the communication terminal 10C to the PGW-C 70C, and also transmits a session creation response to the MME 40 (S120). The MME 40 that has received this session creation response notifies the communication terminal 10C that transmitted the connection request of connection permission via the base station 20 (S121, S122). As a result, the communication terminal 10C can connect to the closed PDN 1C from the PGW-C 70C and perform data communication with other devices connected to the closed PDN 1C.

In this modified example, as in the above-described embodiment, by using the customer management device 80 managed and operated by the MVNO, the MVNO can provide users A to C, who are customers, with new information selected (desired) by each user. When allocating an APN (an on-demand APN), there is no need to request the MNO to register the new APN. Therefore, procedures on both the MVNO side and the MNO side are simplified, and the MVNO can quickly allocate the APN selected (desired) by the user who is the customer.

In general, in PAP/CHAP authentication for each APN, the APN, user name, password, and authentication method are published on the Internet, etc., but in this modification, the APN, user name, password, The authentication method is not open to the public, is presented only to user C, and cannot be known by third parties including user A and user B. Moreover, the APN assigned to user C is selected and determined by user C himself. Therefore, this modified example in which the APN assigned to user C is used to perform authentication processing for connecting user C to the closed PDN 1C can provide highly secure authentication processing.

It is also conceivable to use SIM information instead of APN for authentication processing of connection to closed PDN 1C. high risk of being accessed. In contrast, in the case of authentication processing using an APN presented only to user C as in this modified example, even if the SIM is stolen and used illegally, unauthorized access to the closed PDN 1C is possible. can reduce the risk.

The above description assumes LTE/LTE-Advanced and describes a case where the display name for communication is APN. (Data Network Name) is the same.

It should be noted that the processing steps and communication terminals, DNS, customer relationship management devices, authentication servers, and other communication system components described herein may be implemented by various means. For example, these processes and components may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Further, the component is not limited to one configured by a single device, but includes one configured by a plurality of devices communicably connected to each other.

For hardware implementation, in order to realize the above steps and components in entities (for example, various wireless communication devices, various base station devices such as eNodeB and gNode, mobile communication units, hard disk drives, or optical disk drives) The processing unit or other means used may be one or more of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a digital signal processor (DSPD), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable - Gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, computers, or combinations thereof may be implemented in

Also, for firmware and/or software implementations, each part used to implement the components may be a program (e.g., code such as procedures, functions, modules, instructions, etc.) that performs the functions described herein. ) may be implemented. In general, any computer/processor readable medium tangibly embodying firmware and/or software code means, such as a processing unit, used to implement the steps and components described herein. may be used to implement For example, firmware and/or software code may be stored in memory and executed by a computer or processor, such as in a controller or storage device. The memory may be implemented within the computer or processor, or external to the processor. The firmware and/or software code may also be, for example, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), programmable read only memory (PROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM). ), flash memory, floppy disk, compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), magnetic or optical data storage devices, etc. good. The code may be executed by one or more computers or processors and may cause the computers or processors to perform certain aspects of the functionality described herein.

Also, the medium may be a non-temporary recording medium. Also, the code of the program may be readable and executable by a computer, processor, or other device or apparatus machine, and its format is not limited to a particular format. For example, the program code may be source code, object code, or binary code, or may be a mixture of two or more of these codes.

Moreover, the description of the embodiments disclosed herein is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein are applicable to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. This disclosure, therefore, is not to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

1: PDN
1C: Closed PDN
10A to 10C: communication terminal 11: display unit 12: mobile communication unit 13: control unit 14: storage unit 15: operation unit 20: base station 30: SGW
40: MME
50: DNS
51: name resolution database 60: HSS
70: PGW
80: customer management device 81: customer database 82: external communication unit 83: processing unit 84: internal communication units 90, 90C: authentication server 100: LB
101: Sorting database

Claims (11)

Correspondence relationships between communication addresses of communication devices used by service providers using the registered devices and a plurality of display names for communication are collectively registered in a registration device operated by a management business operator, and the service business operators communication between the communication terminal used by the customer and the communication device, communication from the registration device to the communication device using the communication display name assigned to the customer among the plurality of communication display names A customer management device operated by the user operator for a communication system that acquires an address and establishes communication between the communication terminal and the communication device,
an acquisition unit that acquires one or more communication display names selected from among the plurality of communication display names by a plurality of customers of the using business operator ;
The one or more communication display names acquired by the acquisition unit and the communication display names are stored in a storage unit that stores the correspondence relationship between the plurality of customers of the user business operator and the communication display names assigned to the plurality of customers . and a registration unit for registering a correspondence relationship with a customer who has selected a display name. In the customer management device according to claim 1,
The customer management apparatus, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the one or more display names for communication via a communication network. In the customer management device according to claim 1 or 2,
The customer management device, wherein the communication display name is an APN (Access Point Name) or a DNN (Data Network Name) of the communication device. In the customer management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The customer management device, wherein the communication device is a gateway device. In the customer management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The communication device is a data sorting device that selects a gateway device from among a plurality of gateway devices based on a communication display name corresponding to communication data to be received, and transmits the communication data to the selected gateway device. A customer management device characterized by: In the customer management device according to claim 4 or 5,
A customer management device, wherein the gateway device is a gateway device of a closed network used by the customer. In the customer management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The user operator is a virtual mobile service provider (MVNE: Mobile Virtual Network Enabler) and
A customer management device, wherein the customer is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to which a display name for communication is assigned by the virtual mobile service provider. a registration device which is operated by a management company and in which correspondence relationships between communication addresses of communication devices and a plurality of display names for communication are collectively registered;
a customer management device that is operated by a business operator that uses the registration device and that manages a communication display name assigned to a customer of the user business operator from among the plurality of communication display names;
When the communication terminal used by the customer and the communication device communicate with each other, the communication display name assigned to the customer is used to obtain the communication address of the communication device from the registration device, and the communication device communicates with the communication terminal. A communication system for establishing communication with the communication device,
A communication system using the customer management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 as the customer management device. Correspondence relationships between communication addresses of communication devices used by service providers using the registered devices and a plurality of display names for communication are collectively registered in a registration device operated by a management business operator, and the service business operators communication between the communication terminal used by the customer and the communication device, communication from the registration device to the communication device using the communication display name assigned to the customer among the plurality of communication display names A program for causing a computer of a customer management device operated by the user business operator to function for a communication system that acquires an address and establishes communication between the communication terminal and the communication device, ,
an acquisition unit that acquires one or more communication display names selected from among the plurality of communication display names by a plurality of customers of the service provider; and
The one or more communication display names acquired by the acquisition unit and the communication display names are stored in a storage unit that stores the correspondence relationship between the plurality of customers of the user business operator and the communication display names assigned to the plurality of customers. A program for causing the computer to function as a registration unit for registering a correspondence relationship with a customer who has selected a display name. Correspondence relationships between communication addresses of communication devices used by service providers using the registered devices and a plurality of display names for communication are collectively registered in a registration device operated by a management business operator, and the service business operators communication between the communication terminal used by the customer and the communication device, communication from the registration device to the communication device using the communication display name assigned to the customer among the plurality of communication display names A communication display name management method in a communication system for acquiring an address and establishing communication between the communication terminal and the communication device, comprising:
A customer management device operated by the user business operator acquires one or more communication display names selected from the plurality of communication display names by the plurality of customers of the user business operator;
The customer management device stores the obtained one or more display names for communication and corresponding display names for communication in a storage unit that stores a correspondence relationship between the plurality of customers of the service provider and the display names for communication assigned to the plurality of customers. A method of managing a display name for communication, comprising: registering a correspondence relationship with a customer who has selected a display name for communication. In the communication display name management method according to claim 10,
further comprising: the customer management device collectively registering the correspondence relationship between the communication address of the communication device and the plurality of communication display names in the registration device;
A communication display name in a format including special characters representing a plurality of types of characters or a plurality of types of character strings is used as the plurality of communication display names registered in the registration device. management method.

Images