KR100837653B1 - Method for managing informaion of subscribers in home location register and home location register for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for managing subscriber information of an HLR(Home Location Register), and an HLR therefor are provided to effectively manage sleep SIM card subscribers based on a real open time point, not based on a subscription time point, without the burden of a limited memory capacity of an HLR. An HLR separately generates an active region and a virtual region in a memory database(S401), generates every field for storing subscriber profile information in the active region(S402-1), previously stores default profile information about an SIM card(S402-2), and generates only a field for storing mobile identification information in the virtual region(S403). When profile information of a particular subscriber is received(S404), the HLR checks whether the information is for a SIM card subscription(S405). If the information is for the SIM card subscription, the HLR extracts only mobile identification information from the received subscriber profile information and stores it in the virtual region(S407). When an initial location registration is made by using a corresponding SIM card(S408), the HLR stores subscriber profile information including the corresponding mobile identification information in the active region to perform an actual subscription processing(S409).

Description

How to manage subscriber information in home location register and home location register for it {Method for Managing Informaion of Subscribers in Home Location Register and Home Location Register for the Same}

1 is a network diagram of a mobile communication system for explaining the present invention;

2 is a view for explaining a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a subscription processing procedure of an embodiment for explaining a subscriber information management method of a home location register of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a subscriber information management method of a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a flowchart specifically illustrating a new subscription processing step of FIG. 4.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

100: mobile communication terminal 101: SIM card

110: base station

120: Exchanger / VLR (Visitor Location Register)

130: Home Location Register (HLR)

131: Memory DB (Database)

140: SCP (Service Control Point)

150: subscriber information management system

The present invention relates to a method of managing subscriber information of a home location register and a home location register for the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a capacity of a subscriber of a home location register database in a mobile communication market of a distribution structure distributed after a bulk subscription, such as a SIM card. The present invention relates to a method for managing subscriber information of a home location register and a home location register for the same.

In order to provide a mobile communication service, mobile subscriber information (MIN, MDN, etc.) of the subscriber and mobile network code (MNC), which is a code of a subscribed mobile communication service provider, are required. A device or program that stores is generally called a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

Such a SIM in the form of a chip or a card that can be used in a mobile communication terminal is also used in a prepaid form. When a prepaid SIM card is purchased and inserted into a mobile communication terminal, the SIM can be opened and inserted to receive a mobile communication service.

On the other hand, the home location register generally uses a memory DB to maintain the performance of the system, pre-allocates as much space as the capacity of the subscriber that can be accommodated in this memory DB, and generates a field to provide a mobile communication service for each subscriber during the new subscription process. Fill in these fields with the required values.

In this case, the subscription information for the prepaid SIM card distributed to the retailer after being pre-subscribed occupies the subscriber information storage area of the home location register (HLR) at the time of subscription, and thus is not yet distributed after distribution to the retailer (Distributor). As the proportion of unsold SIM cards (hereafter referred to as 'Sleep SIM cards') increases, the actual system resources for service processing can be spared, but the expansion of the home location register is necessary due to unused Sleep SIM cards. Or, there is a problem that the cost of the operator is increased because the situation is to purchase additional licenses, the problem becomes more serious if there are more prepaid subscribers than postpaid subscribers.

Therefore, in the mobile communication market of prepaid subscribers, when the operator has a distribution structure in which a SIM card is pre-subscribed and distributed, a more efficient system capacity management and subscription processing method is required.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages and problems of the prior art, the home location registration in the mobile communication market of prepaid subscribers having a distribution structure in which the operator distributes the SIM card after the bulk pre-subscription process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method for managing subscriber information of a home location register and a home location register for the same.

In particular, the present invention is to manage the subscriber information for the prepaid subscriber on the basis of the actual opening time, rather than the time of the SIM card issuance, that is, on the basis of the subscription time, thereby effectively managing the Sleep SIM card subscriber without burdening the memory capacity limit of the home location register. The present invention provides a method for managing subscriber information of a home location register and a home location register for managing the same, thereby solving a problem incurred by an unnecessary extension of a home location register or a license additional purchase. There is a purpose.

In addition, the present invention allows the home location register to separately create the active area and the virtual area in the database in order to manage the prepaid subscriber information on the basis of the actual opening time, and when the subscription process for the prepaid SIM card Only the mobile identification information that is granted is temporarily stored in the virtual area, and the subscriber profile information for the SIM card is stored in the active area at the time of initial registration after the SIM card is sold. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for managing subscriber information of a home location register and a home location register therefor.

The present invention for achieving the above object is a first step of separating and creating the active area and the virtual area in the database; When the subscriber profile information for the subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card of the type distributed after pre-subscription is received from the subscriber information management system, the mobile identification information assigned to the subscriber identity module card is extracted from the corresponding subscriber profile information, and extracted. A second step of storing information in the virtual area; When an initial location registration event for the subscriber identity module card occurs, subscriber profile information including mobile identification information for the corresponding subscriber identity module card is generated and stored in the active area, and the mobile identity information is deleted from the virtual area. The third step; It provides a subscriber information management method of the home location register.

In addition, the present invention for achieving the above object is to temporarily store only the mobile identification information of the active area for storing the entire subscriber profile information of the general subscriber, and subscriber profile information for the subscriber identity module card of the type distributed after pre-subscription. A method of managing subscriber information of a home location register having a database in which virtual areas are separately generated, the method comprising: retrieving the mobile identification information from the active area when a location update request message including specific mobile identification information is received from an exchange. Step 1; If the mobile identification information is not inquired in the active area, inquiring the mobile identification information in the virtual area; When the corresponding mobile identification information is queried in the virtual area, a third user profile information including mobile identification information of the corresponding subscriber identity module card is generated and stored in the active area, and the corresponding mobile identification information is deleted from the virtual area. Steps; Performing a location update on the subscriber identity module card and returning a location update response message to the exchange; It provides a subscriber information management method of a home location register comprising a.

The present invention provides a home location register having a database for storing subscriber profile information, the database comprising: an active area for storing the entire subscriber profile information of a general subscriber; A virtual area for temporarily storing only mobile identification information among subscriber profile information for a subscriber identity module card of a type distributed after pre-subscription; Provide a home location register comprising a.

Details of the above object and technical configuration of the present invention and the resulting effects thereof will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description based on the accompanying drawings.

First, FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration of a mobile communication system for explaining the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile communication system includes a base station 110, a switch / VLR 120, a home location register 130, and a service control device 140. The home location register 130 and The service control device 140 interworks with the subscriber information management system 150 for subscriber information management according to mobile communication service subscription and opening, additional service service registration, termination, change, and the like.

The subscriber information management system 150 provides the subscriber profile information to the home location register 130 when a new subscriber is generated, so that the home location register 130 corresponds to the subscriber profile information storage field in the internal database. After storing, the subscriber's mobile terminal can normally use the mobile communication service.

On the other hand, the general subscriber is opened at the same time as the subscription, but the prepaid subscriber identity module card (hereinafter referred to as 'SIM card') is distributed after being pre-subscribed in the name of the SIM card provider, so that the SIM The opening process is performed only when the user who purchases the card 101 is inserted into his mobile communication terminal 100.

In this case, storing all the subscriber profile information for the SIM card in the database of the home location register 130 at the time of joining introduces unnecessary resource waste. Therefore, in the present invention, the SIM is distributed after pre-subscription as described above. The subscriber profile information for the card is managed in a different way from the general subscriber.

The subscriber profile information management method for the SIM card in the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

A typical home location register preallocates as much subscriber capacity as possible in the memory database and creates all fields for storing subscriber profile information.In the case of a SIM card, subscriber profile information is stored in the database at the time of subscription, similar to a general subscriber. However, the home location register 130 of the present invention separates the active area 131a for the general subscriber from the memory database 131 and the virtual area 131b for the SIM card distributed after the first subscription. In the active area 131a, all fields for storing subscriber profiles such as mobile identification information, additional service information, and terminal information are generated in advance in the active area 131a as much as an allowable capacity, and in the virtual area 131b, an MDN is allocated to a SIM card. Or create and manage only fields for mobile identification information such as MIN in advance do.

At this time, the virtual area 131b is a space for a Sleep SIM card. In the case of a SIM card distributed after a pre-subscription, the subscription time is different from the actual opening time, so only minimal information is provided in the virtual area 131b at the time of subscription. The subscriber profile information is stored in the active area 131a at the actual opening time, that is, at the first location registration time. Therefore, in the present invention, the general subscriber of the active area 131a is meant to include not only a general type of mobile communication terminal subscriber that is opened at the same time as subscription, but also a SIM card subscriber that is actually opened.

When the subscriber information management system 150 gives subscriber profile information for the SIM card subscription, the home location register 130 having the above structure extracts only mobile identification information from the corresponding subscriber profile information, thereby extracting the virtual area 131b. And store the subscriber profile information in the active area 131a when the SIM card 101 is distributed and then inserted into the mobile communication terminal 100 to perform initial location registration. After the mobile identification information stored in the area 131b is deleted, the subscriber information management system 150 is notified that actual subscription and opening have been performed, so that the mobile identification information is actually applied to other systems such as the service control device 140 requiring the subscriber information. Ensure that subscriber information is managed on an opening basis.

On the other hand, the information given by the subscriber information management system 150 for subscription of the SIM card includes the same information (hereinafter referred to as 'default profile information') for all subscriber identity module cards, and unique information different from each other ( Hereinafter, referred to as 'mobile identification information'.

Therefore, the home location register 130 of the present invention stores default profile information in the active area 131a in advance, and when registering the first location of the SIM card in which the mobile identification information is stored in the virtual area 131b, the active area 131a is stored. Subscriber profile information is generated by combining the default profile information previously stored in the mobile terminal and the mobile identification information of the SIM card.

When the home location register 130 receives the subscriber profile information for the subscription processing of the general subscriber from the subscriber information management system 150, the home location register 130 stores the received subscriber profile information in the active area 131a to perform general subscription processing. do.

Meanwhile, although the database in the home location register 130 is illustrated as a memory database in FIG. 2, the form of the database is not limited in the present invention.

Next, the subscriber information management method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5 as follows.

First, FIG. 3 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a subscription processing procedure of an embodiment for explaining a subscriber information management method of a home location register of the present invention.

As shown, when the subscriber information management system 150 requests subscriber processing by transmitting subscriber profile information for SIM card subscription processing in a form distributed after pre-subscription (S301), the present invention The home location register 130 recognizes that the information is SIM card subscriber information (S302), and extracts only mobile identification information assigned to the corresponding SIM card from the received subscriber profile information and stores it in the pre-generated virtual area 131b. (S303). Although the mobile identification information is described as a mobile identification number (MIN) in the drawing, this is for convenience of understanding, and the mobile identification information of the present invention is not limited to specific information, and may be any kind of information different for each SIM card.

Next, as the subscriber who purchased the pre-subscribed SIM card inserts the SIM card into his mobile terminal, when a location registration is requested from the mobile terminal (S304), the exchange / VLR 120 The home location register 130 transmits a location update request message including mobile identification information of the corresponding SIM card (S305).

At this time, the home location register 130 of the present invention recognizes that the mobile identification information is information stored in the virtual area 131b, generates the subscriber profile information by combining the mobile identification information with the default profile information, and then generates the active area. After storing as general subscriber information in 131a, the mobile identification information stored in the virtual area 131b is deleted, and the location is updated at the same time (S306).

When the location update is completed, the home location register 130 transmits a location update response message to the exchange / VLR 120 (S307), and the exchange / VLR 120 transmits a location registration response to the mobile communication terminal 100. (S308).

In addition, when the subscriber profile information is stored in the active area 131a and the actual subscription and opening process is completed, the home location register 130 transmits the subscription processing result to the subscriber information management system 150 (S309). The management system 150 drops the subscription information to various devices requiring subscriber information such as SCP 140 (S310).

Next, FIG. 4 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a method of managing subscriber information of a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a new subscription processing step of FIG. 4 in detail, and a home location of the present invention. The detailed description of the processing in the register is as follows.

As shown, the home location register 130 of the present invention first generates the active area 131a and the virtual area 131b separately in the memory database (S401), and stores the subscriber profile information in the active area 131a. Generate all fields for (S402-1), store default profile information for the SIM card in advance (S402-2), and generate only the fields for storing mobile identification information in the virtual area (131b) (S403). ).

Next, when the profile information of a particular subscriber is received from the subscriber information management system 150 (S404), the home location register 130 of the present invention determines whether the information is for SIM card subscription (S405). If the subscriber profile information, the subscriber profile information is normally stored in the active area 131a to perform subscription processing in real time (S410). In the case of the SIM card subscription information, only mobile identification information is extracted from the received subscriber profile information. (S406) The data is stored in the virtual area 131b (S407).

Thereafter, when initial location registration using the corresponding SIM card is performed (S408), the home location register 130 stores the subscriber profile information including the mobile identification information in the active area 131a to perform the actual subscription process ( S409).

Looking at the actual subscription process according to the location registration through FIG. 5, first, when the home location register 130 receives a location update request message including specific mobile identification information from the exchange / VLR 120 (S501), the home location The register 130 first inquires the corresponding mobile identification information in the active area 131a (S502).

As a result of the inquiry, if there is no mobile identification information in the active area 131a, the home location register 130 inquires the mobile identification information in the virtual area 131b again (S503), and the mobile in the virtual area 131b. If the identification information is stored, the profile information of the new subscriber is generated by combining the mobile identification information and the previously stored default profile information and stored in the active area 131a (S504), and the mobile area is identified in the virtual area 131b. The information is deleted (S505).

When the actual registration and opening is performed as described above, the home location register 130 notifies the subscriber information management system 150 of the result of the new subscription processing, so that the subscriber information management system 150 returns to the subsequent procedure, that is, SCP. It is possible to perform an operation such as transmitting subscription information (S506).

In addition, the home location register 130 stores the location information including the information of the exchange in which the subscriber is located in the subscriber profile information field according to the location update request, and performs the location update processing. When the processing is completed, the exchange / VLR In step S507, a response message for the location update request is returned.

As those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative and not restrictive in all aspects. Should be. The scope of the present invention is shown by the following claims rather than the detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. do.

Therefore, according to the subscriber information management method of the home location register of the present invention and the home location register therefor, the home location in the prepaid subscriber superior mobile communication market having a distribution structure in which the operator distributes the SIM card after the bulk pre-subscription processing is performed. As the number of subscribers can be accommodated in the registrar, there is an advantage that the operator can reduce the cost of additional DB and additional license due to the increase in the number of prepaid subscribers.

In particular, according to the present invention, since the subscriber information for the prepaid subscriber is managed not on the basis of the subscription time, but on the actual opening time, the Sleep SIM card subscriber can be effectively managed without burdening the memory capacity limit of the home location register. There is an advantage that the subscriber information can be efficiently managed by only changing some service logic of the home location register without changing the logic of other systems such as the customer information management system related to the subscriber information processing.

Claims (20)

A subscriber information management method of a home location register, A first step of separating and creating an active area and a virtual area in a database; When the subscriber profile information for the subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card of the type distributed after pre-subscription is received from the subscriber information management system, the mobile identification information assigned to the subscriber identity module card is extracted from the corresponding subscriber profile information, and extracted. A second step of storing information in the virtual area; When an initial location registration event for the subscriber identity module card occurs, subscriber profile information including mobile identification information for the corresponding subscriber identity module card is generated and stored in the active area, and the mobile identity information is deleted from the virtual area. The third step; Subscriber information management method of the home location register consisting of. The method of claim 1, The first step, Generating an active area and a virtual area separately in the database; Generating all fields for storing subscriber profile information in the generated active area, and generating mobile identification information storage fields in the virtual area; Subscriber information management method of a home location register comprising a. The method of claim 1, After the first step and before the second step, Storing default profile information, which is the same information for all the subscriber identity module cards, among the subscriber profile information received from the subscriber information management system for subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card in the active area; Subscriber information management method of the home location register further comprising a. The method of claim 3, In the third step, The home location register generates subscriber profile information for the corresponding subscriber identity module card by combining default profile information previously stored in the active area and mobile identification information of the subscriber identity module card where the location registration event has occurred. How to manage subscriber information in home location register. The method of claim 1, After the third step, A fourth step of transmitting subscription processing completion information of the subscriber identity module card to the subscriber information management system; Subscriber information management method of the home location register further comprising a. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The third step, If the location update request message including the specific mobile identification information is received from the exchange, determining whether the corresponding mobile identification information exists in the active area; If the mobile identification information does not exist in the active area, determining whether the mobile identification information exists in the virtual area; If the corresponding mobile identification information exists in the virtual area, storing the subscriber profile information including the mobile identification information of the subscriber identity module card in the active area, and deleting the mobile identification information from the virtual area. Steps; Performing a location update on the subscriber identity module card and returning a location update response message to the exchange; Subscriber information management method of a home location register comprising a. The method of claim 6, After the step 3-3, A fourth step of transmitting subscription processing completion information of the subscriber identity module card to the subscriber information management system; Subscriber information management method of the home location register further comprising a. And a database in which an active area for storing entire subscriber profile information of a general subscriber and a virtual area for temporarily storing only mobile identification information among subscriber profile information for a subscriber identity module card of a form distributed after pre-subscription are separately generated. A subscriber information management method of a home location register, In response to receiving a location update request message including specific mobile identification information from the exchange, querying the mobile identification information in the active area; If the mobile identification information is not inquired in the active area, inquiring the mobile identification information in the virtual area; When the mobile identification information is queried in the virtual area, a subscriber profile information including mobile identification information of the corresponding subscriber identity module card is generated and stored in the active area, and the mobile identification information is deleted from the virtual area. Step 3; Performing a location update on the subscriber identity module card and returning a location update response message to the exchange; Subscriber information management method of the home location register comprising a. The method of claim 8, After the first step, If the mobile identification information is queried in the active area, performing a location update on the corresponding subscriber identity module card, and returning a location update response message to the exchange; Subscriber information management method of the home location register further comprising a. The method according to claim 8 or 9, After the third step, Transmitting, by the home location register, the subscription processing completion information of the subscriber identity module card to the subscriber information management system; Subscriber information management method of the home location register further comprising a. The method according to claim 8 or 9, The active area stores default profile information, which is the same information for all subscriber identity module cards, among subscriber profile information received from the subscriber information management system for subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card. In the third step, The home location register generates subscriber profile information for the corresponding subscriber identity module card by combining default profile information pre-stored in the active area and mobile identification information of the subscriber identity module card. How Information is Managed. The method of claim 11, Before the first step, Storing, in the active area, default profile information which is the same information for all the subscriber identity module cards among the subscriber profile information received from the subscriber information management system for subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card; Subscriber information management method of the home location register further comprising a. The method according to claim 8 or 9, Before the first step, When the subscriber profile information for the subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card is received from the subscriber information management system, the mobile identification information assigned to the subscriber identity module card is extracted from the corresponding subscriber profile information, and the extracted information is stored in the virtual area. Making; Subscriber information management method of the home location register further comprising a. The method according to claim 8 or 9, Before the first step, Generating an active area and a virtual area separately in the database; Generating all fields for storing subscriber profile information in the generated active area, and generating mobile identification information storage fields in the virtual area; Subscriber information management method of a home location register comprising a. A home location register having a database for storing subscriber profile information, The database, An active area for storing the entire subscriber profile information of the general subscriber; A virtual area for temporarily storing only mobile identification information among subscriber profile information for a subscriber identity module card of a type distributed after pre-subscription; Home location register comprising a. The method of claim 15, The home location register, When the subscriber profile information for the subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card is received from the subscriber information management system, only the mobile identification information assigned to the subscriber identity module card is extracted from the corresponding subscriber profile information, and the extracted information is stored in the virtual area. Home location register, characterized in that. The method of claim 16, The home location register, When the subscriber profile information for the subscription processing is received from the subscriber information management system, it is determined whether the received subscriber profile information is information about a subscriber identity module card of a type distributed after pre-subscription, and as a result, identification of subscribers distributed after pre-subscription. And information on a module card, extracts only mobile identification information assigned to the subscriber identification module card, and stores the extracted information in the virtual area. The method according to claim 16 or 17, The home location register, When the first location registration event for the corresponding subscriber identity module card in which mobile identification information is stored in the virtual area occurs, the subscriber profile information for the corresponding subscriber identity module card is generated and stored in the active area, and the mobile identification information in the virtual area. Home location register, characterized in that for deleting. The method of claim 18, In the active area, default profile information, which is the same information for all subscriber identity module cards among subscriber profile information received from the subscriber information management system for subscription processing of the subscriber identity module card, is stored in advance, The home location register, And a subscriber profile information is generated by combining the mobile identification information where the initial location registration event is generated and the default profile information previously stored in the active area. The method of claim 15, The home location register, When the subscriber profile information for the subscription processing is received from the subscriber information management system, it is determined whether the received subscriber profile information is information about a subscriber identity module card of a type distributed after pre-subscription, and as a result, identification of subscribers distributed after pre-subscription. And if it is not information about a module card, store the received subscriber profile information in the active area to perform a subscription process.

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