TWI802114B - Method for assisting unregistered user device to access private network service and communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosure provides a method for assisting an unregistered user device to access private network services and a communication system. The method includes: sending, by a user device, a request to access a private service of a private network; in response to determining that the user device not registered in the private network wants to access the private service, assisting, by a mobile edge computing server, the user device to obtain a temporary user profile through an emergency type attachment procedure; in response to determining that the user device is registered on the private network through the emergency type attachment procedure, executing, by the user device, a regular attach procedure based on the temporary user profile; and in response to determining that the user device executes the regular attachment procedure, providing, by the mobile edge computing server, the private service to the user device.

Description

Method and communication system for assisting unregistered user devices to access private private network services

The present invention relates to a technology for accessing private network services, and in particular to a method and communication system for assisting unregistered user devices to access private network services.

Please refer to FIG. 1A , which is a schematic diagram of a conventional user device accessing the Internet. In FIG. 1A , the user device 110 is, for example, a registered/authorized user of carrier A, but not a registered/authorized user of carrier B and C. In this case, when the user device 110 is within the service range of the carrier A, the user device 110 can access the Internet through the carrier A. In addition, when the user device 110 is within the service range of the carrier B, if the user device 110 is authorized to use the roaming service through the carrier B, the user device 110 can access the Internet through the carrier B and the carrier A. road.

However, if the user device 110 is not authorized to use the telecommunication service through the carrier C, the user device 110 can only perform functions such as making an emergency call through the carrier C, and cannot access the Internet through the carrier C.

Please refer to FIG. 1B , which is another schematic diagram of accessing the Internet according to the conventional user device shown in FIG. 1A . In FIG. 1B , it is assumed that the carrier A supports new radio (new radio, NR), and the user device 110 can use services such as VoNR through the carrier A. However, since the user device 110 is not a registered user of the carrier C (for example, it can maintain a private network), even if the carrier C can provide services such as VoNR to its registered users (such as the user device 120), the user device 110 is still Only carrier C can use the emergency call service. In this case, even though the registered users of carrier C can communicate directly with each other through the edge service provided by carrier C, the user device 110 cannot directly communicate with the registered users of carrier C (such as user device 120 ) peer-to-peer .

In view of this, the present invention provides a method and a communication system for assisting unregistered user devices to access private network services, which can be used to solve the above technical problems.

The present invention provides a method for assisting an unregistered user device to access a private private network service, which is suitable for a communication system applying mobile edge computing. The method includes: a user device sends a message to access a private service of a private private network A request, and the user device is not registered in the private private network; in response to determining that the user device not registered in the private private network wants to access the private service, a mobile edge computing server assists the user device to obtain a temporary a user configuration file to register in the private private network according to the temporary user configuration file; in response to determining that the user device is registered in the private private network through an emergency type attachment procedure, the user device performs a regular attachment procedure based on the temporary user configuration file; and in response to It is determined that the user device executes a regular attach procedure, and the mobile edge computing server provides private services to the user device.

The invention provides a communication system for assisting unregistered user devices to access private private network services, which includes a user device and a mobile edge computing server. The user device sends a request to access a private service of a private network, and the user device is not registered in the private network. In response to the mobile edge computing server determining that the user device not registered in the private private network wants to access the private service, the mobile edge computing server assists the user device to obtain a temporary user configuration file through an emergency type attachment procedure, so as to configure according to the temporary user Files are registered on a private network. In response to determining that the user device is registered with the private network through the emergency type attach procedure, the user device performs a regular attach procedure based on the temporary user profile. In response to determining that the user device performs a regular attach procedure, the mobile edge computing server provides private services to the user device.

Please refer to FIG. 2 , which is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2 , the communication system 200 includes a user device 210 , a mobile edge computing (MEC) server 220 and a private network 230 .

In different embodiments, the user device 210 is, for example, various smart devices/computer devices with communication functions, but is not limited thereto. In FIG. 2, the private network 230 may include a base station 230a and a core network 230b. In one embodiment, the private private network 230 is, for example, a private network operating on the basis of the 5th generation communication system (hereinafter referred to as 5G). In this case, the base station 230a is, for example, commonly known as gNB, and the core network 230b is, for example, commonly known as 5GC (5G core), but not limited thereto.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the core network 230b may include an access and mobility management function (Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF) entity 231, a session management function (session management function, SMF) entity 232, a policy control function (policy The control function (PCF) entity 233 and the unified data management (Unified Data Management, UDM) entity 234 , and their individual features/functions can refer to the relevant specifications of 5G, and will not be repeated here.

In addition, the MEC server 220 may include a user plane function (user plane function, UPF) entity 221, a network access service module 222, a policy/charge rule (Policy & Charging Rules) module 223, a private service module 224, Authorization module 225 and location module 226 .

In different embodiments, the MEC server 220 and the core network 230b can be implemented as independent devices, or can be implemented as different modules integrated in the same device, but is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of the present invention, for user devices registered in the private private network 230, the MEC server 220 can provide private services to these user devices through the private service module 224 (such as end-to-end call service).

For example, assume that the service range of the private network 230 corresponds to an amusement park. In this case, the communication devices owned by the employees of the amusement park can be planned as registered user devices of the private network 230 . Therefore, the above-mentioned employees can conduct end-to-end conversations with each other through the private service module 224 of the MEC server 220 with the communication devices they own, but it is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the employee can become a registered user device of the private network 230 by inserting a SIM card registered in the private network 230 into the communication device held by him, but it is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that the user device 210 (such as a communication device held by a tourist) is not registered in the private network 230, so the MEC server 220 cannot directly provide these user devices through the private service module 224. The aforementioned private service (eg, establishing a peer-to-peer call between the user device 210 and the communication device of the aforementioned employee).

In view of this, the MEC server 220 of the present invention can solve the above technical problems by implementing the method proposed by the present invention, the details of which are described below.

Please refer to FIG. 3 , which is a flowchart of a method for assisting an unregistered user device to access a private network service according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method of this embodiment can be executed by the MEC server 220 in FIG. 2 assisting the user device 210 not registered in the private network 230 . The details of each step in FIG. 3 will be described below with the components shown in FIG. 2 . In addition, in order to make the concept of FIG. 3 clearer, the following description will be supplemented with FIG. 4 , wherein FIG. 4 is a detailed flow chart of some steps in FIG. 3 .

First, in step S310 , the user device 210 sends a request R1 for accessing private services of the private network 230 .

In one embodiment, the user device 210 may be installed with a specific application program 210 a corresponding to the private network 230 . In one embodiment, after the visitor holding the user device 210 enters the amusement park, the specific application program 210a corresponding to the amusement park can be downloaded and installed in the user device 210, so that the user device 210 can In the case of the private network 230, the above-mentioned private services are accessed. In one embodiment, when the user of the user device 210 wants to access the above-mentioned private service, the user device 210 may be triggered to send the request R1 through a specific method.

In one embodiment, the specific application program 210a may be provided with a button corresponding to the aforementioned private service. When the visitor intends to use the above-mentioned private service, he can correspondingly trigger this button, so as to trigger the user device 210 to send the request R1.

In one embodiment, after the step S310, the specific application program 210a may execute the step S311 of FIG. 4 to determine the request R1 of the user device 210 to access the private service. After that, in step S321 , in response to the specific application 210 a determining that the user device 210 wants to access the private service request R1 , the specific application 210 a determines whether the user device 210 is registered with the private network 230 .

Since the user device 210 is assumed not to be registered in the private network 230, the specific application program 210a may continue to perform step S323 after step S321 to initiate an emergency type attach procedure for accessing the private service to the private network 230. In other embodiments, if the user device 210 has been registered in the private network 230, the user device 210 may perform step S329 after step S321 to perform a conventional attachment procedure.

In step S324, in response to the emergency type attach procedure initiated by the specific application 210a, the private network 230 establishes a basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device 210, and notifies the MEC server 220 accordingly.

In one embodiment, the AMF entity 231 may request the SMF entity 232 to establish a basic session corresponding to the private service and the user equipment 210 in response to the emergency attach procedure initiated by the user equipment 210, and notify the UPF entity 221 accordingly.

In one embodiment, before establishing the above basic session, the location module 226 may first determine whether the user device 210 is located within the service range of the private network 230 (such as an amusement park). If yes, the SMF entity 232 may establish a basic session corresponding to the above-mentioned private service and the user device 210 accordingly, otherwise, may not establish a basic session corresponding to the above-mentioned private service and the user device 210 .

After the above basic session is established, the UPF entity 221 may correspondingly notify the network access service module 222 that the basic session corresponding to the above private service and the user device 210 has been established.

In one embodiment, in response to the network access service module 222 being notified that the basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device 210 has been established, the MEC server 220 may determine that the user device 210 is not registered in the private network 230 To access the above-mentioned private service, step S320 in FIG. 3 is executed correspondingly.

In step S320 , in response to determining that the user device 210 not registered in the private network 230 intends to access the private service, the MEC server 220 assists the user device 210 to obtain a temporary user profile (user profile) through an emergency attachment procedure.

In one embodiment, the MEC server 220 can implement step S320 through steps S325 and S326 in FIG. 4 . In step S325, the network access service module 222 of the MEC server 220 may request the authorization module 225 to generate a temporary user configuration file, and in step S326, the temporary user configuration file is added to the UDM entity through the authorization module 225 234.

In one embodiment, the authorization module 225 can generate the above-mentioned temporary user configuration file through, for example, an embedded SIM tool (eSIM tool), but it is not limited thereto.

After the authorization module 225 generates the temporary user configuration file, the temporary user configuration file can be stored in the UDM entity 234 through the authentication, authorization, and account server (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting server, AAA server) of 3GPP, but it is not limited to this .

In one embodiment, if the user device 210 intends to use a private service that needs to be charged, the MEC server 220 may further perform steps S327 and S328. In step S327, the policy/charging rule module 223 of the MEC server 220 can generate and record charging information associated with the user device 210 in response to the private service. In different embodiments, the charging information may include, for example, pay-per-view, charge-by-hour, rate, etc., but is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, if the user device 210 subsequently uses the private service, then in step S328, the policy/charging rule module 223 of the MEC server 220 may calculate a corresponding The usage fee for the user device 210 to access the private service, but not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, after the authorization module 225 stores the temporary user configuration file in the UDM entity 234 , the network access service module 222 may send the temporary user configuration file to the user device 210 . Correspondingly, after the user device 210 receives the temporary user configuration file, the user device 210 may determine that the user device 210 has been registered in the private network 230 through the emergency attachment procedure, and may execute step S330 accordingly.

In step S330 , in response to determining that the user device 210 is registered in the private network 230 through the emergency type attach procedure, the user device 210 performs a regular attach procedure based on the temporary user profile to register in the private network 230 . In some embodiments, the details of the conventional attaching procedure can refer to relevant communication system specifications, which will not be repeated here.

Next, in step S340 , in response to determining that the user device 210 executes the normal attach procedure, the MEC server 220 provides the private service to the user device 210 .

In one embodiment, it is assumed that the private service requested by the user device 210 is a multimedia streaming service (for example, used to watch a multimedia streaming provided by a certain facility/venue in an amusement park). In this case, the private service module 224 can send the multimedia stream of the above multimedia streaming service to the user device 210 .

In some embodiments, the MEC server 220 may also charge the user device 210 a usage fee for using the private service based on the above charging information and the usage situation of the user device 210 using the private service. For example, assuming that the above-mentioned charging information indicates that the user device 210 using the above-mentioned private service needs to be charged on time, the MEC server 220 can calculate the fee to be charged to the user device 210 according to the time when the user device 210 uses the above-mentioned private service . For another example, assuming that the above-mentioned charging information indicates that the user device 210 using the above-mentioned private service needs to be charged on a per-use basis, the MEC server 220 can calculate the charge to the user device 210 according to the number of times the user device 210 uses the above-mentioned private service. costs, but is not limited to this.

In one embodiment, it is assumed that the private service requested by the user device 210 is to conduct a peer-to-peer conversation with one of the default service devices 241 - 24N registered in the private network 230 . In this case, the MEC server 220 may, for example, provide the aforementioned private service through the method shown in FIG. 5 .

Please refer to FIG. 5 , which is a flow chart of providing peer-to-peer call service according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, in step S341, the private service module 224 of the MEC server 220 can obtain the default service devices 241~24N corresponding to the peer-to-peer call service, wherein each default service device 241~24N has been registered in the private network 230. Afterwards, in step S342, the private service module 224 of the MEC server 220 can select a specific service device from the default service devices 241~24N, and request the PCF entity 233 of the private network 230 through the policy/charging rule module 223 to The specific service device issues a call service request CQ.

In one embodiment, after the private service module 224 obtains the location of the user device 210 and the locations of the default service devices 241~24N from the location module 226, it can find the closest One of the user devices 210 serves as a specific service device. In other embodiments, the private service module 224 may also select a specific service device from the default service devices 241 - 24N based on other principles. For example, the private service module 224 may also randomly select one of the preset service devices 241-24N as the specific service device, but it is not limited thereto.

For the convenience of description, the following assumes that the default service device 241 is the specific service device selected by the private service module 224 and can be used for peer-to-peer communication. In this case, the PCF entity 233 can send a call service request CQ to the default service device 241 according to the above teaching. In one embodiment, the MEC server 220 can send the call service request CQ to the private network 230, and the private network 230 can send the call service request CQ to a specific service device.

Correspondingly, in step S343, the specific service device (i.e., the default service device 241) can send a call service response CR to the PCF entity 233 in response to the call service request CQ, and the PCF entity 233 can inform the policy/charging rule module 223.

In one embodiment, in response to the specific service device sending a call service response CR, the MEC server 220 can confirm from the private network 230 that the specific service device has entered the call waiting state.

Afterwards, in step S344, the policy/charging rule module 223 of the MEC server 220 can trigger the private service module 224 to assist the user device 210 in performing communication with the specific service device (ie, the default service device 241) according to the call service response CR. Peer-to-peer calls.

In one embodiment, it is assumed that the peer-to-peer call service is an emergency call service. Therefore, when a visitor holding the user device 210 intends to use the emergency call service of the amusement park in the amusement park to contact relevant personnel in the amusement park, the corresponding button can be triggered in the specific application 210a.

Afterwards, the specific application program 210a can initiate an emergency attach procedure for accessing the emergency call service to the private network 230 because it determines that the user device 210 is not registered in the private network 230 . Correspondingly, the MEC server 230 can assist the user device 210 to register in the private network 230 through the previously taught mechanism.

In one embodiment, the MEC server 220 may first obtain which employees of the amusement park are corresponding to the above-mentioned emergency call service (such as medical personnel, etc.), and then regard the user devices held by these employees as the above-mentioned default service devices. After that, the MEC server 230 can find out one of the default service devices that is closest to the user device 210 as the specific service device, and then establish a peer-to-peer communication between the user device 210 and the specific service device. In this way, tourists who need the emergency call service can find the nearest medical staff to assist in emergency affairs through the above-mentioned peer-to-peer call service, but it is not limited to this.

In summary, the embodiment of the present invention allows the MEC server to assist the user device not registered in the private network to register in the private network through the emergency attachment procedure. In this way, the MEC server can provide the user device with the private service provided by the MEC server in the private network (such as a peer-to-peer call service).

Although the present invention has been disclosed above with the embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone with ordinary knowledge in the technical field may make some changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the scope of the appended patent application.

110, 120, 210: user equipment

200: Communication system

210a: Specific applications

220:MEC server

221: UPF entity

222:Network access service module

223: Policy/charging rule module

224: Private service module

225:Authorization module

226: Position Module

230: private private network

230a: base station

230b: core network

231: AMF entity

232:SMF entity

233: PCF entity

234: UDM entity

241~24N: Default service device

R1: request

CQ: call service request

CR: call service response

S310~S340,S311,S321,S323~S329,S341~S344: steps

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a conventional user device accessing the Internet. FIG. 1B is another schematic diagram of accessing the Internet according to the conventional user device shown in FIG. 1A . FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for assisting an unregistered user device to access a private network service according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a detailed flowchart of some steps in FIG. 3 . FIG. 5 is a flow chart of providing a peer-to-peer call service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

S310~S340: steps

Claims (24)

A method for assisting an unregistered user device to access a private network service, which is suitable for a communication system applying mobile edge computing, the method comprising: a user device sends a request for accessing a private service of a private network, And the user device is not registered in the private private network, wherein the private service includes a peer-to-peer call service; in response to determining that the user device not registered in the private private network wants to access the private service, a mobile edge computing server assisting the user device to obtain a temporary user configuration file through an emergency type attachment procedure, so as to register on the private network according to the temporary user configuration file; in response to determining that the user device is registered on the private network through the emergency type attachment procedure network, the user device performs a conventional attach procedure based on the temporary user profile; and in response to determining that the user device performs the conventional attach procedure, the mobile edge computing server provides the private service to the user device, comprising: the The mobile edge computing server obtains at least one default service device corresponding to the peer-to-peer call service, wherein each of the default service devices has been registered in the private network; the mobile edge computing server obtains from the at least one default service device The device selects a specific service device and sends a call service request to the specific service device; in response to the call service request, the specific service device sends a call service response; and The mobile edge computing server assists the user device to perform a peer-to-peer call with the specific service device according to the call service response. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the user device includes a specific application program corresponding to the private network, and the method further includes: the specific application program determines the request for the user device to access the private service; responds When the specific application determines that the user device intends to access the private service request, the specific application determines whether the user device is registered with the private network; and in response to determining that the user device is not registered with the private network, the specific application The program initiates the emergency type attach procedure for accessing the private service to the private network. The method according to claim 2, wherein, in response to the emergency type attach procedure initiated by the specific application, the private network establishes a basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device, and notifies the corresponding Mobile edge computing server. The method of claim 3, wherein: the mobile edge computing server generates the temporary user configuration file in response to the mobile edge computing server notifying that a basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device has been established, and adding the temporary user configuration file to a unified data management entity of the private network; and sending the temporary user configuration file to the specific application program of the user device by the mobile edge computing server. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the user device executes the regular attach procedure, and logs in the private network according to the temporary user configuration file. The method as described in claim 4 further includes: generating and recording a billing information associated with the user device by the mobile edge computing server in response to the private service. The method as claimed in claim 6 further includes: calculating a usage fee corresponding to the user device accessing the private service based on the charging information and a usage situation of the user device accessing the private service. The method as described in claim 3, wherein before the private private network establishes the basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device, the method further includes: the mobile edge computing server determines whether the user device is within a service range of the private network; in response to the user device being located within the service range of the private network, the private network establishes the basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device; and in response to the If the user device is not within the service range of the private network, the private network does not establish the basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device and ignores the user device. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the private service includes a multimedia streaming service, and the step of providing the private service to the user device by the mobile edge computing server includes: providing the mobile edge computing server to the user The device sends a multimedia stream of the multimedia streaming service. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the step of sending the call service request to the specific service device includes: the mobile edge computing server sends the call service request to the private network, and the private network sends the call service request to the specific service device Issue the call service request. The method as described in claim 1 further includes: in response to the call service response sent by the specific service device, the mobile edge computing server confirms from the private network that the specific service device has entered a call-waiting state. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the specific service device is closest to the user device among the at least one default service device. A communication system for assisting unregistered user devices to access private private network services, which includes: a user device; and a mobile edge computing server, wherein: the user device sends a request for accessing a private service of a private network , and the user device is not registered in the private network, wherein the private service includes a peer-to-peer call service; in response to the mobile edge computing server determining that the user device not registered in the private network intends to access the private service , the mobile edge computing server assists the user device to obtain a temporary user configuration file through an emergency type attachment procedure, so as to register in the private network according to the temporary user configuration file; The attach procedure is registered in the private private network, and the user device executes a regular attach procedure based on the temporary user configuration file and in response to determining that the user device executes the regular attach procedure, the mobile edge computing server provides the private service to the user device, including: the mobile edge computing server obtains at least one corresponding to the peer-to-peer call service A default service device, wherein each of the default service devices has been registered in the private network; the mobile edge computing server selects a specific service device from the at least one default service device, and sends a call to the specific service device a service request; in response to the call service request, the specific service device sends a call service response; and the mobile edge computing server assists the user device to perform a peer-to-peer call with the specific service device according to the call service response. The communication system as described in claim 13, wherein the user device includes a specific application program corresponding to the private network, wherein: the specific application program determines the request of the user device to access the private service; responds to the specific The application program determines that the user device intends to access the private service request, and the specific application program determines whether the user device is registered with the private network; and when it is determined that the user device is not registered in the private network, the specific application program Initiating the emergency type attach procedure for accessing the private service to the private network. The communication system as described in claim 14 further includes the private private network, wherein the private private network includes an access and mobility management functional entity and a session management management functional entity, wherein the access and mobility management functional entity requires the session management functional entity to establish a basic session corresponding to the private service and the user equipment in response to the emergency type attach procedure initiated by the user equipment, and accordingly Notifying a user plane functional entity of the mobile edge computing server. In the communication system described in claim 13, the mobile edge computing server is configured to: respond to a network access service module of the mobile edge computing server by notifying a corresponding to the private service and the user device The basic session has been established, and it is determined that the user device not registered in the private network intends to access the private service; requesting an authorization module of the mobile edge computing server to generate a temporary user configuration through the network access service module file, and add the temporary user configuration file to a unified data management entity of the private network through the authorization module; and send the temporary user configuration file to the user device through the network access service module that particular application. The communication system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the user device executes the regular attach procedure, and logs in the private network according to the temporary user configuration file. The communication system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mobile edge computing server is further configured to: a policy/charging rule module of the mobile edge computing server is generated in response to the private service and recorded associated with the user device A billing information for . The communication system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mobile edge computing server is further configured to: charge the user device for using the private service based on the charging information and a usage situation of the user device using the private service cost. The communication system as claimed in claim 15, wherein before the private network establishes the basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device, the mobile edge computing server is further configured to use a location module to determine the user Whether the device is located within a service range of the private network; in response to the location module determining that the user device is located within the service range of the private network, the private network establishes the corresponding private service and the user device Basic session: In response to the location module determining that the user device is not within the service range of the private network, the private network does not establish the basic session corresponding to the private service and the user device and ignores the user device. The communication system as described in claim 13, wherein the private service includes a multimedia streaming service, and the mobile edge computing server is configured to: provide the user device with a private service module corresponding to the multimedia streaming service A multimedia stream of the multimedia streaming service is sent. The communication system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the mobile edge computing server sends the call service request to the private network, and the private network sends the call service request to the specific service device. The communication system as claimed in claim 13, wherein in response to the call service response sent by the specific service device, the mobile edge computing server confirms from the private network that the specific service device has entered a call-waiting state. The communication system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the specific service device is closest to the user device among the at least one default service device.

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