CN101374160A

CN101374160A - Method, apparatus and system for distributing user address of packet network

Info

Publication number: CN101374160A
Application number: CNA2007101205742A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 孙晓姬; 袁立平
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-08-21
Filing date: 2007-08-21
Publication date: 2009-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 2027-08-21
Also published as: CN101374160B

Abstract

The invention discloses a method, a device and a system for allocating a user address in a packet network. The system mainly comprises an information transmitting device which is arranged in a non-packet network, and used for obtaining the user address allocation reference information signed by users and/or the user address allocation reference information transmitted by the users, and transmitting the user address allocation reference information; and a device for allocating the user address in the packet network, which is used for obtaining the user address allocation reference information of the non-packet network users in the packet network from the information transmitting device, and allocating address for the users in the non-packet network accessed to the packet network according to the user address allocation reference information. When the non-packet network is switched to a PS network by the users, the user address allocation reference information can be transmitted from the non-packet network to the PS network so that the packet network can allocate appropriate addresses for the users according to the obtained user address allocation reference information, thereby ensuring the continuity of the service in a switching process.

Description

Method, device and system for distributing user address in packet network

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a scheme for allocating user addresses in a packet network.

Background

At present, a specific implementation structure of a wireless network evolution architecture is shown in fig. 1, and the architecture mainly includes the following entities:

the MME, i.e. a mobility management entity, is responsible for functions such as NAS (non access stratum system) signaling and NAS signaling encryption, roaming, tracking, and the like, and allocates user temporary identity, security functions, and the like, which correspond to a control plane part of the SGSN in the current UMTS system;

the service gateway is responsible for local mobility anchor points, mobility anchor points in the 3GPP system and related information of legal monitoring;

the PDN Gateway, i.e. a PDN (packet network) Gateway, referred to as PGW for short, is responsible for policy enforcement and charging and lawful interception related functions.

When a user attaches to the above evolved architecture, i.e., EPS (evolved packet system) network, an available IP address needs to be allocated to the user. Currently, the PGW needs to decide whether to allocate an IPv4 address or an IPv6 address to a user according to the user's IP version capability, operator policy, or the IP version requested by the user.

In the EPS network, if a user performing a voice service is switched from the CS network to the EPS network, in order to reduce service interruption time, resource preparation work of the EPS network, including signaling bearer establishment, voice bearer establishment, and user IP address acquisition, needs to be performed in a handover preparation phase.

In the process of implementing the invention, the inventor finds that at least the following problems exist in the prior art:

when a user is switched from a CS network to an EPS network, a PGW needs to allocate an available IP address to the user according to the IP version capability of the user, an operator policy, or an IP version requested by the user. At present, the EPS network cannot acquire the IP version capability of the user or the IP version information required by the user, that is, cannot allocate a corresponding IP address to a non-PS network user. In summary, in a packet network, a suitable IP address cannot be allocated to a non-packet network user who is handed over to the network.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the invention provides a method, a device and a system for allocating user addresses in a packet network, so that a user can obtain the addresses allocated to the user in a non-packet network switched to the packet network and reliably accesses the packet network.

The embodiment of the invention provides a method for allocating user addresses in a packet network, which comprises the following steps:

the packet network acquires user address allocation reference information of non-packet network users in the packet network, wherein the user address allocation reference information is pre-configured or acquired from the non-packet network;

and allocating addresses for the users in the non-packet network accessed to the packet network according to the acquired user address allocation reference information.

a packet network acquires a pre-configured user address allocation strategy, wherein the user address allocation strategy indicates the version of an address allocated to a user;

and allocating the address of the corresponding version to the user according to the acquired user address allocation strategy.

The embodiment of the invention provides a device for allocating user addresses in a packet network, which comprises:

a first information acquisition unit, in the packet network, for acquiring user address allocation reference information of non-packet network users in the packet network, which is pre-configured or acquired from the non-packet network;

and the address allocation unit is used for allocating addresses for the users in the non-packet network accessed to the packet network according to the user address allocation reference information acquired by the information acquisition unit.

An embodiment of the present invention provides an information transfer apparatus, including:

a second information acquisition unit, in the non-packet network, for acquiring the user address allocation reference information signed by the user and/or the user address allocation reference information transmitted by the user;

and an information sending unit for transmitting the user address allocation reference information acquired by the second information acquisition unit to a packet network.

The embodiment of the invention provides a system for allocating user addresses, which comprises:

the information transmission device is arranged in the non-packet network and is used for acquiring user address allocation reference information signed by a user and/or user address allocation reference information transmitted by the user and transmitting the user address allocation reference information;

and the device for allocating the user address in the packet network is used for receiving the user address allocation reference information of the non-packet network user in the packet network from the information transmission device and allocating the address for the user in the non-packet network accessing the packet network according to the user address allocation reference information.

It can be seen from the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention that when a user switches from a non-packet network to a PS network, the reference information for allocating the user address can be transmitted from the non-packet network to the PS network, so that the packet network can allocate an appropriate address to the user according to the obtained reference information for allocating the user address, thereby ensuring the continuity of the service in the switching process.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an evolved architecture in the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a first diagram illustrating an implementation process of the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second implementation process of the embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4A and fig. 4B are schematic diagrams illustrating a third specific implementation process of the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an apparatus and a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In the process of allocating an IP address for a user by the PS network, at least one of the user address allocation reference information such as the PS network capability of the user (e.g., the IP version capability supported by the user), the operator policy, and the PS network capability requested by the user (e.g., the IP version requested by the user) needs to be referred to. The embodiment of the invention provides a realization scheme for acquiring the address allocation reference information of each user by the PS network, so that the target side network can allocate a proper IP address for the user in the switching preparation stage and establish resources such as signaling load and voice special load on the PS network for the user.

The following describes an implementation scheme for obtaining the reference information for allocating each user address in the PS network.

In the PS network, the operator policy is acquired as follows:

(1) the operator strategy can be signed in HSS (home server), and MSC in CS network carries the obtained operator strategy to PS network when switching occurs; or, the MME in the PS network may obtain the operator policy from the HSS, and transmit the operator policy to the PGW;

(2) directly configuring the operator policy on a PGW in the PS network.

(II) in the PS network, the mode of obtaining the IP version capability supported by the user and the IP version requested by the user is as follows:

the corresponding PS network acquiring the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user comprises the steps of acquiring the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user by the CS network; and a procedure for carrying the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user from the CS network to the target PS network, wherein,

(1) the process of the CS network acquiring the PS network capability of the user and/or the PS network capability requested by the user may specifically be any of the following manners:

the user transmits at least one of the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user to the MSC in the CS network through a location registration process;

the user transfers at least one item of the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user to the MSC in the CS network through a call establishment flow;

at least one of the user's PS network capabilities and the user requested PS network capabilities is communicated to the MSC over the ICCC channel.

(2) The process of carrying the PS network capability of the user and/or the PS network capability requested by the user from the CS network to the target PS network may specifically be any of the following manners:

under the IMS control mode, MSC transmits at least one item of the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user from the CS network to the PS network through the ICCC channel;

when the user is switched from the CS network to the PS network by voice, the MSC transfers at least one of the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user to the target PS network;

the MSC delivers at least one of the user's PS network capability and the user requested PS network capability to a PGW in the PS network through a user capability aware functional entity (i.e., a user capability aware entity) in the IMS network.

(III) configuring and fixing IP address of user-allocated set version in PS network

For the user switched to the PS network, the PS network capability of the user and the PS network capability requested by the user do not need to be transmitted, the target PS network is fixed to distribute the IP address of the IPv4 or IPv6 version to the VCC user, for example, the address is distributed according to the pre-configured user address distribution strategy, at this time, the VCC user fixedly supports the IP address of the IPv4 or IPv6 version;

(IV) VCC users support both IPv4 and IPv6

When the switching occurs, the PS network capability of the user is not required to be transferred to the PS network, and the IP address is only allocated to the user by the network side according to the operator strategy (such as a pre-configured user address allocation strategy); alternatively, the PGW may only allocate an available IP address to the user according to operator policy (e.g., a pre-configured user address allocation policy).

In the embodiment of the invention, the corresponding PS network capability can be corresponding IP version information, and can also be other information elements required to be used in the PS network, such as encryption or integrity protection information and the like.

For facilitating understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the following will describe in detail a specific implementation process of the embodiment of the present invention by taking corresponding IP version information as PS network capability as an example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Example one

Under the IMS control mode, the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user are transferred from the CS network to the PS network through an ICCC (control channel between IMS and CS) channel.

And the PGW in the PS network allocates a proper IP address for the user according to at least one of the IP version supported by the user, the operator policy and the IP version requested by the user.

For example, as shown in fig. 2, a user initiates a voice call in a CS domain, when deciding to switch from the CS domain to a PS domain, the user transmits an IP version supported by the user and/or an IP version requested by the user to a PGW through an ICCC channel, and the PGW allocates an IPv4 address or an IPv6 address to the user according to at least one of an IP version capability supported by the user, an operator policy, and an IP version requested by the user.

Example two

When the CS network is switched to the PS network, the MSC transmits the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user to the target PS network through the intermediate network element, and the target PS network distributes an IP address for the user according to at least one of the IP version supported by the user, the IP version requested by the user and the operator strategy.

Because the IP version supported by the user and the IP version requested by the user are usually relatively certain capabilities, the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user may be carried only when the user powers on to access the network for the first time, and the subsequent periodic location update or the location update operation process initiated by the user movement may not be carried with the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user.

As shown in fig. 3, and fig. 4A and 4B, the corresponding process of allocating an IP address to a user in the CS network to be switched to the PS network may specifically include:

first, as shown in fig. 3, the corresponding procedure for transmitting the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user to the MSC through the location registration procedure is as follows:

step 1, the mobile phone performs location registration in a CS domain and sends a location registration request message to an MSC;

the location registration request message carries an IP version supported by a user and/or an IP version requested by the user, wherein the IP version supported by the user can indicate the IP version capability supported by the user through a Spare (reserved bit) indication bit of a Mobile Station class 1 (Mobile Station capability information) cell, or an information element can be added in the message to indicate the IP version supported by the user; the IP version requested by the user may be brought to the MSC by adding a preferred PS capability.

And 2, step 3, the IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity) and the authentication data information of the user are retrieved from the original VLR (visitor location register) of the network side, namely PVLR.

Step 4 to step 9, updating the information of the user in the HLR (home location register) and deleting the information of the user in the original VLR on the network side;

and inserting the subscription data of the user in the HLR into the new VLR on the network side.

And step 10, completing the position updating process.

Then, the CS domain performs handover of the voice calling user from the CS domain to the PS domain, and at this time, an IP address needs to be allocated to the user in the PS domain. That is, in the process of handover, the MSC transmits the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user, which are obtained during location registration, to the PGW of the PS network, so that the PGW allocates an IP address to the user according to the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user. As shown in fig. 4A and 4B, after the user is handed over from the CS network to the PS network, the corresponding processing procedure may specifically include the following steps:

step

1, 2, for the user who originates call in CS domain, BSS (base station system) determines to execute switching operation and sends switching request to MSC;

step 3, after receiving the switching request message, the MSC initiates the inter-office switching according to the target cell, and sends the IP version supported by the user and/or the IP version requested by the user to an eMSC (enhanced MSC) in the PS network in the inter-office switching process;

for example, a MAP-Prep-Handover req message is sent to the eMSC, where the message carries the IP Version availability supported by the user and/or the IP Version preferred PS capability requested by the user, so as to notify the eMSC of preparing the target-side Handover resource; the IP Version availability cell for identifying the IP Version supported by the user can be indicated by modifying the Spare indication bit identifier of the existing cell Mobile Station class 1 or by a separate cell.

And step 4, when the eMSC judges that the voice call needs to be switched to the PS domain, sending a Forward Relocation Request message to the MME according to the configuration information of the target cell, wherein the message carries IP Version availability and/or preferred PS capability information.

And 5, 6, the MME transmits the IP Version availability and/or the preferred PS capability to an SAE GW (evolution gateway) and finally to the PGW, so that the PGW and the like can allocate a proper IP address for the user according to the IP Version availability and/or the preferred PS capability information and an operator strategy, and the PGW also transmits the IP address to the MME after allocating the corresponding IP address for the user.

Step 7, after the PGW transmits the IP address allocated to the user to the MME, the MME sends the IP address to the eMSC;

specifically, the corresponding IP address may be transmitted to the eMSC by a Forward Relocation Rsp message sent to the eMSC.

Step 8, the eMSC communicates with MGW (media gateway), MGW informs the eMSC of its IP address and port number;

step 9 to step 13, the eMSC, as an AF (application function) entity, requests a PCC Rule to a PCRF (policy charging control function), instructing the PDN GW to establish a voice-specific bearer between the eNB (enhanced base station) and the SAE GW.

Step 14, the eMSC sends Mod Request message to inform the MGW of the user IP address and port number.

Step 15 to step 19, the eMSC sends a MAP-Prep-Handover rsp (mobile application part Handover response) message to the source-side MSC, so as to bring the user IP address and the bearer related parameters to the source-side MSC, and further, the source-side MSC transmits the user IP address and the bearer related parameters to the user.

And 20 to 30, the user accesses the target side after acquiring information such as a corresponding user IP address and the like, and clears the resource information of the source side.

EXAMPLE III

In the process of establishing a CS domain call, a VCC user brings IP version IPVersion availability supported by the VCC user and/or IP version preferred PS capability requested by the user to the MSC by the mobile phone. When the user is switched from the CS network to the PS network, the MSC brings the IP Version availability and/or the preferred PS capability to the target PS network through the intermediate network element, and the target PS network combines the IP Version supported by the user and/or the IP Version requested by the user, optionally, may further combine with the operator policy to allocate a corresponding IP address to the user.

The user initiates a Call in the CS domain, and may bring the IP Version availability and/or preferred PS availability supported by the user to the MSC through a CM service req or Setup or Paging response or Call confirm message, for example, when a handover occurs, the MSC brings the IP Version availability and/or preferred PS availability supported by the user to an intermediate network element, and the intermediate network element transfers the IP Version availability and/or preferred PS availability information to the PS network, and then the PS network allocates an IP address to the user according to at least one of the IP Version availability, preferred PS availability and operator policy.

Example four

In this embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, an IMS domain user capability awareness entity (i.e. a user capability awareness entity) is included in the PS network for perceiving user capabilities and data in the CS and PS networks, so that in the handover process from the CS domain to the PS domain, the PS network capabilities supported by the user and the PS network capabilities requested by the user can be provided for the PS network through the IMS domain user capability awareness entity. For example, in an IMS control manner, when a user is handed over from a CS network to a PS network during a call, the IMS domain user capability sensing entity may bring the PS network capability supported by the user (e.g., the IP version supported by the user) and the PS network capability requested by the user (e.g., the IP version requested by the user) to a PGW in the PS network, and the PGW allocates an IP address to the user according to the information.

EXAMPLE five

In this embodiment, the PGW fixedly assigns IP addresses of IPv4 or IPv6 to the VCC subscriber; at this time, the VCC subscriber may be agreed to support IP versions of IPv4 or IPv 6. Based on the convention, when the VCC user is switched from the CS network to the PS network, the IP version supported by the user and the IP version requested by the user do not need to be transferred, but the MME informs the PGW in the PS network that the user is the VCC user, and fixedly allocates the IP address of IPv4 or IPv6 to the user.

EXAMPLE six

In this embodiment, the VCC user can support both IPv4 and IPv6, so that when the user is handed over from the CS network to the PS network, the IP version supported by the user does not need to be transferred, but the target network side allocates an IP address to the user according to the operator policy, and for the VCC user, the address can identify the application regardless of whether the address is an IPv4 version or an IPv6 version.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides a system for allocating a user address, and a specific implementation structure of the system is shown in fig. 6, and mainly includes:

the information transmission device is arranged in the non-packet network and used for acquiring user address allocation reference information signed by a user and/or user address allocation reference information transmitted by the user and transmitting the user address allocation reference information;

the specific implementation structure of the information transmission device is also shown in fig. 7, and may mainly include:

(1) a second information acquisition unit, in the non-packet network, for acquiring the user address allocation reference information signed by the user and/or the user address allocation reference information transmitted by the user;

(2) and an information sending unit for transmitting the user address allocation reference information acquired by the second information acquisition unit to a packet network.

If the apparatus is installed in a mobile switching control center of a circuit switched network, which is a non-packet network, the second information obtaining unit may include any one of the following units:

a first acquisition unit for acquiring the user address allocation reference information transmitted from the user through the location registration process, that is, the user transmits the user address allocation reference information to the apparatus through the location registration process, thereby making it possible to acquire the user address allocation reference information;

a second obtaining unit, configured to obtain user address allocation reference information transmitted by a user through a call setup procedure, that is, the user sends the user address allocation reference information to the device through the call setup procedure, so that the user address allocation reference information can be obtained;

and the third acquisition unit is used for acquiring the user address allocation reference information transmitted by the user through the channel between the IMS domain and the circuit domain.

And the device is used for acquiring the user address allocation reference information of the non-packet network users in the packet network from the information transmission device and allocating addresses for the users in the non-packet network accessing the packet network according to the user address allocation reference information.

The specific implementation structure of the apparatus for allocating a user address in the packet network is still shown in fig. 7, and mainly includes the following processing units:

(1) a first information acquisition unit, in the packet network, for acquiring user address allocation reference information of non-packet network users in the packet network, which is pre-configured or acquired from the non-packet network;

the user address allocation reference information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of packet network capability supported by the user, packet network capability requested by the user, and operator policy.

(2) And the address allocation unit is used for allocating addresses for the users in the non-packet network accessed to the packet network according to the user address allocation reference information acquired by the information acquisition unit.

The apparatus provided in the embodiment of the present invention may be specifically, but not limited to, set in a packet network gateway PGW of a packet network.

In summary, in the embodiments of the present invention, when the SR VCC user is switched from the CS network to the PS network, the IP version capability of the user and the IP version capability requested by the user are transferred from the CS network to the PS network, and the PGW allocates an appropriate IP address to the user according to the acquired user IP version capability, the operator policy, and/or the IP version capability requested by the user, so that the continuity of the service can be still ensured in the process of switching the user from the CS network to the PS network, and thus, the corresponding VCC service can be implemented.

The above description is only for the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a subscriber address in a packet network, comprising:

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference information of the user address assignment comprises at least one of a packet network capability supported by the user, a packet network capability requested by the user, and an operator policy.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of obtaining the user address assignment reference information from a non-packet network comprises:

the non-packet network acquires user address allocation reference information signed by a user and/or user address allocation reference information transmitted by the user and transmits the user address allocation reference information to the packet network;

or,

the user ability perception entity obtains the user address allocation reference information and transmits the information to the packet network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of obtaining the user address allocation reference information transmitted by the user comprises:

the user in the circuit domain network transmits the user address allocation reference information to a mobile switching control center in the circuit domain network through a position registration process;

or,

the user in the circuit domain network transmits the user address allocation reference information to a mobile switching control center in the circuit domain network through a call establishment process;

or,

the user in the circuit domain network transmits the user address allocation reference information to the mobile switching control center in the circuit domain network through the channel between the IMS domain and the circuit domain.

5. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the entity that allocates addresses to users in a non-packet network accessing the packet network is a packet network gateway.

6. A method for assigning a subscriber address in a packet network, comprising:

7. An apparatus for assigning user addresses in a packet network, comprising:

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the reference information of the user address assignment comprises at least one of a packet network capability supported by the user, a packet network capability requested by the user, and an operator policy.

9. An information delivery apparatus, comprising:

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is disposed in a mobile switching control center of a circuit switched network (CS) which is a non-packet network, and the second information obtaining unit comprises:

a first acquisition unit configured to acquire user address allocation reference information transmitted from a user through a location registration process;

or,

a second obtaining unit, configured to obtain user address allocation reference information transmitted by a user through a call establishment procedure;

or,

11. A system for assigning user addresses, comprising: