Embodiment
Below in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in the present invention, the technical scheme in the present invention is clearly and completely described, obviously, described embodiment is only a part of embodiment of the present invention, rather than whole embodiment.Based on the embodiment in the present invention, those of ordinary skills, not making the every other embodiment obtaining under creative work prerequisite, belong to the scope of protection of the invention.
For making the public realize easier to understandly to of the present invention, before introducing the present invention, first mobility management process is described.Wherein, the object of mobility management process is to make mobile terminal can in network, carry out position renewal and registration, and network can connect by paging and terminal.
It should be noted that in mobility management process, the mobile management of mobile terminal is mainly undertaken by mobile management controlled entity, is realized the position of mobile terminal is upgraded and registration by mobile management controlled entity.
Wherein, at UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, universal mobile telecommunications system) in system, mobile management controlled entity is SGSN (Serving GPRS SupportingNode, Serving GPRS Support Node), lane place is RA (Routing Area, Route Area).And at EPS (Evolved Packet System, the grouping system of evolution) in system, mobile management controlled entity is MME (Mobility Management Entity, Mobility Management Entity), lane place is TA (Tracking Area, tracking area).
Concrete, in UMTS system, SGSN realizes when the position of mobile terminal is upgraded, and mobile terminal need to be initiated location area updating process under certain trigger condition, thereby upgrades the positional information of self.Wherein, because the lane place in UMTS system is RA, RAU (Routing Area Update, Routing Area Update) trigger condition include but not limited to: (1) in the time that mobile terminal enters into a unregistered RA, triggering mobile terminals launch position district renewal process; (2) in the time of the periodicity RAU of mobile terminal timer expiry, triggering mobile terminals launch position district renewal process.
In EPS system, MME realizes when the position of mobile terminal is upgraded, and mobile terminal need to be initiated location area updating process under certain trigger condition, thereby upgrades the positional information of self.Wherein, in the time that mobile terminal is attached to network, network will distribute a TAI List who comprises one or more TA for mobile terminal, because the lane place in EPS system is TA, TAU (Tracking Area Update, tracing section updating) trigger condition include but not limited to: (1), in the time that mobile terminal enters into a TA who does not belong to registered TAI List, will initiate TAU process, i.e. triggering mobile terminals launch position district renewal process; (2) in the time of the periodicity TAU of mobile terminal timer expiry, will initiate TAU process, i.e. triggering mobile terminals launch position district renewal process.
In order more clearly to illustrate that mobile terminal carries out the process of position renewal and Service Request (service request) in network, illustrates respectively the ServiceRequest process of mobile terminal and the position updating process of mobile terminal below in conjunction with two concrete flow processs.
As shown in Figure 1, be the Service Request process schematic diagram of mobile terminal.Wherein, before mobile terminal completes Service Request, this mobile terminal is Idle state mobile terminal, and the mobile management of this Idle state mobile terminal is mainly undertaken by mobile management controlled entity, take EPS system as example, mobile management controlled entity is MME.
Concrete, in the time that Idle state mobile terminal need to send data, need Service Request process, need to set up being connected between Idle state mobile terminal and network (setting up user's face connects), the object of Service Request process is as shown in Figure 1 exactly to set up being connected between Idle state mobile terminal and network, and completes the transition between states of Idle state mobile terminal from Idle state to connected state.In Fig. 1, be the Service Request process (for the processing procedure of UMTS system, repeating no longer in detail in the present invention) under EPS system, comprising:
Step 101-step 102, UE (User Equipment, subscriber equipment) sends Service Request message.It should be noted that the mobile terminal under EPS system is UE, the two can exchange in actual applications, is not limited to the title of user side equipment in the present invention.
Concrete, UE sends Service Request message to eNodeB (Node B); ENodeB sends Service Request message to MME.
Step 103, carries out authentication to UE.
Concrete, UE is by MME and mutual Authentication (authentication)/Security (safety) information of HSS (Home Subscriber Server, home subscriber server), to realize the safety certification to UE.
Step 104-step 107, sets up empty port load-supporting.
Concrete, MME sends Initial (initially) Context (context) Setup (setting) Request message to eNodeB; The mutual Radio of eNodeB and UE (wireless) Bearer (carrying) Establishment (foundation) message; UE sends Uplink (up) Data (data) to eNodeB; ENodeB sends Uplink Data to Serving GW (gateway); Serving GW sends Uplink Data to PDN (Packet Data Network, Packet Data Network) GW; ENodeB sends Initial Context Setup Complete (completing) message to MME.
By said process, can complete the process of establishing of empty port load-supporting, get through UE and need to send the data feedback channel of data.
Step 108-step 112, revises S1 carrying.
Concrete, MME sends Modify (modification) Bearer Request message to Serving GW; Serving GW sends Modify Bearer Request message to PDN GW; PDN GW and PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function, strategy and charging rule functions) mutual PCEF (Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, strategy and charge execution function) InitiatedIP-CAN Session (session) Modification (modification) information; PDN GW returns to Modify Bearer Response (response) message to Serving GW; Serving GW returns to ModifyBearer Response message to MME.Wherein, step 109-step 111 is optional.
By above-mentioned steps, the user's face that can set up between Idle state mobile terminal and network is connected, thereby makes Idle state mobile terminal complete the transition between states from Idle state to connected state.
As shown in Figure 2, for mobile terminal is set up the process schematic diagram that user's face connects in position is upgraded.Wherein, mobile terminal need to be initiated position updating process under certain trigger condition, thereby completing place renewal process describes in detail in the superincumbent narration of this trigger condition, does not repeat them here.
It should be noted that, mobile terminal also can be set up user's face and connect in position updating process, in the time of mobile terminal launch position update request, if just in time there is upstream data to need to send, can in location update request message, carry a mark, in the time that network receives the position updating request that comprises this mark, after having upgraded, position just starts user's face process of establishing.
Concrete, in EPS system, the mark of carrying in this location area updating request message is specially active flag (activation marker), and in UMTS system, that in this location area updating request message, carries is designated follow on request (subsequent request).
In Fig. 2, for setting up the process that user's face connects in the position renewal under EPS system, comprising:
Step 201, in the time meeting TAU trigger condition, UE initiates TAU Request.
Concrete, UE sends TAU Request by RAN (Radio Assess Network, wireless access network) to MME.
It should be noted that, if in this position updating process, UE just in time has upstream data to need to send, this UE also needs to set up user's face with network and is connected, now, need in this TAU Request, carry active flag mark, and show will start user's face process of establishing by this active flag mark after TAU finishes.
If step 202-204 MME changes, new (newly) MME obtains the contextual information of UE to old (old) MME, and the renewal of the modification of carrying and position; And if MME is constant, 202-204 does not carry out.
Concrete, new MME obtains the contextual information of UE from old MME; New MME and PCRF complete modification or the process of reconstruction (being modification or the process of reconstruction that new MME and SGW, PGW, PCRF etc. complete carrying) of carrying; New MME and HSS completing place are upgraded and registration process.
Step 205, MME return to TAU Accept (acceptance) to UE.
Concrete, new MME is sent and returns to TAU Accept message to UE by RAN.
When it should be noted that if need to setting up the connection of user's face, in TAU Request, will carry active flag mark, now, can also comprise the following steps:
If step 206-207 is provided with active flag, UE and network will be proceeded empty port load-supporting and activate and user's face process of establishing.This process is equivalent to the part of step 104-step 112 in Service Request process, repeats no longer in detail at this.
Be understandable that, above-mentioned processing procedure is the processing procedure under EPS system, and for UMTS system, message in step 201 is RAU Request, if and need to set up user's face and connect, in this RAU Request, be designated follow on request, in addition, some functional entitys that are positioned at network side are also different from EPS system, and relevant difference as shown in Figure 2.For example, the mobile management controlled entity of corresponding MME is SGSN, and the functional entity of corresponding HSS is HLR (Home LocationRegister, attaching position register).
Based on above-mentioned situation, in the embodiment of the present invention, for the feature of MO equipment, provide a kind of motion management method of MO equipment, to reduce signaling between MO equipment and network.The motion management method providing in the embodiment of the present invention is provided, is not limited to MO equipment, all equipment with MO equipment characteristic, all can be considered as it MO equipment, and adopt the technical scheme that the embodiment of the present invention provides to process.Wherein, when the feature of MO equipment, communicating by letter between user's side (MO equipment) and network is all to be initiated by MO equipment, and network can not initiated paging to MO equipment, and owing to not needing paging MO equipment, network can not known the particular location of MO equipment, can connect with network, send data while needing only MO equipment sending data.
Based on above-mentioned feature, the embodiment of the present invention one provides a kind of motion management method of MO equipment, as shown in Figure 3, comprises the following steps:
Step 301, when MO equipment determines that described MO equipment judges that whether present position-region is registered need to send data time.If so, execution step 302, if not, execution step 303.
Step 302, described MO equipment and network side carry out service request Service Request process, and described MO equipment is set up user's face with network side and is connected.
Step 303, described MO equipment is set up user's face with described network side and is connected in position is upgraded.
Concrete, for the grouping system EPS system of evolution, described MO equipment judges that whether present position-region is registered, comprising: described MO equipment judges whether current tracking area TA has record in tracking area identification list TAI List; If when current TA records in described TAI List, described MO equipment judges that present position-region is registered; Otherwise described MO equipment judges that present position-region do not register.
Described MO equipment is set up user's face with described network side and is connected in position is upgraded, comprise: described MO equipment is set up user's face with described network side by the tracing section updating TAU Request that has carried activation marker active flag and is connected in position is upgraded, wherein, described active flag sets up with described MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for identifying described network side after position is upgraded.
Described MO equipment judges that whether present position-region is registered, also comprises before: in the time that described MO equipment does not have data to send and enters into the TA that does not belong to registered lane place, described MO equipment is determined not to be needed to carry out position updating process with described network side.
For universal mobile telecommunication system, described MO equipment judges that whether present position-region is registered, comprising: described MO equipment judges whether current Route Area RA is registered RA; If when current RA is registered RA, described MO equipment judges that present position-region is registered; Otherwise described MO equipment judges that present position-region do not register.
Described MO equipment is set up user's face with described network side and is connected in position is upgraded, comprise: described MO equipment is set up user's face with described network side by the routing area updating RAU Request that has carried subsequent request follow on request and is connected in position is upgraded, wherein, described follow on request sets up with described MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for identifying described network side after position is upgraded.
Described MO equipment judges that whether present position-region is registered, also comprises before: in the time that described MO equipment does not have data to send and enters into the RA that does not belong to registered lane place, described MO equipment is determined not to be needed to carry out position updating process with described network side.
Visible, the method that the application of the invention provides, when in the embodiment of the present invention, MO equipment does not have data to be sent, even if MO equipment does not send RAU Request request yet while entering a RA who does not belong to registered lane place, or MO equipment does not send TAU Request request yet while entering a TA who does not belong to registered lane place, thereby save the expense of signaling.And by the followon request process of RAU or the active flag process of TAU, in once connecting, just completed position renewal and user's face and set up, improve the utilance of system effectiveness and interface-free resources.
A kind of motion management method of MO equipment is provided in the embodiment of the present invention two, and the motion management method of this MO equipment is applied in EPS system, and as shown in Figure 4, the method comprises the following steps:
Step 401, in the time that MO equipment need to send data, MO equipment judges that whether present position-region is registered.If so, forward step 402 to, otherwise, forward step 403 to.
Concrete, for EPS system, MO equipment is by judging whether current TA judges in TAI List that whether present position-region is registered.If current TA, in TAI List, illustrates that present position-region is registered; And if current TA is not in TAI List, illustrate that present position-region is not registered.
Step 402, MO equipment and network side carry out Service Request process.This Service Request process is sets up the process that user's face connects, and handling process as shown in Figure 1, repeats no longer in detail at this.
Step 403, MO equipment is connected by setting up user's face with network side in position is upgraded, be MO equipment sets up user's face with network side and is connected by having carried the TAU Request of active flag in position is upgraded, wherein, active flag sets up with described MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for marked network side after position is upgraded.Should in position is upgraded, set up the handling process as shown in Figure 2 of process that user's face connects, repeat no longer in detail at this.
Be understandable that, due in EPS system, if trigger position district upgrades, corresponding trigger condition comprises: in the time that mobile terminal enters into a TA who does not belong to registered TAI List, to initiate TAU process, i.e. triggering mobile terminals launch position district renewal process.
Correspond in the embodiment of the present invention, if MO equipment is judged current TA not in TAI List, can trigger TAU process, perform step 403, otherwise, do not need to trigger TAU process, perform step 402.
It should be noted that, in order to optimize the mobile management of MO equipment, in embodiments of the present invention, also need to change the trigger condition of TAU, in the time not having data to be sent, even when MO equipment enters a TA who does not belong to registered lane place, do not send TAU Request yet, can executing location renewal process.In the time that MO equipment does not have data to send and enters into the TA that does not belong to registered lane place, this MO equipment is determined not to be needed to carry out position updating process with network side.
Can find out, compared with existing execution mode, when MO equipment does not have data to be sent in the embodiment of the present invention, even also do not send TAU Request request when MO equipment enters a TA who does not belong to registered lane place, thereby save the expense of signaling.And by the active flag process of TAU, in once connecting, just completed position renewal and user's face and set up, improve the utilance of system effectiveness and interface-free resources.
A kind of motion management method of MO equipment is provided in the embodiment of the present invention three, and the motion management method of this MO equipment is applied in UMTS system, and as shown in Figure 5, the method comprises the following steps:
Step 501, in the time that MO equipment need to send data, MO equipment judges that whether present position-region is registered.If so, forward step 502 to, otherwise, forward step 503 to.
Concrete, for UMTS system, MO equipment is by judging whether current RA is that registered RA judges that whether present position-region is registered.If current RA is registered RA, illustrate that present position-region is registered; And if current RA is not registered RA, illustrate that present position-region is not registered.
Step 502, MO equipment and network side carry out Service Request process.This Service Request process handling process as shown in Figure 1, does not repeat them here.
Step 503, MO equipment is set up user's face with network side by the RAU Request that has carried follow on request and is connected in position is upgraded, wherein, follow on request sets up with MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for marked network side after position is upgraded.Be somebody's turn to do the handling process shown in process and the Fig. 2 that set up the connection of user's face in position is upgraded similar, do not repeat them here.
Be understandable that, due in UMTS system, if trigger position district upgrades, corresponding trigger condition comprises: in the time that MO equipment enters into a unregistered RA, trigger MO equipment launch position district renewal process.
Correspond in the embodiment of the present invention, if when MO equipment is judged current RA and is unregistered RA, trigger MO equipment launch position district renewal process, perform step 503, otherwise, execution step 502.
It should be noted that, in order to optimize the mobile management of MO equipment, in embodiments of the present invention, also need to change the trigger condition of RAU, in the time not having data to be sent, even when MO equipment enters a RA who does not belong to registered lane place, do not send RAU Request request yet, can executing location renewal process.In the time that MO equipment does not have data to send and enters into the RA that does not belong to registered lane place, MO equipment is determined not to be needed to carry out position updating process with network side.
Can find out, compared with existing execution mode, when MO equipment does not have data to be sent in the embodiment of the present invention, even also do not send RAU Request request when MO equipment enters a RA who does not belong to registered lane place, thereby save the expense of signaling.And by the follow onrequest process of RAU, in once connecting, just completed position renewal and user's face and set up, improve the utilance of system effectiveness and interface-free resources.
A kind of motion management method of MO equipment is provided in the embodiment of the present invention four, and the motion management method of this MO equipment is applied in EPS system, and as shown in Figure 6, the method comprises the following steps:
Step 601, MO equipment judges whether to send data.In the time that MO equipment need to send data, forward step 602 to, otherwise, process ends.
Step 602, MO equipment is connected by using active flag mark to set up user's face with network side in position is upgraded.Be MO equipment sets up user's face with network side and is connected by having carried the TAU Request of active flag in position is upgraded, and wherein, active flag upgrades afterwards and sets up with MO equipment the information that user's face is connected in position for marked network side.
Wherein, in the present embodiment, MO equipment does not need to judge that whether current TA is registered, as long as there are data to send, all can identify to set up user's face by active flag and connect.This sets up the handling process as shown in Figure 2 of process that user's face connects, and does not repeat them here.
Can find out, compared with existing execution mode, when MO equipment does not have data to be sent in the embodiment of the present invention, even also do not send TAU Request request when MO equipment enters a TA who does not belong to registered lane place, thereby save the expense of signaling.And by the active flag process of TAU, in once connecting, just completed position renewal and user's face and set up, improve the utilance of system effectiveness and interface-free resources.
A kind of motion management method of MO equipment is provided in the embodiment of the present invention five, and the motion management method of this MO equipment is applied in UMTS system, and as shown in Figure 7, the method comprises the following steps:
Step 701, MO equipment judges whether to send data.In the time that MO equipment need to send data, forward step 702 to, otherwise, process ends.
Step 702, MO equipment is connected by using follow on request mark to set up user's face with network side in position is upgraded.Be MO equipment sets up user's face with network side and is connected by having carried the RAU Request of follow on request in position is upgraded, wherein, follow on request sets up with MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for marked network side after position is upgraded.
Wherein, in the present embodiment, MO equipment does not need to judge that whether current RA is registered, as long as there are data to send, all can identify to set up user's face by follow on request and connect.This set up user's face connect process and Fig. 2 shown in handling process similar, do not repeat them here.
Can find out, compared with existing execution mode, when MO equipment does not have data to be sent in the embodiment of the present invention, even also do not send RAU Request request when MO equipment enters a RA who does not belong to registered lane place, thereby save the expense of signaling.And by the follow onrequest process of RAU, in once connecting, just completed position renewal and user's face and set up, improve the utilance of system effectiveness and interface-free resources.
For technical scheme provided by the invention is more clearly described, below in conjunction with several concrete application scenarioss, the embodiment of the present invention is elaborated.
Application scenarios one
A kind of MO equipment of monitoring migration of birds feature in EPS system, is fixed on it migratory bird, supposes that network requirement MO equipment reports a secondary data every month.As shown in Figure 8.While supposing initially to adhere to, network to be MO devices allocation comprise TA1 and TA2 are at interior TAI List, along with the movement of MO equipment, even if entered the TA that does not belong to TAI List, for example, can be the TA3 under same MME, also can be under different MME as TA4, MO equipment is not initiated TAU process.Thereby make MO equipment monitor current TA without the moment and judge whether it belongs to registered TAI List, then can reduce terminal complexity, simplifying mobile management flow process.
Application scenarios two
Identical with the MO equipment in application scenarios one, in the time sending data time arrival, MO equipment does not need to send Service Request, and directly sends the TAU Request that carries active flag.Similar with application scenarios one, MO equipment enters after the TA that does not belong to registered TAI List, can not carry out TAU process.
And hypothesis MO equipment moving is to belonging in the TA4 of another MME (as MME2 in Fig. 8), if directly initiate Service Request process, due to the contextual information of this MO equipment not in MME2, MME2 will refuse this Service Request, and user's face is set up unsuccessfully.
Therefore, carry the TAU Request process of active flag by use, can in TAU process, make MME2 obtain the contextual information of this MO equipment, completing place is upgraded and registration, then set up user's face and connect, send data, also by just having completed in once connecting, position is upgraded and user's face is set up, and has improved operating efficiency.
Application scenarios three
A kind of MO equipment of monitoring hydrographic information in EPS system, be installed on the hydrographic information of the certain waters of steamer floor detection (such as a river is from upstream to downstream), such as certain pollutant levels, MO equipment initiating communication in the time that pollutant levels exceed preset value.
In the time that equipment Inspection exceeds standard to pollutant levels, first judge that current TA whether in TAI List, if so, initiates Service Request process; If not, initiate TAU with active flag process.Can find out, if equipment frequently detects that pollutant levels exceed standard in a TA, device just is initiated Service Request and just can be set up the connection of user's face, thereby has saved signaling consumption.
The mobility management apparatus that a kind of MO equipment is also provided in the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 9, comprising:
Judge module 10, need to send data time, judges that whether present position-region is registered for determining when MO equipment.
For the grouping system EPS system of evolution, described judge module 10 specifically for, judge whether current tracking area TA has record in tracking area identification list TAI List; If when current TA records in described TAIList, judge that present position-region is registered; Otherwise, judge that present position-region do not register.
For universal mobile telecommunication system, described judge module 10 specifically for, judge whether current Route Area RA is registered RA; If when current RA is registered RA, judge that present position-region is registered; Otherwise, judge that present position-region do not register.
Processing module 20, for when the judged result of judge module 10 is when being, carries out service request Service Request process with network side; When the judged result of judge module 10 is not when being, in position is upgraded, set up user's face with described network side and be connected.
For EPS system, described processing module 20 specifically for, in position is upgraded, setting up user's face with described network side by the tracing section updating TAU Request that has carried activation marker activeflag is connected, wherein, described active flag sets up with described MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for identifying described network side after position is upgraded.
For EPS system, described processing module 20 also for, in the time that described MO equipment does not have data to send and enters into the TA that does not belong to registered lane place, determine do not need to carry out position updating process with described network side.
For UMTS system, described processing module 20 specifically for, in position is upgraded, setting up user's face with described network side by the routing area updating RAU Request that has carried subsequent request followon request is connected, wherein, described follow on request sets up with described MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for identifying described network side after position is upgraded.
For UMTS system, described processing module 20 also for, in the time that described MO equipment does not have data to send and enters into the RA that does not belong to registered lane place, determine do not need to carry out position updating process with described network side.
Wherein, the modules of apparatus of the present invention can be integrated in one, and also can separate deployment.Above-mentioned module can be merged into a module, also can further split into multiple submodules.
By adopting equipment provided by the invention, when in the embodiment of the present invention, MO equipment does not have data to be sent, even if MO equipment does not send RAURequest request yet while entering a RA who does not belong to registered lane place, or MO equipment does not send TAU Request request yet while entering a TA who does not belong to registered lane place, thereby save the expense of signaling.And by the follow on request process of RAU or the active flag process of TAU, in once connecting, just completed position renewal and user's face and set up, improve the utilance of system effectiveness and interface-free resources.
The mobility management apparatus that a kind of MO equipment is also provided in the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in figure 10, comprising:
Judge module 30, need to send data for judging whether;
Set up module 40, in the time that described judge module 30 judgements need to send data, in position is upgraded, set up user's face with network side and be connected.
Described set up module 40 specifically for, for EPS system, in position is upgraded, setting up user's face with described network side by the TAURequest that has carried active flag is connected, wherein, described active flag sets up with described MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for identifying described network side after position is upgraded; For UMTS system, in position is upgraded, setting up user's face with described network side by the RAU Request that has carried follow on request is connected, wherein, described follow on request sets up with described MO equipment the information that user's face is connected for identifying described network side after position is upgraded.
Wherein, the modules of apparatus of the present invention can be integrated in one, and also can separate deployment.Above-mentioned module can be merged into a module, also can further split into multiple submodules.
By adopting equipment provided by the invention, when in the embodiment of the present invention, MO equipment does not have data to be sent, even if MO equipment does not send RAURequest request yet while entering a RA who does not belong to registered lane place, or MO equipment does not send TAU Request request yet while entering a TA who does not belong to registered lane place, thereby save the expense of signaling.And by the follow on request process of RAU or the active flag process of TAU, in once connecting, just completed position renewal and user's face and set up, improve the utilance of system effectiveness and interface-free resources.
Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can be well understood to the mode that the present invention can add essential general hardware platform by software and realize, and can certainly pass through hardware, but in a lot of situation, the former is better execution mode.Based on such understanding, the part that technical scheme of the present invention contributes to prior art in essence in other words can embody with the form of software product, this computer software product is stored in a storage medium, comprise that some instructions (can be personal computers in order to make a computer equipment, server, or the network equipment etc.) carry out the method described in each embodiment of the present invention.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that accompanying drawing is the schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment, the module in accompanying drawing or flow process might not be that enforcement the present invention is necessary.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the module in the device in embodiment can be distributed in the device of embodiment according to embodiment description, also can carry out respective change and be arranged in the one or more devices that are different from the present embodiment.The module of above-described embodiment can be merged into a module, also can further split into multiple submodules.
The invention described above embodiment sequence number, just to describing, does not represent the quality of embodiment.
Disclosed is above only several specific embodiment of the present invention, and still, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the changes that any person skilled in the art can think of all should fall into protection scope of the present invention.