CN108093473B

CN108093473B - Registration method and MME

Info

Publication number: CN108093473B
Application number: CN201611028768.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 崔丽娜; 马艳萍; 赵博; 苏昊; 彭航; 邓青玉
Original assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co Ltd
Current assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-11-21
Filing date: 2016-11-21
Publication date: 2020-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-21
Also published as: CN108093473A

Abstract

The invention discloses a registration method and an MME (mobility management entity) to solve the problems of long time consumption and high signaling overhead of the registration method in the prior art. The method comprises the following steps: after receiving the session creation response message returned by the SGW in the attachment process of the UE, the MME sends an SIP registration request message to the TCF device, triggers the TCF device to register the UE, determines that the registration of the UE is completed after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF device, and continues to execute the attachment process of the UE. Therefore, the MME initiates the registration process of the UE in the attachment process of the UE, and completes the registration process of the UE while completing the attachment process of the UE, thereby effectively shortening the registration time of the UE and saving the overhead of air interface signaling.

Description

Registration method and MME

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of wireless communication technologies, and in particular, to a registration method and an MME.

Background

In the prior art, after the cluster terminal completes the attachment process, a registration process of the cluster terminal is initiated. That is, the registration process of the trunking terminal needs to occur after the attach process, and the two processes occur continuously, and the trunking terminal can only execute the relevant service after completing the registration.

In practical application, although the attach process and the registration process of the trunking terminal are two independent processes, the two processes have many repeated information transfers and similar operation flows, which not only increases extra signaling overhead, but also prolongs the startup registration time of the trunking terminal, and the registration efficiency is low.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the invention provides a registration method and a registration device, which are used for solving the problems of long time consumption and high signaling overhead of the registration method in the prior art.

The embodiment of the invention provides the following specific technical scheme:

a registration method, comprising:

in the attachment process of the UE, after receiving a session creation response message returned by the SGW, the MME sends an SIP registration request message to the TCF equipment to trigger the TCF equipment to register the UE;

and after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF equipment, the MME determines that the UE registration is completed and continues to execute the attachment process of the UE until the attachment process of the UE is finished.

Preferably, the sending, by the MME, the SIP registration request message to the TCF device to trigger the TCF device to register the UE includes:

the method comprises the steps that the MME deduces an SIP URL corresponding to the UE based on the obtained IMSI corresponding to the UE, wherein the IMSI corresponding to the UE is obtained by the MME from an attachment request message initiated by the UE; or, after sending the authentication request message to the UE, the MME obtains the authentication request message from the received authentication request response message returned by the UE;

and the MME carries the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in the SIP registration request message and sends the SIP registration request message to the TCF equipment, triggers the TCF equipment to perform registration on the UE directly based on the SIP URL without performing authentication on the UE after the TCF equipment determines that the UE authentication passes based on the first identifier.

Preferably, the MME continues to perform the attach procedure of the UE by sending an attach accept message carrying a second identifier representing that the UE registration is completed to the UE-accessed base station, where the second identifier is used to trigger the UE to obtain the IMSURL used in the multimedia service when the UE determines that the registration is successful based on the second identifier after the UE-accessed base station sends the attach accept message to the UE.

Preferably, after the attachment procedure of the UE is finished, the method further includes:

in the TAU process of the UE, after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by a base station newly accessed by the UE, the MME sends an SIP re-registration request message to the TCF equipment to trigger the TCF equipment to re-register the UE;

and after receiving the SIP re-registration response message returned by the TCF equipment, the MME determines that the UE re-registration is completed, and continues to execute the TAU process of the UE until the TAU process of the UE is finished.

Preferably, the TAU procedure of the UE is triggered when the TA of the UE changes; or, the method is triggered when a preset TAU period is determined to be reached, wherein the preset TAU period is greater than the re-registration time of the UE.

Preferably, the sending, by the MME, the SIP re-registration request message to the TCF device, triggering the TCF device to re-register the UE includes:

the MME deduces an SIP URL corresponding to the UE based on the obtained IMSI corresponding to the UE;

and the MME carries the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in the SIP re-registration request message and sends the SIP re-registration request message to the TCF equipment, triggers the TCF equipment to determine that the UE authentication passes on the basis of the first identifier, does not authenticate the UE, and directly re-registers the UE on the basis of the SIP URL.

Preferably, the MME continues to execute the TAU procedure of the UE by sending a location update message to the home subscriber server HSS, and sends a TAU accept message carrying a third identifier indicating that the re-registration of the UE is completed to the UE after receiving a location update confirm message returned by the HSS, where the third identifier is used to trigger the UE to acquire the IMS URL used in the multimedia service when the re-registration is determined to be successful based on the third identifier.

An MME, comprising:

the trigger unit is used for sending an SIP registration request message to the TCF equipment after receiving a session creation response message returned by the SGW in the attachment process of the UE, and triggering the TCF equipment to register the UE;

and the continuing unit is used for determining that the UE registration is finished after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF equipment, and continuing to execute the attachment process of the UE until the attachment process of the UE is finished.

Preferably, the SIP registration request message is sent to the TCF device, and when the TCF device is triggered to register the UE, the triggering unit is specifically configured to:

deducing an SIP URL corresponding to the UE based on the obtained IMSI corresponding to the UE, wherein the IMSI corresponding to the UE is obtained by an MME from an attachment request message initiated by the UE; or, after sending the authentication request message to the UE, the MME obtains the authentication request message from the received authentication request response message returned by the UE;

and carrying the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in an SIP registration request message, sending the SIP registration request message to TCF equipment, triggering the TCF equipment to register the UE directly on the basis of the SIP URL without authenticating the UE after the UE authentication is determined to pass on the basis of the first identifier.

Preferably, the continuing unit is configured to continue to execute the attach process of the UE by sending an attach accept message carrying a second identifier indicating that the UE registration is completed to the UE-accessed base station, where the second identifier is used to trigger the UE to acquire the IMS URL used in the multimedia service when the UE determines that the registration is successful based on the second identifier after the UE-accessed base station sends the attach accept message to the UE.

Preferably, after the attachment procedure of the UE is finished, the triggering unit is further configured to: in the TAU process of the UE, after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by a base station newly accessed by the UE, sending an SIP re-registration request message to TCF equipment, and triggering the TCF equipment to re-register the UE;

the splicing unit is further configured to: and after receiving the SIP re-registration response message returned by the TCF equipment, determining that the UE re-registration is completed, and continuing to execute the TAU process of the UE until the TAU process of the UE is finished.

Preferably, the SIP re-registration request message is sent to the TCF device, and when the TCF device is triggered to re-register the UE, the triggering unit is specifically configured to:

deducing an SIP URL corresponding to the UE based on the obtained IMSI corresponding to the UE;

and carrying the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in an SIP re-registration request message, sending the SIP re-registration request message to TCF equipment, triggering the TCF equipment to determine that the UE passes the authentication based on the first identifier, not authenticating the UE, and directly re-registering the UE based on the SIP URL.

Preferably, the connection unit is specifically configured to: the method comprises the steps of continuously executing a TAU process of UE by sending a position updating message to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), and sending a TAU receiving message carrying a third identification representing the completion of UE re-registration to the UE after receiving a position updating confirmation message returned by the HSS, wherein the third identification is used for triggering the UE to acquire an IMS URL used in the multimedia service under the condition that the UE determines the success of re-registration based on the third identification.

The embodiment of the invention has the following beneficial effects:

in the embodiment of the invention, the MME initiates the registration process of the UE in the attachment process of the UE, and the registration process of the UE is completed while the attachment process of the UE is completed, so that the registration time of the UE is effectively shortened, and the overhead of an air interface signaling is saved.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overview of a registration method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic flowchart of a registration method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a re-registration method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a functional structure diagram of an MME in the embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

In order to shorten the registration duration and reduce the overhead of air interface signaling, in an embodiment of the present invention, after receiving a Session creation response message returned by a Serving Gateway (SGW) in an attachment process of a User Equipment (UE), a Mobility Management Entity (MME) sends a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) registration request message to a TCF (Trunking Control Function) device, triggers the TCF device to register the UE, determines that the UE is registered after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF device, and continues to execute the attachment process of the UE.

The present invention will be described in detail with reference to specific examples, but it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the examples.

Referring to fig. 1, in the embodiment of the present invention, the registration method flow is as follows:

step 100: in the attachment process of the UE, after receiving a session creation response message returned by the SGW, the MME sends an SIP registration request message to the TCF equipment to trigger the TCF equipment to register the UE.

When step 100 is executed, the method specifically includes:

firstly, in an attach process of the UE, after receiving a session creation response message returned by the SGW, the MME derives an SIP Uniform Resource Locator (URL) corresponding to the UE based on an acquired International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) corresponding to the UE, where the IMSI corresponding to the UE is acquired by the MME from an attach request message initiated by the UE; or, the MME acquires the authentication request from the received authentication request response message returned by the UE after sending the authentication request message to the UE.

Then, the MME carries the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and the first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in an SIP registration request message and sends the SIP registration request message to the TCF equipment.

And finally, the TCF equipment determines that the UE is not authenticated any more after passing the authentication based on the first identifier, registers the UE based on the SIP URL directly, and returns an SIP registration response message to the MME after the registration is finished.

Step 110: and after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF equipment, the MME determines that the UE registration is completed and continues to execute the attachment process of the UE until the attachment process of the UE is finished.

When step 110 is executed, the method specifically includes:

first, after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF device, the MME sends an attach accept message carrying a second identifier indicating that the UE registration is completed to an access base station of the UE (hereinafter, referred to as an access base station of the UE as eNB).

Then, the eNB transmits a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message to the UE, and transmits an attach accept message to the UE.

Secondly, the UE returns an RRC connection reconfiguration completion message to the eNB, and acquires an Internet protocol multimedia Subsystem (IMS) URL used in the multimedia service under the condition of determining that the registration is successful based on a second identifier carried in the attachment acceptance message.

And finally, the eNB sends the initial context message to the MME to trigger the subsequent attachment process of the UE until the attachment process of the UE is finished.

Further, after the attach process of the UE is finished, the MME sends an SIP re-registration request message to the TCF device after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by an eNB to which the UE is newly accessed in a Tracking Area Update (TAU) process of the UE, triggers the TCF device to re-register the UE, determines that the re-registration of the UE is finished after receiving an SIP re-registration response message returned by the TCF device, and continues to execute the TAU process of the UE until the TAU process of the UE is finished. Wherein, the TAU procedure of the UE is triggered when a Tracking Area (TA) of the UE changes; or, the method is triggered when a preset TAU period is determined to be reached, wherein the preset TAU period is greater than the re-registration time of the UE.

Specifically, in the TAU process of the UE, after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by an eNB to which the UE newly accesses, the MME sends an SIP re-registration request message to the TCF device, and when triggering the TCF device to re-register the UE, the method specifically includes:

firstly, in the process of TAU of UE, after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by an eNB newly accessed by the UE, the MME derives an SIP URL corresponding to the UE based on the obtained IMSI corresponding to the UE.

Then, the MME carries the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and the first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in the SIP re-registration request message and sends the SIP re-registration request message to the TCF equipment.

And finally, the TCF equipment determines that the UE is not authenticated any more after passing the authentication based on the first identifier, re-registers the UE based on the SIP URL directly, and returns a SIP re-registration response message to the MME after the re-registration of the UE is completed.

Specifically, after receiving the SIP re-registration response message returned by the TCF device, the MME determines that the UE re-registration is completed, and continues to execute the TAU procedure of the UE until the TAU procedure of the UE is completed, which specifically includes:

first, after receiving a SIP re-registration response message returned by the TCF device, the MME sends a location update message to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

Then, after receiving the location update confirmation message returned by the HSS, the MME sends to the UE a TAU accept message carrying a third identifier indicating that the UE has completed re-registration.

And finally, the UE acquires an IMS URL used in the multimedia service under the condition of determining that the re-registration is successful based on the third identifier, and returns a TAU completion message to the MME under the condition that the GUTI is changed so as to confirm the new GUTI. So far, the TAU procedure of the UE ends.

The above embodiment is further described in detail by using a specific application scenario, and referring to fig. 2, in the embodiment of the present invention, a specific flow of the registration method is as follows:

step 200: the UE initiates an Attach Request message (Attach Request) and a network selection indication to the eNB, where the Attach Request includes at least: a Serving-Temporary Mobile subscriber identity (S-TMSI), UE capabilities, a Packet Data Network (PDN) address, and other parameter information.

Step 201: and the eNB deduces the MME according to the S-TMSI and the network selection indication. If the eNB cannot deduce the MME, the MME is selected through an MME selection function, and the Attach Request is forwarded to the MME.

Step 202: if the UE is attached with an invalid global Unique Temporary UE Identity (GUTI) and no UE context information is stored in the MME, the MME sends an authentication Request message (Identity Request) to the UE to Request the IMSI.

Step 203: the UE returns an authentication request response message (identity response) carrying the IMSI to the MME.

Step 204: the MME sends an Authentication information request message (Authentication information request) to the HSS, asking for an Authentication vector.

Step 205: the HSS sends an Authentication vector information response message (Authentication information response) to the MME to carry the Authentication vector to the MME.

Step 206: the MME selects one set from the acquired Authentication vectors, and sends an Authentication Request message (Authentication Request) to the UE.

Step 207: after receiving the Authentication Request, the UE performs Authentication on the UE side, and replies an Authentication Response message (Authentication Response) to the MME after the Authentication is successful.

Step 208: after receiving the Authentication Response, the MME determines whether an Authentication Response parameter (user Response, RES) carried in the Authentication Response is consistent with a locally stored expected user Response parameter (Expecteduser Response, XRES), determines that the Authentication is successful if the Authentication Response parameter (user Response, RES) and the locally stored expected user Response parameter (XRES) are consistent, and sends a Security Mode control message (Security Mode Command) to the UE after generating an Integrity Key (IK) and an encryption Key (CK) by using a Key (KASME) to initiate a Security control process.

Step 209: and after receiving the Security Mode Command, the UE checks the integrity protection. If the verification is successful, a Security Mode completion message (Security Mode Complete) is sent to the MME, and the Security procedure establishment is completed.

Step 210: the MME sends an authentication Request message (Identity Request) to the UE to solicit an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

Step 211: and if the UE receives the Identity Request, returning the parameter information such as the IMEI and the like to the MME through an authentication Response message (Identity Response) according to the type of the identifier requested by the MME.

Step 212: the MME and an Equipment Identity Register (EIR) judge whether the UE is allowed to access through a My authentication Check (ME Identity Check) process.

Step 213: since it is the initial attachment, the MME needs to send a location update Request message (UpdateLocation Request) to the HSS.

Step 214: the HSS returns a Location Update response message (Update Location Answer) to the MME, and if the HSS rejects, the MME also rejects the attach request.

Step 215: the MME selects an SGW and sends a Create Session request message (Create Session Response) to the SGW. Wherein, the Create Session Response at least comprises: IMSI, MME context identifier, Radio Access Type (RAT) Type, Quality of Service of default bearer (QoS), PDN address allocation, and Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate (AMBR).

Step 216: the SGW creates an entry in an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) bearer list and forwards a Create Session Response to a PDN gateway (PDN Gate Way, PGW). After this step, the SGW caches the downlink packet data acquired from the PGW until receiving the message after step 227.

Step 217: if a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) is used, the PGW needs to interact with the PCRF to obtain Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rules. If a default Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearer is established, the PCC rule needs to be predefined in the PGW.

Step 218: the PGW returns a Create Session Response message (Create Session Response) to the SGW, where the Create Session Response message at least includes: a user plane PGW address and a user plane Tunnel Endpoint Identifier (TEID), a control plane PGW address and a control plane TEID, a PDN type, a PDN address, a protocol configuration option, a charging Identifier, an Access Point Name (APN) restriction, a cause value, and parameter information such as APN-AMBR.

Step 219: the SGW returns a Create Session Response to the MME, where the Create Session Response at least includes: PDN type, PDN address, user plane SGW address and user plane TEID, control plane SGW address and control plane TEID, EPS bearing identifier, PGW address and other parameter information.

Step 220: and the MME deduces the SIP URL corresponding to the UE based on the IMSI corresponding to the UE.

Step 221: the MME carries a SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing that the UE passes authentication in an SIP registration Request message (Register Request) and sends the SIP registration Request message to the TCF equipment.

Step 222: the TCF equipment determines that the UE is not authenticated any more after passing the authentication based on the first identifier, registers the UE based on the SIP URL directly, and returns a SIP registration response message (register response) to the MME after the registration is completed.

Step 223: and the MME sends an Attach Accept message (Attach Accept) carrying the second identifier representing the UE registration completion to the eNB. If the MME allocates a new GUTI, the GUTI parameters are also included in the Attach Accept, where the Attach Accept is included in an S1-MME message, and the S1-MME message further includes: the UE security context, TA list, bearer QoS parameters and PDN address information of AMBR, and QoS information needing to establish bearer.

Step 224: the eNB sends a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Reconfiguration message (RRC Connection Reconfiguration) to the UE, and sends an Attach Accept message to the UE, where the Attach Accept message at least includes: and characterizing parameter information such as a second identifier, S-TMSI, PDN address, TA list, PDN address and the like of the UE after registration.

Step 225: and the UE sends an RRC connection reconfiguration Complete message (RRC connection reconfiguration Complete) to the eNB and acquires an IMS URL used in the multimedia service under the condition of determining that the registration is successful based on the second identifier.

Step 226: the eNB sends an Initial Context Response message (Initial Context Setup Response) to the MME, wherein the Initial Context Setup Response at least comprises: the TEID of the eNB, the downlink transmission address of the eNB at an S1-U interface and other parameter information.

Step 227: the UE sends a Direct Transfer message (Direct Transfer) to the eNB, wherein the Direct Transfer at least comprises: attach Complete message (Attach Complete).

Step 228: the eNB forwards the Attach Complete to the MME. At S1-MME reference point, the Attach Complete is included in the control plane message "initial context setup Complete", and meanwhile, the control plane message further includes: the TEID of the eNB, and the downlink transport address of the eNB at the S1-U interface.

Step 229: the MME sends a Bearer update Request message (Modify Bearer Request) to the SGW.

Step 230: if the modification Bearer Request sent by the MME to the SGW carries a handover indication (handover), the SGW needs to send the modification Bearer Request to the PGW; otherwise, directly replying to the MME.

Step 231: the PGW replies to the SGW with a Bearer update Response message (Modify Bearer Response).

Step 232: the SGW returns a Modify Bearer Response to the MME, at which time the SGW may send the buffered downlink packet data.

Step 233: if the MME establishes an EPS Bearer after receiving the Modify Bearer Response, the MME needs to send a notification Request message (Notify Request) including an APN and a PGW identifier to the HSS for mobility management of the user.

Step 234: the HSS stores the APN and PGW identification pair and returns a notification Response message (Notify Response) to the MME. At this point, the attach procedure and the registration procedure of the UE are completed.

The above embodiment is further described in detail by using a specific application scenario, and referring to fig. 3, a specific process of the re-registration method in the embodiment of the present invention is as follows:

step 300: triggering a TAU flow when the TA of the UE is changed; or, triggering the TAU flow when the preset TAU period is determined to be reached. That is, the UE sends a TAU Request message (TAU Request) and a network selection indication to the newly accessed eNB, where the TAU Request at least includes: UE network capability, old GUTI, recently accessed TAI, activation mark, EPS bearing state, KSIasme, NAS serial number, S-TMSI, NAS-MAC and other parameter information.

Step 301: and the eNB deduces the MME according to the S-TMSI and the network selection indication. If the eNB cannot deduce the MME, selecting one MME through an MME selection function, and forwarding the TAU Request to the MME. The MME may be the same as or different from the MME in the UE attach procedure and the registration procedure.

Step 302: authentication and encryption processes may be performed between the UE and the MME and HSS.

Step 303: and the MME deduces the SIP URL corresponding to the UE based on the IMSI corresponding to the UE.

Step 304: and the MME carries the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in an SIP Re-registration Request message (Re-Register Request) and sends the Re-registration Request message to the TCF equipment.

Step 305: and the TCF equipment determines that the UE is not authenticated any more after passing the authentication based on the first identifier, Re-registers the UE based on the SIP URL directly, and returns a Response message (Re-Register Response) of the SIP Re-registration to the MME after the Re-registration is finished.

Step 306: MME sends a Location Update message (Update Location Request) to HSS, wherein the Update Location Request at least comprises: MME-ID, IMSI and other parameter information.

Step 307: the HSS returns a location Update acknowledgement message (Update location acknowledgement) to the MME.

Step 308: the MME generates a TAU Accept message (TAU Accept) to the UE. Wherein, TAU Accept at least comprises: and characterizing parameter information such as a third identifier, a GUTI, a TAI list, an EPS bearing state, an ISR and the like of the UE after re-registration.

Step 309: and the UE acquires an IMS URL used in the multimedia service under the condition of determining that the re-registration is successful based on the third identifier, and returns a TAU completion message to the MME under the condition that the GUTI is changed so as to confirm the new GUTI. So far, the TAU procedure and the re-registration procedure of the UE are completed.

Based on the foregoing embodiments, referring to fig. 4, an MME according to an embodiment of the present invention at least includes:

a triggering unit 400, configured to send an SIP registration request message to the TCF device after receiving a session creation response message returned by the SGW in an attach process of the UE, and trigger the TCF device to register the UE;

a continuing unit 410, configured to determine that the UE registration is completed after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF device, and continue to execute the attach process of the UE until the attach process of the UE is finished.

Preferably, the SIP registration request message is sent to the TCF device, and when the TCF device is triggered to register the UE, the triggering unit 400 is specifically configured to:

Preferably, the continuing unit 410 is configured to continue to execute the attach process of the UE by sending, to the base station to which the UE accesses, an attach accept message carrying a second identifier that indicates that the UE completes registration, where the second identifier is used to trigger the UE to acquire the IMS URL used in the multimedia service when the UE determines that the registration is successful based on the second identifier after the base station to which the UE accesses sends the attach accept message to the UE.

Preferably, after the attachment procedure of the UE is finished, the triggering unit 400 is further configured to: in the TAU process of the UE, after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by a base station newly accessed by the UE, sending an SIP re-registration request message to TCF equipment, and triggering the TCF equipment to re-register the UE;

the splicing unit 410 is further configured to: and after receiving the SIP re-registration response message returned by the TCF equipment, determining that the UE re-registration is completed, and continuing to execute the TAU process of the UE until the TAU process of the UE is finished.

Preferably, the SIP re-registration request message is sent to the TCF device, and when the TCF device is triggered to re-register the UE, the triggering unit 400 is specifically configured to:

Preferably, the connection unit 410 is specifically configured to: the method comprises the steps of continuously executing a TAU process of UE by sending a position updating message to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), and sending a TAU receiving message carrying a third identification representing the completion of UE re-registration to the UE after receiving a position updating confirmation message returned by the HSS, wherein the third identification is used for triggering the UE to acquire an IMS URL used in the multimedia service under the condition that the UE determines the success of re-registration based on the third identification.

In summary, in the embodiment of the present invention, after receiving the session creation response message returned by the SGW in the attach process of the UE, the MME sends an SIP registration request message to the TCF device, triggers the TCF device to register the UE, and after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF device, determines that the UE is registered completely, and continues to execute the attach process of the UE. Therefore, the MME initiates the registration process of the UE in the attachment process of the UE, and completes the registration process of the UE while completing the attachment process of the UE, thereby effectively shortening the registration time of the UE and saving the overhead of air interface signaling.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present invention may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein.

The present invention is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, additional variations and modifications in those embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art once they learn of the basic inventive concepts. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including preferred embodiments and all such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the embodiments of the invention. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is also intended to encompass such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A registration method, comprising:

in the attachment process of a user terminal (UE), after receiving a session creation response message returned by a Serving Gateway (SGW), a Mobility Management Entity (MME) deduces a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Uniform Resource Locator (URL) corresponding to the UE based on an obtained International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) corresponding to the UE, carries the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the authentication of the UE in an SIP registration request message, sends the SIP registration request message to a cluster control function (TCF) device, triggers the TCF device to determine that the UE passes the authentication based on the first identifier, does not authenticate the UE, and directly registers the UE based on the SIP URL;

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an MME continues to perform the attach procedure of the UE by sending an attach accept message to a base station to which the UE has access, the attach accept message carrying a second identifier that characterizes completion of registration of the UE, wherein the second identifier is used to trigger the UE to obtain an internet protocol multimedia subsystem IMS URL used in a multimedia service when the UE determines that registration is successful based on the second identifier after the base station to which the UE has access sends the attach accept message to the UE.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising, after the end of the attach procedure for the UE:

in the process of updating TAU in the tracking area of the UE, after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by a base station newly accessed by the UE, the MME sends an SIP re-registration request message to the TCF equipment to trigger the TCF equipment to re-register the UE;

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the TAU procedure of the UE is triggered when a Tracking Area (TA) of the UE changes; or the method is triggered when a preset TAU period is determined to be reached, wherein the preset TAU period is larger than the re-registration time of the UE.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein sending, by an MME, a SIP re-registration request message to the TCF device triggering the TCF device to re-register the UE comprises:

and the MME carries the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the passing of the UE authentication in the SIP re-registration request message and sends the SIP re-registration request message to the TCF equipment, triggers the TCF equipment to determine that the UE passes the authentication based on the first identifier, does not authenticate the UE, and directly re-registers the UE based on the SIP URL.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein an MME continues to perform a TAU procedure of the UE by sending a location update message to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), and after receiving a location update confirmation message returned by the HSS, sends a TAU acceptance message carrying a third identifier indicating that the UE re-registration is completed to the UE, wherein the third identifier is used for triggering the UE to obtain an IMS URL used in a multimedia service when the UE determines that the re-registration is successful based on the third identifier.

7. A mobility management entity, MME, comprising:

the trigger unit is used for deducing a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Uniform Resource Locator (URL) corresponding to a User Equipment (UE) based on an obtained International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) corresponding to the UE after receiving a session creation response message returned by a Serving Gateway (SGW) in an attachment process of the UE, carrying the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing the authentication of the UE in an SIP registration request message, sending the SIP URL and the first identifier to a TCF (cluster control function) device, triggering the TCF device to determine that the UE passes the authentication based on the first identifier, not authenticating the UE, and directly registering the UE based on the SIP URL;

and a continuing unit, configured to determine that the UE registration is completed after receiving the SIP registration response message returned by the TCF device, and continue to execute the attach process of the UE until the attach process of the UE is completed.

8. The MME of claim 7, wherein the continuing unit is configured to continue performing the attach procedure of the UE by sending, to the base station to which the UE accesses, an attach accept message carrying a second identifier that indicates that the UE registration is completed, where the second identifier is used to trigger the UE to obtain an internet protocol multimedia subsystem IMS URL used in a multimedia service when the UE determines that the registration is successful based on the second identifier after the base station to which the UE accesses sends the attach accept message to the UE.

9. The MME of claim 7 or 8, wherein after the attachment procedure of the UE ends, the triggering unit is further to: in the process of updating TAU in the tracking area of the UE, after receiving a TAU request message forwarded by a base station newly accessed by the UE, sending an SIP re-registration request message to the TCF equipment, and triggering the TCF equipment to re-register the UE;

10. The MME of claim 9, wherein a TAU procedure of the UE is triggered when a tracking area, TA, of the UE changes; or the method is triggered when a preset TAU period is determined to be reached, wherein the preset TAU period is larger than the re-registration time of the UE.

11. The MME of claim 9, wherein the triggering unit is specifically configured to, when sending the SIP re-registration request message to the TCF device and triggering the TCF device to re-register the UE, send a SIP re-registration request message to the TCF device:

and carrying the SIP URL corresponding to the UE and a first identifier representing that the UE passes the authentication in the SIP re-registration request message, sending the SIP re-registration request message to the TCF equipment, triggering the TCF equipment to determine that the UE passes the authentication based on the first identifier, not authenticating the UE, and directly re-registering the UE based on the SIP URL.

12. The MME of claim 9, wherein the continuing unit is specifically configured to: and continuously executing the TAU process of the UE by sending a position updating message to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), and sending a TAU receiving message carrying a third identifier representing the completion of the re-registration of the UE to the UE after receiving a position updating confirmation message returned by the HSS, wherein the third identifier is used for triggering the UE to acquire an IMS URL used in a multimedia service under the condition that the re-registration is determined to be successful based on the third identifier.