JP2001320408A - Packet communication control method and mobile unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a packet communication control method that can enhance the convenience of a mobile unit able to conduct communication processing in compliance with protocols. SOLUTION: The packet communication control method by which packet communication is conducted through a prescribed network by use of a mobile unit which allows communication processing in compliance with protocols, is attained in such a way that when the mobile unit in a packet communication state in compliance with one protocol receives a request of packet communication in compliance with other protocol, the connection of a virtual channel having been in the packet communication state is released according to the request from the mobile unit, after the connection of the virtual channel is released, a new virtual channel is connected in response to the request from the mobile unit, and the mobile unit uses the virtual channel newly connected to conduct packet communication in compliance with the other protocol.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a packet communication control method, and more particularly, to a packet communication control method when performing packet communication using a mobile station capable of performing communication processing according to a plurality of protocols.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a mobile station that performs processing according to such a packet communication control method.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art A mobile station capable of performing packet communication processing according to a plurality of protocols has been considered. Such a mobile device is, for example, a TL (Transpor
t Layer) protocol and a function of performing packet communication in accordance with a protocol (Point to Poi) connected to an external terminal (such as a personal computer).
and a function of relaying packet communication performed by an external terminal in accordance with the protocol (nt protocol). A user who uses such a mobile device by connecting it to an external terminal can use the mobile device alone and the external terminal as communication terminals for packet communication.

[0004] When a user wants to communicate with an external terminal when the mobile device itself is in a communication state in a state where the mobile device capable of performing communication processing in accordance with a plurality of protocols is connected to an external terminal. There is. Also, conversely,
When the external terminal enters the communication state relaying the mobile device, the user may want to perform communication by the mobile device alone.

[0005] In such a case, a request for packet communication according to another protocol is issued from an external terminal or an operation unit of the mobile device to a mobile device in a packet communication state according to a predetermined protocol in accordance with a user operation. Then, if the mobile communication system allows two or more virtual circuits to be connected simultaneously, packet communication according to another protocol can be performed while maintaining the communication state of the mobile device. In other words, the mobile device newly connects to another virtual line and performs packet communication according to another protocol while maintaining the communication state according to the predetermined protocol while being connected to one virtual line. .

However, PDC (Personal Digital)
In a mobile communication system in which the number of virtual circuits that can be connected to a mobile device is limited to one, such as a Cellular) system, a subsequent communication request is rejected or packet communication already performed is performed. After the communication state is released by a user operation and the virtual circuit is disconnected, processing such as packet communication registration processing and virtual circuit connection processing is performed for a new communication request.

[0007]

When one user uses a mobile device by connecting it to an external terminal, a communication request made later based on the operation of the user who knows that packet communication has already been performed is received. It is preferable to give priority. As described above, rejecting a later communication request is not user-friendly.

However, when giving priority to a later communication request, a new packet communication must be performed after the previous packet communication is released. For this reason, every time the user changes the communication terminal, the user must perform an operation for disconnecting an existing virtual line and an operation for connecting a new virtual line, which lacks convenience.

Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a packet communication control method capable of improving the convenience of a mobile device capable of performing communication processing according to a plurality of protocols.

[0010] A second object of the present invention is to provide a mobile station that performs processing according to such a packet communication control method.

[0011]

In order to solve the first problem, the present invention uses a mobile device capable of performing communication processing in accordance with a plurality of protocols, as described in claim 1. In a packet communication control method for performing packet communication via a predetermined network, a mobile station in a packet communication state according to one protocol may include:
When a request for packet communication according to another protocol is made, the virtual circuit used in the packet communication state is disconnected according to the request from the mobile device, and after the virtual circuit is disconnected, a new connection is established. The virtual circuit is connected in accordance with a request from the mobile device, and the mobile device is configured to perform packet communication according to the other protocol using the newly connected virtual line.

In such a packet communication control method, 1
When a packet request according to another protocol is made to a mobile station in a packet communication state according to the above protocol, the virtual circuit used in the packet communication state according to the request from the mobile station Is released and a new virtual circuit is connected. Then, the mobile device performs packet communication according to another protocol according to the request using the newly connected virtual line.

The processing for disconnecting the virtual circuit and for connecting a new virtual circuit is performed depending on the function of the network, but is not particularly limited. The connection release of the virtual circuit used in the packet communication state can be performed by releasing the packet communication state, or only the used virtual circuit while maintaining the packet communication state. Can be performed by canceling the connection.

In the former case, according to the present invention, in the above-described packet communication control method, a mobile station in a packet communication state according to one protocol is compliant with another protocol according to another protocol. When a request for packet communication is made, the virtual circuit used in the packet communication state is disconnected by releasing the packet communication state in accordance with the request from the mobile device, and the connection is released in accordance with the request from the mobile device. The mobile station can be configured to be in a packet communication state, and thereafter, a new virtual circuit to be used in the packet communication state can be connected in accordance with a request from the mobile station.

In order to place the mobile device in a packet state after the virtual circuit is disconnected, usually,
Processing such as a packet communication registration request and authentication is performed.

In the latter case, according to the present invention, in the above-mentioned packet communication control method, a mobile station in a packet communication state according to one protocol may be provided with another protocol. When a packet communication request is made in accordance with the above, the virtual circuit used in the packet communication state is disconnected in accordance with a request from the mobile station while maintaining the packet communication state, and then the packet In a state where the communication state is maintained, a new virtual circuit can be connected in accordance with a request from the mobile device.

In the case where only the virtual circuit is disconnected while maintaining the packet communication state and a new virtual circuit is connected in that state, the packet communication is released again after the packet communication state is released as described above. Since there is no need for a process (for example, a packet communication registration request, authentication, etc.) for establishing a communication state, it is possible to avoid an increase in communication traffic between the mobile device and the network.

Assuming that packet communication is performed by connecting an external terminal to a mobile station, the present invention provides a method for controlling packet communication according to the present invention.
When an external terminal connected to the mobile device makes a packet communication request according to another protocol to a mobile device in a packet communication state according to the protocol, the packet is transmitted according to the request from the mobile device. The virtual line used in the communication state is disconnected, and after the virtual line is disconnected, a new virtual line is connected in accordance with a request from the mobile device, and the external terminal is connected to the newly connected virtual line. The packet communication according to the other protocol described above can be configured to be performed by relaying the mobile device using a line.

Further, assuming a similar case, according to the present invention, in each of the above-described packet communication control methods, an external terminal connected to a mobile station performs packet communication according to one protocol. When performing a request for packet communication according to another protocol from the operation unit of the mobile device to the mobile device in the packet communication state according to the one protocol, the request from the mobile device , The connection of the virtual line used in the packet communication state is released.

In order to solve the second problem, the present invention is used when performing packet communication via a predetermined network and complies with a plurality of protocols. When a mobile device capable of performing communication processing is in a packet communication state according to one protocol, and when a packet communication request according to another protocol is made, the virtual device used in the packet communication state is requested. A disconnection processing unit for performing a process for disconnecting the line, and a connection processing unit for performing a process for connecting a new virtual line after the disconnection of the virtual line by the release processing unit, It is configured to perform packet communication according to the above other protocol using the virtual line newly connected by the connection processing means.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A basic configuration of a mobile communication system to which a packet communication control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied is, for example, as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, an external terminal 20 such as a personal computer (PC) is connected to the mobile device 10.
The mobile device 10 has, for example, a function of performing packet communication according to the TL protocol and a function of performing packet communication according to the PPP protocol. The mobile device 10 establishes a virtual line between the base station 30 and the control station 40 to perform wireless communication. The base station 30 is connected to a predetermined network 50 via a control station (switching station) 40. With such a configuration, the mobile device 10 can perform packet communication with another terminal connected to the network 50 via a virtual line including a wireless section.

When a communication request is issued from the external terminal 20 to the mobile station 10 in the packet communication state according to the TL protocol, the processing is performed according to, for example, the procedure shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the network NW is:
Base station 30, control station 40 and network 5 shown in FIG.
Refers to the system configured in 0. Hereinafter, FIGS. 3 to 5
The same applies to.

In FIG. 2, the mobile station 10 (MS TEL :) in a packet communication state with the connection destination A according to the TL protocol.
External terminal 20 for operation unit, MS UPCH (wireless communication unit)
When a non-telephone service request (packet ON) designating the connection destination B is made (1), the mobile device 10 transmits a packet communication registration release request for the current packet communication to the network NW (2). When the mobile station 10 receives a packet communication deregistration response from the network NW as a response to the packet communication deregistration request (3),
The gateway service confirmation OFF for the connection destination A is supplied to the operation unit (MS TEL) (4). Then, the virtual circuit connected to the mobile device 10 is released, and for example, a message indicating that the communication that has been performed so far is interrupted is displayed on the display unit of the mobile device 10.

Thereafter, the mobile station 10 temporarily enters a standby state, and further transmits a packet communication registration request to the network NW in order to perform a new packet communication according to the request from the external terminal 20 (5). . When a packet authentication request is made from the network NS to the mobile station 10 in response to the packet communication registration request (6), the mobile station 10
Sends a packet authentication response to the network NW in response to the request (7). When user authentication or the like is normally performed in the network NW by the packet authentication response, a packet communication registration response is transmitted from the network NW to the mobile device 10 (8).

When the mobile station 10 receives this packet communication registration response, transmission and reception of the asynchronous balanced mode setting command SABME and its response information US are performed between the mobile station 10 and the network NW (9) (10). Then, based on the request from the external terminal 20, the mobile device 10 specifies the PPP protocol as the user use protocol, specifies the connection destination B, and transmits a virtual circuit connection request to the network NW (11). In response to this virtual line connection request, the network NW returns a virtual line connection response to the mobile device 10 if the virtual line can be used (1).
2).

The mobile station 1 that has received the virtual circuit connection response
0 transmits a non-telephone service confirmation (packet ON) to the external terminal 20 as a response to the non-telephone service request (packet ON) from the external terminal 20 (13).
Then, a new virtual circuit is connected between the mobile device 10 and the connection destination B. When receiving the non-telephone service confirmation (packet ON), the external terminal 20 starts packet communication with the connection destination B by using the virtual circuit newly connected to the mobile device 10 and relaying the mobile device 10. I do.

In contrast to the above example, a communication request is input from the operation unit to the mobile device 10 while the external terminal 20 is performing packet communication according to the PPP protocol via the mobile device 10. In this case, for example, the processing is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, an operation unit () is used to perform new communication with the mobile station 10 that relays packet communication between the external terminal 20 and the connection destination A according to the PPP protocol. When the gateway service request ON is input from the MS TEL) together with the designation of the connection destination B (1), the mobile station 10 sends a packet communication registration release request for the current packet communication to the network NW as in the above-described example. Send (2). When the mobile station 10 receives a packet communication deregistration response from the network NW as a response to the packet communication deregistration request (3), the mobile station 10 transmits the connection destination A to the external terminal 20.
A non-telephone service confirmation (packet OFF) is transmitted (4). When the external terminal 20 that has received the non-telephone service confirmation releases the packet communication state relaying the mobile device 10, the mobile device 10 temporarily enters a standby state.

Thereafter, similarly to the processing described above, the mobile station 1
0 and the network NW perform new packet communication registration, authentication, etc. (5 to 10). Further, the mobile device 10 specifies the TL protocol as the user use protocol and also specifies the connection destination B. And sends a virtual circuit connection request to the network NW (11). In response to this virtual line connection request, the network returns a virtual line connection response to the mobile device 10 if the virtual line can be used (1).
2).

The mobile station 1 that has received the virtual circuit connection response
0: Gateway service request from the operation unit is ON
, The gateway service confirmation ON is provided to the operation unit. The operation unit displays, for example, a message indicating that packet communication with the connection destination B is to be newly started based on the gateway service confirmation ON. Then, the mobile device 10 uses a virtual line newly connected to the mobile device 10 and starts packet communication with the connection destination B according to the TL protocol.

In the above-described example, when the mobile station 10 is in a packet communication state according to the TL protocol or the PPP protocol, a packet according to another protocol (the PPP protocol or the TL protocol) is transmitted from the external terminal 20 or the operation unit of the mobile station 10. When a request for communication is made, the packet communication state that has already been performed is released, registration processing of a new packet communication, authentication processing, virtual circuit connection processing, etc. are performed, and other protocols related to the new request are performed. The packet communication according to the start is started. Therefore, the user can access the mobile device 1
0 and the communication state of the external terminal 20, the packet communication related to the latest request is automatically performed simply by operating the communication request for the mobile device 10 or the external terminal 20. .

In the above example, when the mobile station 10 is in a packet communication state in accordance with a certain protocol and a request for packet communication in another protocol is made, processing for canceling the packet communication state is performed. A new packet communication registration process and an authentication process must be performed. The traffic between the mobile device 10 and the network NW increases due to the transmission and reception of the control signal accompanying these processes. In order to avoid such an increase in traffic, the processing can be performed as follows.

When a communication request is issued from the external terminal 20 to the mobile station 10 in the packet communication state according to the TL protocol, the processing is performed according to, for example, the procedure shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, when a non-telephone service request (packet ON) designating connection destination B is made from external terminal 20 to mobile station 10 in a packet communication state with connection destination A according to the TL protocol. (1), mobile device 10
Sends a virtual circuit connection release request to the network N while maintaining the packet communication registration state, instead of transmitting the packet communication registration release request as in the above-described example (see FIG. 2).
W is transmitted to W (2). Then, the mobile device 10 starts an internal timer. The network NW that has received the virtual line disconnection request returns a virtual line disconnection response to the mobile device 10 as a response to the virtual line disconnection request if the virtual line disconnection is possible (3).

After transmitting the virtual circuit disconnection request to the network NW as described above, the mobile station 10 starts an internal timer and waits for a response. Then, when the virtual circuit disconnection response is received within a predetermined time (),
The gateway service confirmation OFF for the connection destination A is supplied to the operation unit (MS TEL) (4). Then, while the packet communication state is maintained, the virtual circuit connected to the mobile device 10 is released.
Displays a message to the effect that the communication that has been performed has been interrupted.

After that, similarly to the above-described example (see FIG. 2), designation of a user use protocol (PPP protocol) and connection destination B between the mobile device 10 and the network NW are performed.
Are transmitted and received (5) and (6). The mobile device 10 that has received the virtual circuit connection response receives the non-telephone service confirmation (packet O) as a response to the non-telephone service request (packet ON) from the external terminal 20.
N) to the external terminal 20 (7), and a new virtual circuit is connected between the mobile device 10 and the connection destination B. External terminal 2
0 uses a virtual line newly connected to the mobile device 10 and starts packet communication with the connection destination B by relaying the mobile device 10.

If the mobile station 10 does not receive a virtual circuit disconnection response from the network NW within a predetermined time after transmitting the virtual circuit disconnection request, the mobile station 10
A timeout process P is performed between the network and the network NW. As described above, the timeout process P is a process that is performed when the connection of the virtual circuit cannot be released while maintaining the packet communication state, and the packet communication registration release process that has been performed up to now ((2) in FIG. 2). ~
(Corresponding to (4)), new packet registration processing and the like (corresponding to (5) to (10) in FIG. 2).

According to the above processing, when the mobile terminal 10 makes a packet communication request according to the PPP protocol from the external terminal 20 in the packet communication state according to the TL protocol, the packet communication state is maintained. The connection of the virtual circuit is switched while the switching is performed.
Packet communication according to the PP protocol is started. Accordingly, since processing such as packet communication registration cancellation, packet communication registration, and authentication is not performed as in the above-described example, an increase in traffic between the mobile device 10 and the network NW can be avoided.

As in the above-described example, the user only needs to perform a communication request operation on the mobile device 10 or the external terminal 20 without worrying about the communication state between the mobile device 10 and the external terminal 20. Then, the packet communication related to the latest request is automatically performed. In contrast to the above example, when a communication request is input from the operation unit to the mobile device 10 in a state where the external terminal 20 is performing packet communication according to the PPP protocol via the mobile device 10,
For example, the processing is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, the operation unit (MS TEL) designates the connection destination B for the mobile station 10 which relays the packet communication between the external terminal 20 and the connection destination A according to the PPP protocol. With gateway service request ON
Is input (1), the processing according to the procedure (1-7) substantially similar to the processing shown in FIG.
Is performed. Thereby, the virtual circuit is switched while the packet communication state is maintained, and the mobile device 10 uses the virtual line newly connected to the mobile device 10 to perform packet communication with the connection destination B according to the TL protocol. Start with.

[0043]

As described above, according to the packet communication control method according to the present invention as set forth in claims 1 to 5, a mobile station that is in a packet communication state according to one protocol can perform another communication. When a request for packet communication according to the protocol is made, disconnection of a virtual circuit used in the packet communication state and connection of a new virtual circuit are performed according to a request from the mobile device, and the mobile device Using the newly connected virtual line, packet communication is performed according to another protocol according to the request. Therefore, the user of the mobile device only gives a request for packet communication to the mobile device without considering the communication state of the mobile device, and the mobile device performs packet communication according to the request according to a predetermined protocol. Therefore, the convenience of the mobile device is improved.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention,
A mobile device that performs processing according to the above-described packet communication control method can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration example of a mobile communication system to which a packet communication control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing a processing flow (part 1) according to a packet communication control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing a processing flow (part 2) according to the packet communication control method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a flow (part 3) of a process according to the packet communication control method according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a flow (part 4) of a process according to the packet communication control method according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[Brief description of reference numerals]

 Reference Signs List 10 mobile station 20 external terminal 30 base station 40 control station 50 network

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Ken Higuchi F-term (reference) in NTT Mobile Communication Network Co., Ltd. 2-11-1, Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 5K030 GA17 HA08 HB18 HC01 HC09 JA11 JL01 JT02 JT09 LA08 LB01 LB19 5K034 AA19 BB06 EE03 EE11 FF11 FF13 HH63 LL01 LL02 5K067 AA34 BB02 CC08 DD11 EE02 EE10 GG01 HH21

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A packet communication control method for performing packet communication via a predetermined network using a mobile device capable of performing communication processing according to a plurality of protocols. When a request for packet communication according to another protocol is made to a certain mobile device, disconnection of a virtual circuit used in the packet communication state is performed according to a request from the mobile device, and the virtual circuit After the connection is released, a new virtual circuit is connected in accordance with a request from the mobile device, and the mobile device performs packet communication according to the other protocol using the newly connected virtual circuit. Control method. 2. The packet communication control method according to claim 1, wherein when a mobile station in a packet communication state according to one protocol is requested to perform packet communication according to another protocol, the mobile station moves. The virtual circuit used in the packet communication state is disconnected by releasing the packet communication state according to the request from the mobile device, and the mobile device is set to the packet communication state according to the request from the mobile device. A packet communication control method for connecting a new virtual circuit to be used in the packet communication state in accordance with a request from the packet communication apparatus. 3. The packet communication control method according to claim 1, wherein when a mobile station in a packet communication state according to one protocol is requested to perform packet communication according to another protocol, While maintaining the packet communication state, the virtual circuit used in the packet communication state is disconnected in accordance with a request from the mobile device, and then, while the packet communication state is maintained, a new virtual circuit is disconnected. A packet communication control method in which connection is performed according to a request from a mobile device. 4. The packet communication control method according to claim 1, wherein a mobile terminal in a packet communication state according to one protocol is connected to another protocol from an external terminal connected to the mobile device. When a request for packet communication according to
The virtual terminal used in the packet communication state is disconnected according to a request from the mobile device. After the virtual line is released, a new virtual line is connected according to the request from the mobile device. A packet communication control method using the newly connected virtual circuit to perform packet communication according to the other protocol by relaying the mobile device. 5. The packet communication control method according to claim 1, wherein, when an external terminal connected to the mobile device performs packet communication according to one protocol, a packet communication state according to the one protocol. When a request for packet communication according to another protocol is made from the operation unit of the mobile device to the mobile device in the above, the virtual circuit used in the packet communication state according to the request from the mobile device. A packet communication control method for disconnecting a connection. 6. A mobile station used for performing packet communication via a predetermined network and capable of performing communication processing in accordance with a plurality of protocols, wherein when in a packet communication state in accordance with one protocol,
When a request for packet communication according to another protocol is made, release processing means for performing processing for releasing connection of a virtual circuit used in the packet communication state; Connection processing means for performing processing for connecting a new virtual line after disconnection of the line, and using the virtual line newly connected by the connection processing means, in accordance with the other protocol. A mobile device that performs communication.