JP2007173936A - Application server and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an appropriate service both indoors and out by using a dual type mobile terminal which can utilize both mobile communication and wireless LAN. <P>SOLUTION: An application server 12 and an IMS 13 corresponding to a fixed network 11 are provided on the fixed network side, and an application server 15 and an IMS 16 corresponding to a mobile network 14 are provided on the mobile network side. The fixed network 11 is connected with a terminating device such as an indoor HGW through a broadband line of optical fiber, or the like. The terminating device is connected with an access point 24 for PC or wireless LAN. A portable telephone 25 is a dual type mobile terminal in which switching is made automatically to wireless LAN mode in the range communicable with the access point 24 so that it can be utilized as a terminal on the side of fixed network where broadband can be utilized effectively. On outdoors 26, switching is made automatically to mobile mode because the portable telephone 25 deviates from the range communicable with the access point 24 so that it can be utilized as a terminal on the side of narrow band mobile network. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an application service provided via a communication network, and more particularly to an application server and an application server control method for managing a bandwidth that can be used by a user and providing an application service suitable for the user according to the user's situation. .

  A Next Generation Network (NGN) that is being studied by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) assumes a network architecture in which services are provided via an IP network. Next-generation networks have decided to adopt the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) established by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), the third-generation mobile network standardization organization, and provide network services using IMS. Is being considered. The IMS is a subsystem that performs session control between terminals, registration processing, billing processing, and the like using a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) base. For example, “The IMS IP Multimedia Concepts” by Miikka Poikselka, etc. and services in the mobile domain “John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: 2004”. In the IMS, messages such as “Register”, “Subscribe”, and “Notify” are exchanged.

  On the other hand, in recent years, services using fixed network and mobile network convergence (FMC: Fixed Mobile Convergence) have been studied, and IMS is considered to be an important technology for providing FMC services. However, at present, the fixed network can provide a broadband broadband service of about 100 Mbps such as FTTH (Fiber to the Home) using an optical fiber cable. In Wideband CDMA), only a band of about 384 kbps is provided, and the difference between them is up to 260 times.

  In the conventional application service, a system for automatically recognizing the bandwidth available to the user and providing the optimum service to the user has not been established. As an alternative means, a system is conceivable in which a user can select an appropriate band and receive a service by himself, for example, in Internet image distribution (streaming). For example, when a user contracts an ADSL 8 Mbps service with a broadband access provider, a method of setting a selection switch on the Internet image distribution (streaming) screen to 8 Mbps has been used for some time.

  In recent years, with the introduction of IP in corporate networks, dual-mode mobile IP telephones having the functions of W-CDMA and wireless IP telephones have been used. In the enterprise, the dual-mode mobile IP telephones, personal computers, FAX, etc. A system that integrates IP telephones and business applications by using a dual-mode mobile IP telephone to communicate via a mobile network or the Internet network is being studied on the go. For example, refer nonpatent literature 1.).

Oki Technical Review, January 2005 / No. 201 Vol. 72No. 1, p. 14-19 (IP phone / business application fusion solution)

  In the future, a user will have a dual type mobile terminal (mobile phone) that can use both mobile communication and wireless LAN, perform mobile communication outdoors, and communicate with the wireless LAN using the terminal at home. When the FMC service (fixed network and mobile network integration service) becomes widespread, a band of about 384 kbps by the mobile network can be used outdoors, and a band of 100 Mbps by the fixed network can be used at home. When using application services under such circumstances, there is no way to know the difference between mobile communication and fixed communication bandwidth with current technology, and as it is, the use of outdoor bandwidth is assumed even when the mobile terminal is used at home. Application service provided. That is, when the mobile terminal is used at home, there arises a problem that the maximum bandwidth of 100 Mbps is available but cannot be used sufficiently.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and a user has a dual type mobile terminal that can use both mobile communication and wireless LAN, performs mobile communication outdoors, and indoors the terminal. An object of the present invention is to provide an application server and an application server control method capable of providing an appropriate service both in the outdoors and indoors when communicating via a wireless LAN.

The first invention has a dual type mobile terminal that can use both mobile communication and wireless LAN. When the mobile terminal is indoors, it communicates via the first network, which is a fixed network, by the wireless LAN. In the application server control method for performing mobile communication via the second network which is a mobile network when outdoors,
During the registration process of the mobile terminal performed via the first or second network, communication by the mobile terminal is accessed by either the first or second network with reference to a database storing user information. In accordance with the determination result, an operation mode suitable for each network is set, and communication with the mobile terminal is performed.

  According to a second invention, in the application server control method according to the first invention, the available bandwidth information of the first network and the second network by the mobile terminal is managed, and in advance according to the movement of the mobile terminal A service is provided through the first network or the second network within a set band.

A third invention has a dual type mobile terminal that can use both mobile communication and a wireless LAN, and when the mobile terminal is indoors, performs communication via the first network which is a fixed network by the wireless LAN. In an application server that performs mobile communication via a second network, which is a mobile network when outdoors,
At the time of registration processing of the mobile terminal performed via the first or second network and the database storing user information related to the mobile terminal, the access type of the mobile terminal is confirmed with reference to the database. Determining means for determining whether the communication by the mobile terminal is an access by the first or second network; and setting an operation mode suitable for each network according to the determination result of the determining means to communicate with the mobile terminal And communication means for performing the above.

  According to a fourth invention, in the application server according to the third invention, according to movement of the mobile terminal, bandwidth information management means for managing available bandwidth information of the first network and the second network by the mobile terminal, And a means for providing a service via the first network or the second network based on the band information managed by the band information management means.

  According to the present invention, in an application service that can be used both indoors and outdoors, such as an FMC service, by a dual mode mobile terminal, whether the user moves outdoors or indoors, an appropriate service according to the user's condition is provided. It becomes possible to provide services.

  In addition, the application server manages the bandwidth information of the first network and the second network, and selects the use bandwidth according to the movement of the mobile terminal, so that the user moves either outdoors or indoors. Can also provide services in the appropriate bandwidth.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, an outline of an example of FMC service (fixed network and mobile network integration service) will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows an example in which a broadband service or telephone using FTTH by a fixed network is provided indoors, and a mobile phone can be used outdoors under a mobile network.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an application server (Application server) 12 and an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) 13 corresponding to a fixed network 11 are provided on the base station side, and a mobile network 14 is installed in the mobile network 14. Corresponding application server 15 and IMS 16 are provided.

  The fixed network 11 is connected to a terminal device such as an HGW (Home gateway) 21 provided in an indoor 20 such as a house via a broadband line such as FTTH, such as an optical fiber cable 17. The HGW 21 is connected to electronic devices used in the indoor 20 such as a PC (personal computer) 22, a fixed telephone 23, and an access point (AP) 24. The access point 24 relays between the HGW 21 and a mobile terminal used in the indoor 20, that is, a mobile phone 25.

  The mobile phone 25 is a dual type mobile terminal that can use both mobile communication and wireless LAN by W-CDMA (Wideband CDMA), for example, and can move to the indoor 20 and cannot use W-CDMA, or an access point. When the communication with the wireless LAN 24 is possible, that is, when the wireless LAN can be used, the wireless LAN mode is automatically switched to.

Electronic devices such as the PC 22, the fixed telephone 23, and the mobile telephone 25 in the indoor 20 perform communication using a 100 Mbps band by the fixed network 11.
In addition, when the mobile phone 25 moves outside the communicable range with the access point 24 or outdoors 26 where a normal mobile phone can be used, the mobile phone 25 automatically switches to the mobile communication mode, for example, the mobile network 14 by the W-CDMA function. Mobile communication using a bandwidth of 384 kbps.
As described above, the mobile phone 25 can use both the fixed network 11 and the mobile network 14 by roaming.

Next, a network architecture for realizing the FMC service shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 2, 30 is an application layer (plane), 40 is a control layer, and 50 is a user layer.
The application layer 30 is provided with an application server 12 corresponding to the fixed network 11 and an application server 15 corresponding to the mobile network 14 as shown in FIG.

In the control layer 40, an IMS 13 corresponding to the fixed network 11 and an IMS 16 corresponding to the mobile network 14 are provided.
The functions of the fixed network IMS 13 are mainly P-CSCF (Proxy CSCF) 41, I-CSCF (Interrogating CSCF) 42, and S-CSCF (Serving CSCF (CSCF: Call Session Control Function)). )) 43 and HSS (Home Subscriber Server: Subscriber Database Function) 44.

  The P-CSCF 41 is the first access point with the terminal. The I-CSCF 42 has a function of accessing the HSS 44 at the time of registration and allocating the S-CSCF 43. The S-CSCF 43 has an interface with the HSS 44 as a registration server for SIP (Session Initiation Protocol).

The mobile network IMS 16 has the functions of the P-CSCF 46, the I-CSCF 47, the S-CSCF 48, and the HSS 49 in the same manner as the IMS 13 for the fixed network.
Data transmission / reception is performed between the fixed network IMS 13 and the mobile network IMS 16 via the I-CSCFs 42 and 47.

  The user layer 50 includes the fixed network 11 and the mobile network 14 shown in FIG. 1, and I-BGF (Interconnection Border Gateway Function) 51 and 52 are provided in the fixed network 11 and the mobile network 14, respectively. Data transmission / reception between the fixed network 11 and the mobile network 14 is performed via the I-BGFs 51 and 52.

  The fixed network 11 is connected to an HGW (Home Gate Way) 21 provided in the indoor 20 via the optical fiber cable 17 by FTTH as described in FIG. The HGW 21 is connected to electronic devices used indoors 20 such as a PC 22, a fixed telephone 23, and an access point 24. The access point 24 relays between the mobile phone 25 used in the indoor 20 and the HGW 21. The PC 22 and the fixed telephone 23 in the indoor 20 perform communication using a band of 100 Mbps by the fixed network 11.

  When the mobile phone 25 enters the communication range with the access point 24 when used indoors 20, the mobile phone 25 automatically switches to the wireless LAN mode, accesses the access point 24, and communicates using a bandwidth of 100 Mbps. Do. In other words, the mobile phone 25 can be used as a terminal on the fixed network side that can effectively use broadband in a range where communication with the access point 24 is possible. At this time, the mobile phone 25 can access the application server 12 through the fixed network 11 and the IMS 13 to download necessary data, and can play an online game, for example. Further, when the mobile phone 25 in the indoor 20 makes a call with the mobile phone in the outdoor 26, the call is made via the I-BGF 51 in the fixed network 11 and the I-BGF 52 in the mobile network 14.

  Then, when the mobile phone 25 moves to the outdoor 26 and goes out of the communication range with the access point 24, the mobile phone 25 automatically switches to the mobile communication mode. For example, a narrow band of 384 kbps is transmitted through the mobile network 14 by the W-CDMA function. Use mobile communications. At this time, the mobile phone 25 can access the application server 15 through the mobile network 14 and the IMS 16 to download necessary data, and can play an online game, for example. The mobile phone 25 can also access the application server 12 from the outdoor 26 through the mobile network 14, IMS 16, and IMS 13.

  In the network architecture shown in FIG. 2, a user who can use an application service can use the service by making a contract with a provider that provides the application service. In this case, user information that can be used for application services is registered in advance in the HSSs 44 and 49, and user data is allocated to the S-CSCF 43 when the terminal uses a network based on SIP registration. The user data can describe the application servers 12 and 15 that can be used by the user.

Next, the operation of the application server 12 in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the mobile phone 25 as a mobile terminal is first located in the indoor 20 and then moved to the outdoor 26.
In FIG. 3, the first network shows the fixed network 11 corresponding to the indoors, and the second network shows the mobile network 14 corresponding to the outdoors. On the fixed network 11, an application server (AS) 12, a P-CSCF 41, an I-CSCF 42, an S-CSCF 43, and an HSS 44 are provided. On the mobile network 14 side, only the P-CSCF 46 is shown, and other functions are omitted.

  When the mobile phone 25 is located in the indoor 20, IMS registration processing is first performed on the fixed network 11 (step A <b> 1). In the IMS registration, the cellular phone 25 is allocated to an appropriate S-CSCF 43 using the SIP protocol. For example, “3GPP TS 24.229“ Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia call control based on Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Session Description Protocol (SDP); Stage 3, ”v. 7.0.0, Jun. 2005. ", etc., and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Next, since the S-CSCF 43 has information on the application server 12 that can be used by the user, in this case, the cellular phone 25, the S-CSCF 43 performs usage registration processing on the application server 12. In this case, the S-CSCF 43 first notifies the application server 12 of the P-Access-network-info header (step A2). The P-Access-network-info header is information describing service information provided by the access network at the terminal in the SIP protocol. The parameter is “access-type” (used for the wireless network being accessed). And “access-info” (wireless cell ID of the wireless network being accessed: ID of access type).

  The P-Access-network-info header is, for example, `` M. Garcia-Martin et al., Private Header (P-Header) Extensions to the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for the 3rd-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). , “IETF RFC3455, Jan. 2003”, etc.

  Here, it is assumed that the access line of the fixed network 11 in the first network is FTTH, and “FTTH” is notified from the S-CSCF 43 to the application server 12 as the access type of the P-Access-network-info header. The application server 12 confirms that the access type is “FTTH” by the P-Access-network-info header, further inquires the HSS 44 (step A3), and downloads user information from the HSS 44 (step A4). .

The application server 12 confirms whether or not the user is an FMC (fixed network and mobile network fusion) user based on the information downloaded from the HSS 44, and the user satisfies the use conditions of the first network, that is, the fixed network 11. If so, an OK message is notified to the S-CSCF 43 (step A5).
With the above processing, an application service for FTTH can be provided to the mobile phone 25 (step A6). That is, a service on the application server 12 in a band suitable for FTTH, for example, 100 Mbps can be provided to the mobile phone 25. Details of the configuration and processing of the application server 12 will be described later.

  Next, when the mobile phone 25 moves from the indoor 20 to the outdoor 26, it can be used in the outdoor mobile network 14 that is the second network using the IMS roaming function. In this case, the cellular phone 25 passes through the P-CSCF 46 and the I-CSCF 47 existing in the mobile network 14 and performs the same operation as in Step A1 on the I-CSCF 42, the S-CSCF 43, and the HSS 44 in the fixed network 11 of the first network. IMS registration processing is performed by the above processing (step A7). As a result, the cellular phone 25 is registered as a user in the S-CSCF 43 and can use the application service in the same manner as before the movement.

  However, since the access means in the outdoors 26 uses radio waves such as W-CDMA, the bandwidth is very narrow in the fixed network 11. Therefore, even if the service of the application server 12 before being moved is provided, there is a possibility that the service will be impossible in the worst case because the bandwidth is drastically decreased. For this reason, during IMS roaming, the P-Access-network-info header is notified again to the registered application server 12 from the S-CSCF 43 (step A8). Here, the mobile network access line of the second network is assumed to be W-CDMA, and “3GPP-UTLAN-FDD” is notified to the application server 12 as the access type of the P-Access-network-info header.

The above access type “3GPP-UTLAN-FDD”
3GPP: Third Generation Partnership Project
UTLAN: UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network
FDD: Frequency Division Duplex
It is.

  The application server 12 confirms that the access type is “3GPP-UTLAN-FDD” based on the P-Access-network-info header, makes an inquiry to the HSS 44 (step A9), and downloads user information from the HSS 44. (Step A10).

The application server 12 confirms whether or not the user is an FMC (fixed network and mobile network fusion) user based on the information downloaded from the HSS 44, and the user satisfies the use conditions of the first network, that is, the mobile network 14. If so, an OK message is notified to the S-CSCF 43 (step A11).
Through the above processing, an application service for W-CDMA can be provided to the mobile phone 25 (step A12). That is, a service on the application server 12 in a bandwidth suitable for W-CDMA, for example, 384 kbps can be provided to the mobile phone 25.

Each time the mobile phone 25 moves between the indoor 20 and the outdoor 26, the above-described processing is repeatedly executed, and a service on the application server 12 is provided by a band suitable for the communication network used by the mobile phone 25. The
Next, the detailed configuration and processing of the application server 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the application server 12, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of the bandwidth control unit in the application server 12.

The application server 12 includes an application unit 61 and a service individual unit 62 as shown in FIG. The application unit 61 includes a plurality of applications for providing various services.
The service individual unit 62 includes a bandwidth control unit 621, a streaming control unit 622, a call control unit 623, a location information storage unit 624, a presence unit 625, a SIP (call control protocol) 626, a communication control protocol 627, and the like.

The SIP 626 is connected to the S-CSCF 43 via a SIP interface (ISC) 71. The communication control protocol 627 is connected to the HSS 44 via the interface 72.
Then, when the information of the P-Access-network-info header is sent from the S-CSCF 43 in the timing chart shown in FIG. 3, the application server 12 performs processing on the S-CSCF 43 and the HSS 44 by the bandwidth control unit 621. (Steps A3 to A5, Steps A9 to A11) are executed.

The processing operation of the band control unit 621 will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
When the use of the mobile phone 25 is registered in the application server 12, the S-CSCF 43 notifies the application server 12 of a P-Access-network-info header (step B1). That is, the S-CSCF 43 notifies the application server 12 of “FTTH” indicating the access type of the fixed network 11 or “3GPP-UTLAN-FDD” indicating the access type of the mobile network 14 by the P-Access-network-info header. To do.

  When receiving the P-Access-network-info header sent from the S-CSCF 43, the bandwidth control unit 621 of the application server 12 inquires the HSS 44 and downloads user information from the HSS 44 (step B2).

The bandwidth control unit 621 determines whether or not the user is an FMC (fixed network and mobile network fusion) user based on the information downloaded from the HSS 44 (step B3). Not performed (step B4).
If the user is an FMC user, the bandwidth control unit 621 determines whether the access type (access-type) is “FTTH” or “3GPP-UTLAN-FDD” from the information of the P-Access-network-info header. "(Step B5), it is determined whether to use the fixed network 11 or the mobile network 14 (step B6). As a result of the determination, if the fixed network 11 is used, the application unit 61 is notified of the use of the fixed broadband (step B7), and if the mobile network 14 is used, the use of the mobile communication is indicated by the service individual unit 62. (Step B8).

  After that, the application server 12 notifies the OK message to the S-CSCF 43 as described with reference to FIG. 3, and can provide the FTTH application service or the W-CDMA application service.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the service described in FIGS.
When the cellular phone 25 is used indoors 20, communication can be performed using a wide band of 100 Mbps by the fixed network 11. As a result, data roaming between the mobile phone 25 and the terminal 81 having a large screen can use an application service that requires a wide band that can be used by the large-screen terminal 81, such as an application service such as an online game. .

  When the mobile phone 25 is used outdoors 26, an application service suitable for a small screen such as the mobile phone 25, for example, an application service with a limited bandwidth of about 384 kbps can be used by FMC roaming. . For example, even in the case of an online game, in the case of a small screen such as the mobile phone 25, it is possible to limit the bandwidth of the application service and receive an appropriate service using the narrow bandwidth of the mobile network 14. Can do.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, in the application service that can be used both indoors and outdoors, such as FMC service, using the dual-mode mobile phone 25, the user can move either outdoors or indoors. It is possible to provide an appropriate service according to the state of the.

  Further, the application server 12 manages the band information of the fixed network 11 that is the first network and the mobile network 14 that is the second network, and selects the use band according to the movement of the mobile phone 25, so that the user can A service can be provided in an appropriate band regardless of whether the vehicle moves outdoors or indoors. That is, when the mobile phone 25 uses the fixed network 11 in the indoor 20, it can provide a service on the application server 12 in a band suitable for FTTH, for example, 100 Mbps, and the mobile phone 25 moves to the outdoor 26. When the mobile network 14 is used, it is possible to provide a service on the application server 12 in a band suitable for W-CDMA, for example, 384 kbps.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Further, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment.

It is a figure for demonstrating an outline about the example of the FMC service which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the network architecture for implement | achieving FMC service in the embodiment. 5 is a timing chart for explaining an application service switching operation when the mobile phone moves between a fixed network and a mobile network in the embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the application server in the embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the band control part in the application server in the embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a service in the same embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Fixed network, 12, 15 ... Application server, 13, 16 ... IMS, 14 ... Mobile network, 17 ... Optical fiber cable, 20 ... Indoor, 21 ... HGW, 22 ... PC (personal computer), 23 ... Fixed telephone, 24 ... Access point, 25 ... Mobile phone, 26 ... Outdoor, 30 ... Application layer, 40 ... Control layer, 41, 46 ... P-CSCF, 42, 47 ... I-CSCF, 43, 48 ... S-CSCF, 44, 49 ... HSS, 50 ... User layer, 51.52 ... I-BGF, 61 ... Application part, 62 ... Service individual part, 71 ... SIP interface, 72 ... Interface, 81 ... Large screen terminal, 621 ... Band control part, 622 ... Streaming control unit, 623 ... Call control unit, 624 ... Location information storage unit, 625 ... Presence section, 626 ... SIP, 627 ... communication control protocol.

Claims (4)

Having a dual type mobile terminal that can use both mobile communication and wireless LAN, when the mobile terminal is indoors, it communicates via the first network which is a fixed network by wireless LAN, and when it is outdoors In an application server control method for performing mobile communication via a second network which is a mobile network,
During the registration process of the mobile terminal performed via the first or second network, communication by the mobile terminal is accessed by either the first or second network with reference to a database storing user information. An application server control method comprising: determining an operation mode suitable for each network according to the determination result, and performing communication with the mobile terminal.   The application server control method according to claim 1, wherein usable bandwidth information of the first network and the second network by a mobile terminal is managed, and the bandwidth is set in advance according to the movement of the mobile terminal. An application server control method comprising providing a service via a first network or a second network. Having a dual type mobile terminal that can use both mobile communication and wireless LAN, when the mobile terminal is indoors, it communicates via the first network which is a fixed network by wireless LAN, and when it is outdoors In an application server that performs mobile communication via a second network that is a mobile network,
At the time of registration processing of the mobile terminal performed via the first or second network and the database storing user information related to the mobile terminal, the access type of the mobile terminal is confirmed with reference to the database. Determining means for determining whether the communication by the mobile terminal is an access by the first or second network; and setting an operation mode suitable for each network according to the determination result of the determining means to communicate with the mobile terminal An application server comprising communication means for performing   4. The application server according to claim 3, wherein the bandwidth information management means for managing available bandwidth information of the first network and the second network by the mobile terminal, and the bandwidth information management means according to the movement of the mobile terminal. An application server comprising: means for providing a service via the first network or the second network based on managed bandwidth information.

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