JP2008017397A - Base station controller and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remarkably reduce maintenance work or facility burden required for data analysis. <P>SOLUTION: User data received from a mobile exchange station 5 are encrypted by a secret processing means 11D and then transmitted to a radio base station 2 by a transmission/reception data processing means 11C, user data received from the radio base station 2 are decrypted by the secret processing means 11D and then transmitted to the mobile exchange station 5 and at the time of maintenance, secret processing information used for encrypting the user data received from the mobile exchange station 5 is added to the relevant user data and transmitted to the radio base station 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a CDMA mobile communication technology, and more particularly to a technology for encrypting / decrypting user data in a base station controller.

  In a CDMA mobile communication system, encryption / decryption of user data is performed between a mobile radio terminal and a base station controller by a concealment process. For this reason, when a problem such as abnormal communication quality, particularly abnormal noise occurs, it is necessary to perform data analysis by performing encryption / decryption of user data in maintenance work.

Normally, in a CDMA mobile communication system, the communication interface between the mobile radio terminal and the base station controller does not have a function including the confidential processing information actually used for encryption / decryption. This is because these parameters are not effective information for the communication service.
For this reason, in the analysis, the data signal is monitored between the radio base station and the base station controller or between the base station controller and the mobile switch, and the call connection information of any target call is The data analysis is performed by estimating the confidential processing information used for the confidential processing from the time information and the number of transmitted / received data and performing decryption / encryption based on the estimation result.

JP 2004-343579 A

  However, in such a conventional technique, data analysis is performed by performing descrambling / encryption based on the estimation result. For example, when there is a problem in encryption processing, There is a problem, and it takes a lot of time and labor to perform detailed data analysis, such as whether encryption processing has not been realized correctly, and there is a problem that data analysis cannot be performed efficiently. In addition, there is a method of storing user data inside the base station control device, but there is a possibility that the amount of target user data may become enormous, and it is also a reality to install a large-capacity storage medium only for maintenance Not right.

Also, in a mobile radio communication system, a technique for switching the necessity of encryption of user data in accordance with an instruction from a server apparatus has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this case, the encryption key is shared in advance and the encryption start timing is determined based on the bit information added to the user data, and there is a problem that data analysis cannot be performed efficiently as described above.
An object of the present invention is to provide a base station control apparatus and method that can significantly reduce the maintenance work and facility burden required for data analysis.

  In order to achieve such an object, a base station control device according to the present invention is provided between a mobile switching center connected to a communication network and a radio base station that connects a mobile radio terminal via a radio channel. When the mobile radio terminal performs various communications using the communication network, the mobile radio terminal performs a concealment process on user data exchanged between the mobile radio terminal and the communication network via the radio base station. A base station control device for performing confidential processing for encryption or descrambling based on predetermined confidential processing information for arbitrary user data, and for user data received from a mobile switching center After encryption by the confidential processing means, the data is transmitted to the radio base station, and the user data received from the wireless base station is decrypted by the confidential processing means and then the mobile object is exchanged. Transmission / reception data processing means for transmitting to the station, and the transmission / reception data processing means adds the confidential processing information used for encrypting the user data received from the mobile switching center during maintenance to the user data. Send to the station.

  The base station control method according to the present invention is provided between a mobile switching center connected to a communication network and a radio base station that connects the mobile radio terminal via a radio channel, so that the mobile radio terminal can communicate with the mobile radio terminal. A base used in a base station controller that performs confidential processing on user data exchanged between a mobile radio terminal and a communication network via a mobile switching center and a radio base station when performing various communications using the network. A station control method comprising: a concealment processing step of performing concealment processing for encryption or descrambling on arbitrary user data based on predetermined concealment processing information by a concealment processing unit; and a transmission / reception data processing unit The user data received from the exchange is encrypted by the concealment processing means and then transmitted to the radio base station, and the user data received from the radio base station is Used for encryption of user data received from the mobile switching center at the time of maintenance by the transmission / reception data processing step transmitted to the mobile switching center after decryption by the confidential processing means A secret processing information adding step of adding the secret processing information to the user data and transmitting the information to the radio base station.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Base station controller]
First, a base station control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a base station control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  This base station control device 1 is a data communication device that constructs a CDMA mobile communication system together with a radio base station 2, a mobile radio terminal 3, and a mobile switching center 5, and is a mobile switching center connected to a communication network 6. 5 and a radio base station 2 that connects the mobile radio terminal 3 via a radio interface, and when the mobile radio terminal 3 performs various communications using the communication network 6, Concealment processing is performed on user data that the mobile radio terminal 3 exchanges with the communication network 6 via the base station 2.

The mobile radio terminal 3 is a terminal device that is connected to the mobile switching center 5 via a radio interface and performs various communications such as voice communication and data communication using the communication network 6. It has a function of performing encryption / decryption by concealment processing.
The radio base station 2 is connected to the base station control apparatus 1 via a dedicated line, and uses a communication network 6 and a function of connecting to a mobile radio terminal 3 in a radio area formed by the radio base station 2 via a radio communication interface. A function of transmitting and receiving user data such as voice exchanged by the mobile radio terminal 3 between the mobile radio terminal 3 and the base station control device 1, and adding confidential information to the user data from the base station control device 1 If it is, the function of deleting the confidential processing information and transmitting it to the mobile radio terminal 3 is provided.

The mobile switching center 5 is connected to the base station controller 1 through a dedicated line and connected to the communication network 6, and user data such as voice exchanged by communication of the mobile radio terminal 3 using the communication network 6 is transmitted to the base station. It has a function of transmitting and receiving between the station control device 1 and the communication network 6.
The maintenance terminal 4 is a terminal device that is connected to the base station control device 1 via a dedicated line and issues various maintenance operation instructions to the base station control device 1.

  The base station control device 1 is provided with a signal processing unit 11 and a control unit 12 as main functional units. Among these, the signal processing unit 11 has signal transmission / reception units 11A and 11B as main functional units. A transmission / reception data processing unit 11C, a concealment processing unit 11D, and a processing control unit 11E are provided.

  In the present embodiment, the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C encrypts the user data received from the mobile switching center 5 by the concealment processing unit 11D, and then transmits the encrypted data to the radio base station 2. The received user data is decrypted by the concealment processing means 11D and then transmitted to the mobile switching center 5, and used for encryption of the user data received from the mobile switching center 5 during maintenance. The confidential processing information is added to the user data and transmitted.

Next, the configuration of the base station control device will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
Each functional unit of the base station control device 1 includes a dedicated circuit unit, an arithmetic processing unit, and a storage unit. In particular, the arithmetic processing unit (computer) includes a microprocessor such as a CPU and its peripheral circuits, and reads and executes a program stored in a memory or a storage unit in the peripheral circuit, whereby the hardware and program To realize each functional unit. The storage unit includes a storage device such as a memory and a hard disk, and stores various processing information used for processing in each functional unit.

The signal processing unit 11 of the base station control device 1 connects to the radio base station 2 and the mobile switching center 5 to transmit / receive data, and encrypts / decrypts the user data of the mobile radio terminal 3 by concealment processing. I do.
The control unit 12 of the base station control device 1 controls the entire base station control device 1 and receives various maintenance operation instructions such as an addition instruction / addition release instruction related to confidential processing information from the maintenance terminal 4 and receives a signal processing unit. 11 is controlled.

The signal transmission / reception means 11 </ b> A of the signal processing unit 11 is a communication interface unit for the mobile switching center 5 and has a function of transmitting / receiving various signals such as user data to / from the mobile switching center 5.
The signal transmission / reception unit 11B of the signal processing unit 11 is a communication interface unit for the radio base station 2 and has a function of transmitting / receiving various signals such as user data to / from the radio base station 2.

  The transmission / reception data processing means 11C has a function of instructing the encryption processing means 11D to encrypt user data from the mobile switching center 5 received by the signal transmission / reception means 11A, and the radio base station 2 received by the signal transmission / reception means 11B. A function for instructing the confidential processing means 11D to decrypt (decrypt) the user data, a function for editing the user data confidentially processed by the confidential processing means 11D into a predetermined format, and a signal that opposes the edited user data It has a function of transmitting from the transmitting / receiving means 11B, 11A.

The concealment processing unit 11D has a function of performing concealment processing for encryption or decryption based on predetermined concealment processing information for arbitrary user data.
The processing control unit 11E has a function of controlling each functional unit in the signal processing unit 11 in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 12.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a signal format of a data frame used in a normal state, and is used when the radio base station, the mobile switching center 5 and the base station control apparatus transmit / receive user data in a normal state. In the signal format of FIG. 2, the connection identifier 20 is information used for identifying each user to receive. The frame number 21 is a number that is continuously added in synchronization with time in order to identify data received from one user. The user data 22 is data used by the user of the mobile radio terminal 3, and is composed of, for example, audio compression data.

  Usually, the encryption of user data is performed in the section between the mobile radio terminal 3 and the base station control device 1. Specifically, in the uplink direction transmitted from the mobile radio terminal 3 to the communication network 6, user data generated by the mobile radio terminal 3 is encrypted by the mobile radio terminal 3 and then passes through the radio base station 2. Then, it is received by the base station controller 1, decrypted, and transmitted to the mobile switching center 5. Conversely, in the downlink direction transmitted from the communication network 6 to the mobile radio terminal 3, user data transmitted from the communication network 6 is received and encrypted by the base station controller 1, and then passes through the radio base station 2. Then, it is received by the mobile radio terminal 3 and decrypted.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a signal format of a data frame used at the time of maintenance. The same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent parts as in FIG. The signal format of FIG. 3 is used when transmitting / receiving user data from the base station control apparatus 1 to the radio base station 2 during maintenance. In the signal format of FIG. 3, the confidential processing information 23 is added to the rear part of the user data 22 as compared with FIG. The confidential processing information 23 is various parameters used for encryption in the confidential processing unit 11D of the signal processing unit 11, and is added to the downlink user data by the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C and transmitted to the radio base station 2. The

  In general, since the section of the radio base station 2 -the base station control device 1 -the mobile switching center 5 is connected by a dedicated line, there is no possibility that user data is wiretapped by a third party. Even in the event of eavesdropping, the algorithm itself used for the confidential processing of the user data is not disclosed, and since the addition of the confidential processing information is only at the time of maintenance, there is no problem with respect to the security for the user data.

[Operation of this embodiment]
Next, the operation of the base station control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a signal processing operation of the base station control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Here, as an example, voice communication is performed by exchanging user data consisting of voice data between a counterpart terminal (not shown) connected to the communication network 6 and the mobile radio terminal 3. A case where user data is encrypted in a section between the wireless terminal 3 and the base station control device 1 will be described.

[Normal signal processing operation]
First, a normal signal processing operation will be described with reference to steps 100 to 105 in FIG.
Downlink user data (voice data) transmitted from the communication network 6 to the mobile radio terminal 3 (step 100) is stored in a data frame based on the signal format of FIG. The signal is received by the signal transmitting / receiving means 11A of the control device 1.

The transmission / reception data processing unit 11C of the base station control device 1 receives the user data from the signal transmission / reception unit 11A and instructs the confidential processing unit 11D to perform encryption. The confidential processing means 11D encrypts the user data based on the predetermined confidential processing information in response to this instruction (step 101).
Here, since the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C has not been instructed to add the confidential processing information from the processing control unit 11E, only the user data encrypted by the confidential processing unit 11D is transmitted based on the signal format of FIG. Store in frame.

The signal transmission / reception unit 11B transmits the data frame generated by the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C to the radio base station 2 (step 102).
The mobile radio terminal 3 receives the user data transferred from the radio base station 2 via the radio section and decrypts the user data to generate the original user data (step 103). After the obtained user data (voice data) is converted into a voice signal, it is output from a speaker (not shown) of the mobile radio terminal 3.

  On the other hand, an audio signal input from a microphone (not shown) of the mobile radio terminal 3 is converted into user data (audio data) and then encrypted (step 105). Thereafter, the data frame is stored in the data frame based on the signal format of FIG. 2, and transmitted to the radio base station 2 through the radio section (step 106).

Uplink user data (voice data) transmitted from the mobile radio terminal 3 to the communication network 6 is received by the signal transmission / reception means 11 B of the base station controller 1 via the radio base station 2.
The transmission / reception data processing means 11C of the base station control device 1 receives the encrypted user data from the signal transmission / reception means 11B, and instructs the secret processing means 11D to perform descrambling. In response to this instruction, the confidential processing unit 11D decrypts the encrypted user data based on predetermined confidential processing information (step 107).

The transmission / reception data processing means 11C stores the user data decrypted by the concealment processing means 11D in the data frame based on the signal format of FIG.
The signal transmission / reception means 11A transmits the data frame generated by the transmission / reception data processing means 11C to the mobile switching center 5 (step 108).
Thereby, the user data transmitted from the mobile radio terminal 3 is transmitted to the communication network 6 via the mobile switching center 5.

[Signal processing during maintenance]
Next, the signal processing operation during maintenance will be described with reference to steps 110 to 125 in FIG.
At the start of maintenance, an addition instruction for instructing addition of confidential processing information is transmitted from the maintenance terminal 4 to the base station controller 1 in accordance with an operator operation (step 110). The control unit 12 of the base station control device 1 receives the addition instruction from the maintenance terminal 4 and notifies the addition instruction to the processing control unit 11E of the signal processing unit 11. Thereafter, the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C starts adding the confidential processing information in accordance with the control from the processing control unit 11E (step 111).

  Thereafter, the downlink user data (voice data) transmitted from the communication network 6 to the mobile radio terminal 3 (step 120) is stored in a data frame based on the signal format of FIG. Is received by the signal transmitting / receiving means 11A of the base station control device 1.

The transmission / reception data processing unit 11C of the base station control device 1 receives the user data from the signal transmission / reception unit 11A and instructs the confidential processing unit 11D to perform encryption. The confidential processing means 11D encrypts the user data based on the predetermined confidential processing information in response to this instruction (step 121).
Here, since the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C is instructed to add the confidential processing information from the processing control unit 11E, the user data encrypted by the confidential processing unit 11D is encrypted with the encryption key used for the encryption. Concealment processing information is added, stored in a data frame based on the signal format of FIG. 3, and transmitted from the signal transmission / reception means 11A to the mobile switching center 5 (step 122).

When the wireless base station 2 receives a data frame based on the signal format of FIG. 3 from the base station controller 1, the wireless base station 2 performs transfer processing because the confidential processing information 23 is not user data effective for voice communication of the mobile wireless terminal 3. Instead, it is discarded as it is (step 123), and only the user data 22 effective for voice communication is transferred (step 124).
The mobile radio terminal 3 receives the user data transferred from the radio base station 2 via the radio section, and decrypts the user data to generate original user data (step 125). After the obtained user data (voice data) is converted into a voice signal, it is output from a speaker (not shown) of the mobile radio terminal 3.

  As a result, in the section from the base station controller 1 to the radio base station 2, the confidential processing information used for the encryption is added to the user data in the downlink direction transmitted to the mobile radio terminal 3. Will be. Therefore, if the user data is monitored during this section, the user data can be decrypted based on the confidential processing information added to the user data.

  On the other hand, the audio signal input from the microphone (not shown) of the mobile radio terminal 3 is processed by the base station controller 1 via the radio base station 2 by the same processing steps as the above-described steps 105 to 108 in FIG. The decrypted user data received by the signal transmitting / receiving unit 11B and decrypted by the concealment processing unit 11D is stored in the data frame by the signal transmitting / receiving unit 11A based on the signal format of FIG. 5 to the communication network 6.

[Signal processing operation at the end of maintenance]
Next, the signal processing operation at the end of the maintenance will be described with reference to steps 130 to 143 in FIG.
At the end of the maintenance, an addition instruction is sent from the maintenance terminal 4 to the base station control device 1 according to the operator's operation to instruct the addition and release of the confidential processing information (step 130). The control unit 12 of the base station control device 1 receives the addition / release instruction from the maintenance terminal 4 and notifies the process control unit 11E of the signal processing unit 11 of the addition / release instruction. Thereafter, the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C cancels the addition of the confidential processing information and starts normal signal processing in accordance with the control from the processing control unit 11E (step 131).

Thereafter, user data (voice data) in the downlink direction transmitted from the communication network 6 to the mobile radio terminal 3 (step 140) is stored in a data frame based on the signal format of FIG. Is received by the signal transmitting / receiving means 11A of the base station control device 1.
The transmission / reception data processing unit 11C of the base station control device 1 receives the user data from the signal transmission / reception unit 11A and instructs the confidential processing unit 11D to perform encryption. The confidential processing means 11D encrypts the user data based on the predetermined confidential processing information in response to this instruction (step 141).

Here, since the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C has been instructed to add / release the confidential processing information from the processing control unit 11E, only the user data encrypted by the confidential processing unit 11D is based on the signal format of FIG. Store in data frame.
The signal transmission / reception means 11B transmits the data frame generated by the transmission / reception data processing means 11C to the radio base station 2 (step 142).
The mobile radio terminal 3 receives the user data transferred from the radio base station 2 via the radio section, and decrypts the user data to generate original user data (step 143). After the obtained user data (voice data) is converted into a voice signal, it is output from a speaker (not shown) of the mobile radio terminal 3.

  On the other hand, the audio signal input from the microphone (not shown) of the mobile radio terminal 3 is processed by the base station controller 1 via the radio base station 2 by the same processing steps as the above-described steps 105 to 108 in FIG. The decrypted user data received by the signal transmitting / receiving unit 11B and decrypted by the concealment processing unit 11D is stored in the data frame by the signal transmitting / receiving unit 11A based on the signal format of FIG. 5 to the communication network 6.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the transmission / reception data processing unit 11C encrypts the user data received from the mobile switching center 5 by the concealment processing unit 11D, and then transmits the encrypted data to the radio base station 2, thereby transmitting the radio data. The user data received from the base station 2 is descrambled by the concealment processing means 11D and then transmitted to the mobile switching center 5. For maintenance, the user data received from the mobile switching center 5 is encrypted. Since the concealment processing information used for conversion is added to the user data and transmitted to the radio base station 2, during maintenance, the mobile radio terminal 3 is transmitted in the section from the base station controller 1 to the radio base station 2. The confidential processing information used for the encryption is added to the user data transmitted in the downward direction.

Therefore, if the user data is monitored in this section, the contents of the user data can be easily confirmed by decrypting the user data based on the confidential processing information added to the user data. If the data is audio data, the cause of the abnormal noise can be specified.
Thereby, compared with the case where user data is analyzed using the secrecy processing information estimated from the time information and the number of transmitted / received data, the user data can be analyzed efficiently. In addition, it is not necessary to store user data inside the base station control device, and it is not necessary to install a storage medium having a large capacity only for maintenance. Therefore, maintenance work and equipment burden required for analyzing user data can be greatly reduced.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a case has been described in which confidential processing information is added / cancelled for all user data passing through the base station control device 1 in response to an instruction from the maintenance terminal 4. It is not limited to this. For example, the connection identifier 20 indicating specific user data is designated from the maintenance terminal 4, and the confidential processing information for only the user data corresponding to the connection identifier 20 among all user data passing through the base station control device 1. Addition / cancellation may be performed. Thereby, the confidential processing information can be added only to the user data to be maintained, and the processing load of the base station control device 1 and the entire CDMA mobile communication system can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the mobile switching center 5, the base station controller 1, the radio base station 2, and the mobile radio terminal 3 are described as an example, but this is understood. For the sake of simplicity, the simplest system configuration is taken as an example, and the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Usually, a plurality of mobile switching centers 5 are connected to the communication network 6, and a plurality of base station control devices 1 are connected to one mobile switching center 5, and one base station control device 1 is connected. A plurality of radio base stations 2 are connected to each other, and a plurality of mobile radio terminals 3 are connected to one radio base station 2. In this embodiment, CDMA mobile communication with such a tree structure is used. The system can be applied in the same manner as described above, and the same effects as those described above can be obtained. Further, the present embodiment is not limited to a CDMA mobile communication system, and can also be applied to a general mobile radio communication system.

  Moreover, although this Embodiment demonstrated as an example the case where user data was encrypted in the area between the base station control apparatus 1 and the mobile radio | wireless terminal 3, an encryption area is not limited to this. . For example, when the user data is encrypted in the section between the base station control device 1 and the mobile switching center 5, the user data transmitted from the mobile radio terminal 3 to the communication network 6 is encrypted by the base station control device 1. When the maintenance terminal 4 is instructed to add the confidential processing information, the confidential processing information used for the confidential processing may be added to the user data and transmitted to the mobile switching center 5. Thereby, even when the user data is encrypted in the section between the base station control device 1 and the mobile radio terminal 3, the maintenance work and facility burden required for the analysis of the user data can be greatly reduced as described above. it can.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the base station control apparatus concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is an example of the signal format of the data frame used at the normal time. It is an example of a signal format of a data frame used at the time of maintenance. It is a sequence diagram which shows the signal processing operation | movement of the base station control apparatus concerning one embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Base station control apparatus, 11 ... Signal processing part, 11A ... Signal transmission / reception means, 11B ... Signal transmission / reception means, 11C ... Transmission / reception data processing means, 11D ... Concealment processing means, 11E ... Processing control means, 12 ... Control part, 2 ... wireless base station, 3 ... mobile wireless terminal, 4 ... maintenance terminal, 5 ... mobile switching center, 6 ... communication network, 20 ... connection identifier, 21 ... frame number, 22 ... user data, 23 ... confidential processing information.

Claims (2)

Provided between a mobile switching center connected to a communication network and a radio base station that connects a mobile radio terminal via a radio line, and when the mobile radio terminal performs various communications using the communication network A base station controller that performs a concealment process on user data that the mobile radio terminal exchanges with the communication network via the mobile switching center and the radio base station;
A concealment processing means for performing concealment processing for encryption or decryption based on predetermined concealment processing information for arbitrary user data;
The user data received from the mobile switching center is encrypted by the cipher processing means and then transmitted to the radio base station, and the user data received from the radio base station is ciphered by the cipher processing means. Transmission / reception data processing means for transmitting to the mobile switching center after performing the release,
The transmission / reception data processing means adds the concealment processing information used for encryption of user data received from the mobile switching center to the user data at the time of maintenance, and transmits the user data to the radio base station. Base station controller. Provided between a mobile switching center connected to a communication network and a radio base station that connects a mobile radio terminal via a radio line, and when the mobile radio terminal performs various communications using the communication network A base station control method used in a base station control apparatus that performs a concealment process on user data that the mobile radio terminal exchanges with the communication network via the mobile switching center and the radio base station. ,
A concealment processing step for performing concealment processing for encryption or decryption based on predetermined concealment processing information for arbitrary user data by the concealment processing means,
The transmission / reception data processing means transmits the user data received from the mobile switching center to the radio base station after encryption by the secrecy processing means, and the user data received from the radio base station A transmission / reception data processing step for transmitting to the mobile switching center after descrambling by the concealment processing means;
At the time of maintenance, the transmission / reception data processing means adds the confidential processing information used for encrypting the user data received from the mobile switching center to the user data and transmits it to the radio base station. And a base station control method comprising the steps of:

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