JP2010130450A - Ip repeater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique capable of accessing an authentication-free site in an IP network at a cheaper fee from a portable telephone terminal. <P>SOLUTION: An IP repeater 1 relays a request message to a WWW (World Wide Web) site 8 residing in an IP network 7 based on a predetermined destination of the request message received from a portable telephone terminal 4 under a small portable telephone base station 3. If a response message to the relayed request message is received from the IP network 7, the response message is relayed to the portable telephone terminal 4 which has sent the request message. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an IP relay device, and more particularly to a technology for relaying a connection request message by an IP relay device.

FMC (Fixed Mobile Convergence) is known as a service that combines a fixed telephone network in the home, an Internet line, and a mobile phone network (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). In FMC, when a mobile phone terminal enters an area (private network) of a small femtocell base station accommodated in an IP relay device accommodating an Internet line, the mobile phone terminal is similar to an IP terminal such as a personal computer. It becomes possible to access the mobile phone network directly from the home via the IP relay device.
JP 2006-129158 A JP 2003-299157 A

  However, in a femtocell system, when accessing a site that does not require authentication on a mobile phone network that can be browsed from an IP terminal such as a personal computer from a mobile phone terminal in the area of a small base station, it can be accessed via an Internet line. Nevertheless, since there is a direct access to an authentication-free site on the mobile phone network, there is a problem that the packet charge of the mobile phone becomes high.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of accessing an authentication-free site at a lower price in a femtocell system.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in the present invention, when an IP relay apparatus that accommodates a mobile phone base station receives a connection request from a mobile phone terminal under the control of a small mobile phone base station, it is determined whether or not the request is for a connection to an authentication-free site. If it is a connection request to an authentication unnecessary site, the connection request is relayed to the IP network.

  For example, an IP relay device connected to a small mobile phone base station, an IP (Internet Protocol) network, and an IP terminal, the small mobile phone base station connecting means for connecting to the small mobile phone base station, and the IP IP network connection means for connecting to a network, IP terminal connection means for connecting to the IP terminal, relaying data between the base station connection means, the IP terminal connection means, and the IP network connection means Data relay means, communication ID storage means for storing a communication ID (IDentification) transmitted from a mobile phone terminal via a small mobile phone base station, and a communication ID stored in the communication ID storage means. IP network communication execution means for executing communication via the IP network when a connection request is received from a mobile phone terminal having The communication ID is equivalent to a communication ID used when a mobile phone terminal belonging to the small mobile phone base station authenticates to the mobile phone network, and the small mobile phone base station connected to the own IP relay device The IP network communication execution means communicates with the predetermined destination via the IP network, and the data relay means The data is relayed between the predetermined destination and the cellular phone terminal that has requested the connection and the IP network.

  According to the present invention, when accessing an authentication-unnecessary site on a mobile phone network, the access is always made via the Internet line. For this reason, it becomes possible to hold down a mobile telephone charge cheaply.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a femtocell system including an IP relay device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the IP relay device 1 of the present embodiment accommodates at least one IP terminal 2 and a small mobile phone base station 3 such as a femtocell. These devices 2 and 3 are connected to the IP network 7 and the mobile phone network 5.

  Specifically, the IP relay device 1 relays a connection request received from the mobile phone terminal 4 subordinate to the mobile phone base station 3 to either the IP network 7 or the mobile phone network 5 based on the destination. The connection response received from the mobile phone network 5 or the IP network 7 is relayed to either the IP terminal 2 or the small mobile phone base station 3 based on the destination.

  The IP relay device 1 also includes a location registration request message transmitted from the mobile phone terminal 4 under the control of the small mobile phone base station 3 to connect the mobile phone terminal 4 to the mobile phone network 5 and the mobile phone terminal 4 When a registration cancellation request message transmitted to cancel the connection from the telephone network 5 is received, the message is transmitted to an HLR (Home Location Register) 6 in the cellular telephone network 5. Further, based on the location registration request message and the registration cancellation request message, the accommodation of the mobile phone terminals 4 subordinate to the small mobile phone base station 3 is controlled / managed.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the IP relay device 1.

  As shown in the figure, the IP relay device 1 includes an IP network IF unit (Interface interface) 101, a mobile phone network IF unit 102, an IP terminal IF unit 103, a base station IF unit 104, a message relay unit 105, The communication ID storage unit 106, the request message control unit 107, and the response message control unit 108 are configured.

  The IP network IF unit 101 is an interface for connecting to the IP network 7.

  The cellular phone network IF unit 102 is an interface for connecting to the cellular phone network 5.

  The IP terminal IF unit 103 is an interface for connecting to the IP terminal 2 such as a personal computer.

  The base station IF unit 104 is an interface for connecting to the small mobile phone base station 3.

  The message relay unit 105 is one of the IP network IF unit 101, the mobile phone network IF unit 102, the IP terminal IF unit 103, and the base station IF unit 104 according to an instruction from the request message control unit 107 or the response message control unit 108. Relay messages to

  Here, the request message means a message transmitted to connect to the Internet from the IP terminal 2 or the mobile phone terminal 4, and the response message corresponds to the IP network 7 or the mobile phone network 5 with respect to the request message. Means a response message sent from.

  The communication ID storage unit 106 stores whether or not the mobile phone terminal 4 exists under the small mobile phone base station 3 and stores whether or not the request message is transmitted from the mobile phone terminal 4 to the IP network 7. To do.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the contents stored in the communication ID storage unit 106.

  As shown in the figure, the communication ID storage unit 106 is added to the record 1060 for each mobile phone terminal 4 to be accommodated. The record 1060 includes a field 1061 that stores the terminal type of the mobile phone terminal 4, a field 1062 that stores the communication destination, a field 1063 that stores the update date and time of the record 1060, and a field 1064 that stores the current communication state. Composed.

  The communication ID storage unit 106 receives a location registration request message received from the mobile phone terminal 4 under the small mobile phone base station 3 via the base station IF unit 104 via the mobile phone network IF unit 102. 5 to the HLR 6 in the Further, the communication ID storage unit 106 recognizes the mobile phone terminal 4 subordinate to the small mobile phone base station 3 based on the location registration request message, and updates the record 1060 of the mobile phone terminal 4.

  Further, the communication ID storage unit 106 carries the registration cancellation request message received from the mobile phone terminal 4 under the small mobile phone base station 3 via the base station IF unit 104 via the mobile phone network IF unit 102. Transmit to the HLR 6 in the telephone network 5. Further, the communication ID storage unit 106 recognizes the mobile phone terminal 4 subordinate to the small mobile phone base station 3 based on the registration cancellation request message, identifies the separation of the mobile phone terminal 4, and records the record 1060. Delete from the communication ID storage unit 106.

  Further, the communication ID storage unit 106 monitors the update date and time (field 1063) of the record 1060. Then, it recognizes that the mobile phone terminal 4 performing exercises on the record 1060 for which a certain period of time (for example, 3600 seconds) has passed since the update date and time has left the subordinate of the small mobile phone base station 3, and deletes this record 1060.

  The request message control unit 107 determines whether the reception IF unit of the request message is the base station IF unit 104 or the IP terminal IF unit 103. Further, it is determined whether the received request message is a request message for accessing a dedicated site.

  If the request message transmission destination is a dedicated site, the request message control unit 107 instructs the message relay unit 105 to set the relay destination to the mobile phone network IF unit 102. If the transmission destination of the request message is not a dedicated site, the message relay unit 105 is instructed to set the relay destination to the IP network IF unit 101.

  When the IP relay device 1 receives the request message from the mobile phone terminal 4 and determines that the relay destination of the message is the IP network IF unit 101, the communication state (field 1064) is set to “in communication”. . When the communication state ends, for example, when a request message does not arrive, the communication state (field 1064) is set to “−”.

  The response message control unit 108 determines whether the reception IF unit of the response message is the IP network IF unit 101 or the mobile phone network IF unit 102.

  The response message control unit 108 further determines whether the destination of the response message received by the IP network IF unit 101 is the IP terminal IF unit 103 or the base station IF unit 104. Whether or not the transmission destination of the response message is the base station IF unit 104 is determined by the communication ID storage unit 106 that the corresponding terminal is “in communication” with the IP network 7.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the IP relay device 1.

  This flow is started from a state in which a location registration request, a deregistration request, a request message, and a response message can be received after the IP relay device 1 is powered on.

  When this flow is started, whether a location registration request is received from the mobile phone terminal 4 (S10), whether a registration cancellation request is received from the mobile phone terminal 4 (S13), whether from the IP terminal 2 or the mobile phone terminal 4 Whether a request message or a response message from the IP network 7 or the mobile phone network 5 has been received (S16), or whether the record 1060 for each stored mobile phone terminal stored in the communication ID storage unit 106 has been updated and a certain time has elapsed It waits for any event of (S20) to occur.

  When the location registration request is received from the base station IF unit 104 (S10: Yes), the received location registration request is transmitted to the HLR 6 on the mobile phone network 5 (S11). Thereafter, a corresponding record is added to the communication ID management table (S12).

  When the location registration cancellation request is received from the base station IF unit 104 (S13: Yes), the received location registration cancellation is transmitted to the HLR 6 on the mobile phone network 5 (S14). Thereafter, the corresponding court is deleted from the communication ID management table (S15).

  When the message is received (S16: Yes), the destination of the message is determined (S17). When a message is received from the IP terminal IF unit 103 or the base station IF unit 104 (S17: IP terminal IF unit, base station IF unit), request message processing is executed (S18).

  If it is determined in S17 that it has been received from the IP network IF unit 101 and the mobile phone network IF unit 102 (S17: IP network IF unit, mobile phone network IF unit), response message processing is executed (S19).

  If neither a message nor a location registration request nor a location registration release request arrives from the base station IF unit 104 (S16: No), whether or not a certain period (for example, 3600 seconds) has elapsed since the update date and time of the record added in S12 Is determined (S20). As a result of the determination, if the time has elapsed (S20: Yes), the corresponding record is deleted from the communication ID storage unit 106 (S21).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart regarding the request message processing in S18 of FIG.

  When the request message is received, it is determined from the base station IF unit 104 or the IP terminal IF unit 103 (S201). If it is determined that it has been received from the IP terminal IF unit 103 (S201: IP terminal IF unit), the message relay unit 105 is controlled to transmit from the IP network IF unit 101.

  If it is determined that it has been received from the base station IF unit 104 (S201: base station IF unit), the relay destination of the request message is determined (S203).

  The relay destination is determined based on whether or not the transmission destination address of the request message is an address of a dedicated site provided by the mobile operator. If it is a mobile phone dedicated site, it is determined that the IF unit of the relay destination is the mobile phone network IF unit 102.

  When the IP network IF unit 101 is determined in S203 (S203: IP network IF unit), the request message destination is stored in association with the corresponding terminal stored in the communication ID storage unit 106 (S204), and the communication of the corresponding terminal is performed. The state is set during communication (S205). Thereafter, the message relay unit 105 is controlled to transmit the request message from the IP network IF unit 101 (S202).

  When it is determined that the mobile phone network IF unit 102 is determined in S203 (S203: mobile phone network IF unit), the message relay unit 105 is controlled to transmit the received request message from the mobile phone network IF unit 102.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart relating to the response message processing relating to S19 illustrated in FIG.

  When the response message is received, it is determined from the cellular phone network IF unit 102 or the IP network IF unit 101 (S301). When received by the mobile phone network IF unit 102 (S301: mobile phone network IF unit), the message relay unit 105 is controlled to transmit from the base station IF unit 104 (S302).

  When received by the IP network IF unit 101 (S301: IP network IF unit), the relay destination of the response message is determined (S303).

  The relay destination determines whether or not the state of the corresponding terminal stored in the communication ID storage unit 106 is set to “in communication”, and determines whether or not a communication destination is registered. If there is a terminal that is “in communication” and the transmission source of the response message matches the communication destination, it is determined that the relay destination is the base station IF unit 104 (S303: base station IF unit), and the base station The message relay unit 105 is controlled to transmit the corresponding message from the IF unit 104 (S304).

  After the message is relayed, it is determined whether or not there is a request message from the corresponding terminal (S305). If there is no message (S305: no message), the communication status of the communication ID management table is changed from “communicating” to “−”. Change to

  If there is a message (S305: There is a message), this process is terminated, and it is waited for the request message to arrive again.

  If there is no terminal in communication, it is determined that the relay destination is the IP terminal IF unit 103 (S303: IP terminal IF unit), and message relay is performed so that the corresponding message is transmitted from the IP terminal IF unit 103. The unit 105 is controlled (S304).

  FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of the accommodating operation of the mobile phone terminal 4 of the femtocell system shown in FIG.

  When the mobile phone terminal 4 recognizes that the mobile phone terminal 4 has entered the area of the small mobile phone base station 3 based on a beacon transmitted from the mobile phone base station 3 (S401), the mobile phone terminal 4 sets an attribute (S402), The communication ID including the registration request message is transmitted to the small mobile phone base station 3 (S403).

  The small mobile phone base station 3 transmits the communication ID to the HLR 6 on the mobile phone network 5 via the IP relay device 1 (S404, S405). At that time, the IP relay device 1 adds the record 1060 of the communication ID storage unit 106 shown in FIG.

  Thereafter, each time a communication ID including a location registration request message is transmitted from the mobile phone terminal 4 (S407, S408, S409), the record is updated (S410).

  When the mobile phone terminal 4 leaves the area of the small mobile phone base station 3 (S411), the mobile phone terminal 4 cancels the affiliated address (S412), and transmits a communication ID including a location registration release message to the small mobile phone base station 3 ( S413). The small mobile phone base station 3 transmits the communication ID to the HLR 6 on the mobile phone network 5 via the IP relay device 1 (S414, S415).

  At that time, the IP relay device 1 deletes the record of the corresponding mobile phone terminal 3 from the communication ID storage unit 106.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

  In the present embodiment, when the IP relay device 1 receives a request message from the mobile phone terminal 4 subordinate to the small mobile phone base station 3, the IP network 7 and the mobile phone network 5 are based on the destination of the request message. Relay this request message to any of the above. Specifically, if the request message arriving at the base station IF unit 104 is a transmission to the IP network 7, the request message control unit 107 sends a message so that the request message is relayed to the IP network IF unit 101. The relay unit 105 is controlled.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the relay destination of the request message transmitted from the mobile phone terminal 4 subordinate to the small mobile phone base station 3 can be switched according to the network to which the request message is transmitted. For this reason, even the mobile phone terminal 4 can use the IP network 7 that the user wants to use according to the connection destination. Further, when the mobile phone terminal 4 transmits a request message to the IP network 7, it becomes possible to prevent the mobile phone terminal 4 from being charged.

  In the present embodiment, when receiving a response message, the IP relay device 1 relays the response message to either the IP terminal 2 or the mobile phone terminal 4 based on the communication ID. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the state of the corresponding terminal is set to “in communication” and whether or not a communication destination is registered. If there is a terminal that is “in communication” and the transmission source of the response message matches the communication destination, it is determined that the relay destination is the base station IF unit 104, and the corresponding message is sent from the base station IF unit 104. The message relay unit 105 is controlled to transmit.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to switch so as to transmit a response message from the destination network of the request message to the mobile phone terminal 4. For this reason, even the mobile phone terminal 4 can receive a response message received from the IP network.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the configuration of the IP relay device 1 shown in FIG. 2 may be implemented by an integrated logic IC such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Alternatively, it may be executed by software by a computer such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Alternatively, in a general-purpose computer such as a CPU (Personal Computer) equipped with an auxiliary storage device such as a CPU, memory, HDD, DVD-ROM, and a communication interface such as a NIC (Network Interface Card) or a telephone line interface, the CPU It may be realized by loading the program from the auxiliary storage device onto the memory and executing it.

1 is a schematic diagram of a femtocell system including an IP relay device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an IP relay device 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing registered contents in a communication ID storage unit 106. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the IP relay device 1. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the transmission process of FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the incoming call processing of FIG. 4. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating an example of the portable terminal accommodation operation | movement of the FMC system shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... IP relay apparatus, 2 ... IP terminal, 3 ... Small mobile phone base station, 4 ... Mobile phone terminal, 5 ... Mobile phone network, 6 ... HLR, 7 ... IP network, 8 ... WWW site, 101 ... IP network IF , 102 ... Mobile phone network IF part, 103 ... IP terminal IF part, 104 ... Base station IF part, 105 ... Message relay part, 106 ... Communication ID storage part, 107 ... Request message control part, 108 ... Response message control part

Claims (2)

An IP relay device connected to a small mobile phone base station, an IP (Internet Protocol) network, and an IP terminal,
A small mobile phone base station connection means for connecting to the small mobile phone base station;
IP network connection means for connecting to the IP network;
IP terminal connection means for connecting to the IP terminal;
Data relay means for relaying data between the base station connection means, the IP terminal connection means and the IP network connection means;
A communication ID storage means for storing a communication ID (IDentification) transmitted from a mobile phone terminal via a small mobile phone base station;
IP network communication execution means for executing communication via the IP network when a connection request is received from a mobile phone terminal having a communication ID stored in the communication ID storage means,
The communication ID is equivalent to a communication ID used when a mobile phone terminal belonging to the small mobile phone base station authenticates to a mobile phone network,
When it is a connection request from the mobile phone terminal to a predetermined destination via the small mobile phone base station connected to the own IP relay device,
The IP network communication execution means communicates with the predetermined destination via the IP network;
The data relay means relays data between the predetermined destination and the cellular phone terminal that has requested the connection and the IP network. 2. The IP relay device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile phone terminal determines whether or not a mobile phone terminal corresponding to the communication ID stored in the communication ID storage means belongs to the small mobile phone base station. It further has attribution means,
The IP communication execution means performs communication via the IP network when the mobile phone terminal belonging determination means determines that the mobile phone terminal corresponding to the communication ID belongs to the small mobile phone base station. An IP relay device that is executed.

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