JP2020036084A - Resource control system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a resource control system for reliably releasing resources secured during roaming.SOLUTION: An HSS 10 is included in a mobile communication network and is a resource control system for controlling resources secured by a P-GW that is a relay node of the mobile communication network when a mobile device of the mobile communication network roams. The HSS includes: a detection unit 11 for detecting that the roaming mobile device has finished roaming; and a control unit 12 for controlling to release resources secured by the P-GW by a control signal in the mobile communication network when it is detected that the mobile device has finished roaming.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a resource control system that is included in a mobile communication network and controls resources related to roaming.

  2. Description of the Related Art Roaming has been conventionally known as a technique related to mobile communication (for example, see Patent Document 1). In roaming, the mobile device makes a contract with a user using a mobile communication network (hereinafter, referred to as a roaming network) of a service provider other than the service provider to which the user has subscribed (roaming contract). This service allows the service of the service provider to be received. Specifically, the mobile device is located (connected) to the roaming network, and is connected to the mobile communication network (hereinafter, referred to as a home network) of a service provider with which the user has contracted via the roaming network. .

JP 2004-357229 A

  When roaming is performed, a node (apparatus) of the core network of the home network secures resources related to roaming of the mobile device. For example, a P-GW (Packet Data Network Gateway) of a home network connected to a roaming network secures resources such as an IP address for a roaming mobile station, and the mobile station communicates using the secured resource. Establish a session to do However, in the case of the above-described conventional technology, there are cases where resources secured during roaming cannot be released.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a resource control system capable of reliably releasing resources secured during roaming.

  In order to achieve the above object, a resource control system according to the present invention is included in a mobile communication network and secured by a relay node of the mobile communication network when a mobile device of the mobile communication network roams. A resource control system that performs control related to the resource, wherein a detection unit that detects that the roaming mobile device has finished roaming, and when the detection unit detects that the mobile device has finished roaming, A control unit that controls release of resources secured in the relay node by a control signal in the mobile communication network.

  In the resource control system according to the present invention, when the end of roaming of the mobile device is detected, control is performed to release resources by a control signal in the mobile communication network. Therefore, according to the resource control system of the present invention, it is possible to reliably release the resources secured during roaming.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably release resources secured during roaming.

It is a figure showing the composition of the communication system containing HSS which is the resource control system concerning the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a session established in the communication system. It is a figure showing the functional composition of HSS which is the resource control system concerning the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a subscriber profile stored in the HSS. This is information in which the MCC is associated with the country in which it is located. This is information in which a subscriber, a connection destination P-GW, and a country in which the user is located are associated. This is information in which the former country and the necessity of transmitting the communication state deletion signal are associated with each other. It is a sequence diagram showing processing performed in a communication system including processing performed in HSS which is a resource control system concerning an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an HSS that is a resource control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a resource control system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

  FIG. 1 shows an HSS (Home Subscriber Server) 10 which is a resource control system according to the present embodiment. The HSS 10 is included in the communication system 1. The communication system 1 provides the mobile device 2 with a mobile communication function. The communication system 1 includes a home network HN, which is a mobile communication network, and a roaming network RN. In FIG. 1, a home network HN and a roaming network RN indicated by broken lines indicate core networks (for example, core networks based on Evolved Packet Core (EPC)) of respective mobile communication networks.

  The home network HN is a mobile communication network provided by a service provider (communication operator) subscribed to the user of the mobile device (mobile station, mobile communication terminal) 2. The mobile device 2 can perform mobile communication by connecting to the home network HN. The roaming network RN is a mobile communication network serviced by a service provider different from the service provider of the home network HN. The roaming network RN is a mobile communication network that has been roamed with the home network HN. The mobile device 2 can be in the roaming network RN for roaming. Although FIG. 1 illustrates only one roaming network RN, the communication system 1 may include two or more roaming networks. Further, when the user of the mobile device 2 has a roaming contract with a service provider of the home network HN, the mobile device 2 may be allowed to use the roaming network RN.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the home network HN includes, as a core network configuration, an HSS 10, a Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) 20, a P-GW 30, a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 40, and an S-GW (Serving (If there are a plurality of nodes or devices of the same type in FIG. 1, a letter is appended to the reference numeral to distinguish them). Also, the home network HN includes an eNodeB (base station) 60 as a configuration other than the core network. Each of the above nodes or devices is connected to another node or device that has been set in advance similarly to the conventional core network (for example, the connection relationship shown in FIG. 1), and can transmit and receive signals and the like. It has become. In addition, the home network HN may include a node or a device other than the above for providing the mobile device 2 with a mobile communication function and a function associated therewith.

  The HSS 10 is a logical node that manages subscriber information and performs call processing connection control. The HSS 10 has a function according to the present embodiment described later. Further, the HSS 10 has the same function as the conventional HSS.

  The PCRF 20 is a logical node that performs control for QoS (Quality of Service) and charging for user data transfer. The PCRF 20 has a function corresponding to a function of the HSS 10 according to the present embodiment described later. Usually, a plurality of PCRFs 20 are provided in the home network HN, and a PCRF 20 that performs processing for each mobile device 2 is set. The PCRF 20 has the same function as the conventional PCRF.

  The P-GW 30 is a connection point with a PDN (Packet Data Network) (for example, the Internet I shown in FIG. 1), and assigns an IP address to the mobile device 2 and transfers a packet to the S-GW 50. It is. That is, the P-GW 30 is a relay node that relays a packet (data) in the home network HN. Also, the P-GW 30 performs QoS control, bearer setting control, and the like in cooperation with the PCRF 20. The P-GW 30 has a function corresponding to a function of the HSS 10 according to the present embodiment described later. The P-GW 30 has the same function as the conventional P-GW.

  A plurality of P-GWs 30 are provided in the home network HN. Of the plurality of P-GWs 30, the P-GW 30a connected to the roaming network RN transfers packets when roaming is performed by the mobile device 2.

  The MME 40 is an exchange that accommodates the eNodeB 60 and performs mobility control, bearer control, and the like. The S-GW 50 is a visited packet switch that accommodates the eNodeB 60. The eNodeB 60 is a device that is provided in a service target area of the mobile communication network and transmits and receives a radio signal related to the mobile communication network to and from the mobile device 2. The MME 40, the S-GW 50, and the eNodeB 60 have the same functions as the conventional MME, S-GW, and eNodeB, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the roaming network RN includes an MME 40 and an S-GW 50 as a configuration of a core network. Further, the roaming network RN includes an eNodeB 60 as a configuration other than the core network. In addition, the roaming network RN may include a node or a device other than the above for providing the mobile communication function and the function associated therewith to the mobile device 2.

  The roaming network RN sets, for example, an area different from the service target area of the home network HN as the service target area. For example, a country different from the country to be served by the home network HN is an area to be served. That is, the mobile device 2 performs international roaming using the roaming network RN.

  When the user goes abroad, the mobile device 2 leaves the service area of the home network HN and enters the service area of the roaming network RN, that is, enters the communication area of the eNodeB 60b of the roaming network RN. In this case, the mobile device 2 performs roaming. When roaming is performed, for example, first, the mobile device 2 performs location registration (attach) to the home network HN via the roaming network RN. Subsequently, in the communication system 1, a session (for example, an international roaming session) is established with the Internet I, which is a PDN, via the roaming network RN and the home network HN. The mobile device 2 performs data communication using the session.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the session RS related to roaming is established by the S-GW 50b of the roaming network RN connected to the home network HN and the P-GW 30a of the home network HN connected to the roaming network RN. You. At this time, in the P-GW 30a, resources that allow the mobile device 2 to perform mobile communication are secured. The resource is similar to a conventional resource, and includes an IP address and the like. In the P-GW 30a, data communication (for example, packet transfer) relating to the mobile device 2 is performed using the resource.

  After performing roaming as described above, when the user returns from overseas, the mobile device 2 exits the service target area of the roaming network RN and enters the service target area of the home network HN, ie, When entering the communication area of the eNodeB 60a of the home network HN, the mobile device 2 performs mobile communication on the home network HN. In this case, for example, first, the mobile device 2 performs location registration on the home network HN. Subsequently, in the communication system 1, a session is established with the Internet I via the home network HN. The mobile device 2 performs data communication using the session. As shown in FIG. 2, the session HS is established by the S-GW 50a and the P-GW 30b of the home network HN. At this time, in the P-GW 30b, resources for enabling the mobile device 2 to perform mobile communication are secured in the same manner as in roaming.

  Conventionally, when roaming ends, a home area delete signal (Dia_CLR), which is a signal for instructing the roaming network RN to delete information related to the mobile station's location, has been transmitted from the home network HN. Specifically, when the location registration in the home network HN of the roaming mobile device 2 has been performed, conventionally, the location deletion signal related to the mobile device 2 is transmitted from the HSS 10 of the home network HN to the MME 40b of the roaming network RN. Was sent. The in-service-area deletion signal is transmitted to a node of the home network (for example, the above-described P-GW 30a) that has secured a resource related to roaming, via a node of the roaming network RN. Specifically, in the roaming network RN, the located area deletion signal is transmitted from the MME 40b to the S-GW 50b, and transmitted from the S-GW 50b to the P-GW 30a of the home network HN.

  The MME 40b, the S-GW 50b, and the P-GW 30a that have received the located area deletion signal delete the information that the MME 40b, the S-GW 50b, and the P-GW 30a have, which are related to the located area of the mobile device 2 in the roaming network RN. That is, the P-GW 30a releases the resources secured for roaming of the mobile device 2. As described above, roaming is performed using the overseas roaming network RN, for example, when the user moves overseas. Overseas communication facilities may be more vulnerable than in Japan, and there is a possibility that the location deletion signal may not reach a node of the home network HN (for example, the P-GW 30a described above) due to packet loss or the like. If the located area deletion signal does not reach the node of the home network HN, the resources secured by the node are not released. That is, a so-called resource floating occurs in which resources are secured even though they are not used. For example, the resources for the mobile device 2 secured in the P-GW 30a are not released, and the resources remain reserved (the IP address remains captured), and a resource float occurs.

  When a large amount of resource floating occurs, the IP address is depleted, and it becomes impossible to newly assign the mobile device 2 an IP address. If a new IP address cannot be assigned to the mobile device 2, location registration from the mobile device 2 will fail, and it is necessary to eliminate the resource floating state.

  The fact that a signal does not arrive due to a packet loss or the like is quasi-normal processing, and the standard does not clearly define a procedure for resolving an abnormal state that occurs as a result.

  The HSS 10 according to the present embodiment controls the resources secured in the P-GW 30 of the home network HN when the mobile device 2 roams. With this control, the release of resources in the P-GW 30 after the end of roaming is reliably performed, and the occurrence of resource floating is prevented. In the present embodiment, as in the related art, the in-service area deletion signal related to the mobile device 2 may be transmitted from the HSS 10 to the MME 40b of the roaming network RN.

  Subsequently, the function of the HSS 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the HSS 10 according to the present embodiment includes a detection unit 11 and a control unit 12.

  The detecting unit 11 is a functional unit that detects that the roaming mobile device 2 has finished roaming. The detecting unit 11 detects that the roaming mobile device 2 performs location registration under the own network HN, and detects that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming. When the mobile device 2 performs international roaming, the detection unit 11 detects (determines) the return of the mobile device 2 to domestic. The detection unit 11 specifically detects that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming as follows.

  When performing location registration, the mobile device 2 transmits a location registration signal (Dia_UpdateLocationRequest) to the home network HN. When under the control of the roaming network RN, the mobile device 2 transmits a location registration signal to the home network HN via the roaming network RN. When the mobile device 2 is under the control of the home network HN, it directly transmits a location registration signal to the home network HN. The HSS 10 receives the location registration signal transmitted from the mobile device 2 and performs a process related to location registration of the mobile device 2.

  The HSS 10 stores a subscriber profile shown in FIG. 4 for each mobile device 2 in a subscriber database. In the subscriber profile, the mobile device 2 includes information on the formerly-located MME 40 that was located immediately before the currently-located MME 40 (the information on the lowest line in FIG. 4) (for example, the information of the MME 40). FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name). The information is updated when location registration is performed from the mobile device 2. The information includes an MCC (Mobile Country Code) indicating the country of the MME 40 where the mobile device 2 was located, and an MNC (Mobile Network Code) indicating the service provider. The location registration signal also contains information on the MME 40 in which the mobile device 2 is located, similar to the above information.

  When the HSS 10 receives a location registration signal from the mobile device 2 under the control of the own network HN, the detection unit 11 performs a detection process. The HSS 10 receives a location registration signal from the mobile device 2 under the control of the own network HN, for example, from the MME 40a of the own network HN accommodating the eNodeB 60a of the own network HN. The detection unit 11 compares the information included in the location registration signal with the above information included in the subscriber profile of the mobile device 2 related to the location registration signal, and detects that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming. I do. Here, the above information included in the subscriber profile is updated after the location registration process is performed by the received location registration signal, that is, the former location is obtained by the location registration process. Information is used.

  Specifically, the detection unit 11 determines whether the mobile communication network including the formerly-located MME 40 indicated by the subscriber profile matches the mobile communication network including the MME 40 indicated by the location registration signal. to decide. If these are different from each other, the detection unit 11 determines (detects) that the roaming mobile device 2 has finished roaming. If these are not different from each other, the detection unit 11 determines that the mobile device 2 has not roamed (that is, the mobile device 2 has not finished roaming). The determination (detection) of the roaming end of the mobile device 2 based on the location registration may be performed by a method other than the above. When detecting that the roaming mobile device 2 has finished roaming, the detection unit 11 notifies the control unit 12 of the fact.

  When the detection unit 11 detects that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming, the control unit 12 releases a resource secured in the P-GW 30 that is a relay node by a control signal in the own network HN. This is a functional unit that controls

  When receiving the above notification from the detection unit 11, the control unit 12 generates and transmits a communication state deletion instruction signal, which is a control signal in the own network HN, to the PCRF 20 of the own network HN. The PCRF 20 to be transmitted is the PCRF 20 that performs the process related to the mobile device 2 to be controlled. The communication state deletion instruction signal is a signal for releasing the resources of the designated mobile device 2 to the P-GW 30 of the own network HN.

  The control unit 12 includes information (for example, IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity)) for specifying (designating) the mobile device 2 that has completed roaming, that is, the mobile device 2 that is a resource release target, in the communication state deletion instruction signal. . Further, the control unit 12 includes, in the communication state deletion instruction signal, information on the roaming network RN used by the mobile device 2 for roaming, for example, information indicating a country to be served by the roaming network RN (former country). May be included. The control unit 12 previously stores, for example, information associating the MCC with the visited country as shown in FIG. 5 in the visited country determination database (No. in FIG. 5 is information (record)). (The same applies to the following). The control unit 12 specifies the information on the visiting country corresponding to the MCC included in the information on the former visiting MME 40 included in the subscriber profile as information indicating the former visiting country from the stored information shown in FIG. .

  The PCRF 20 receives a communication state deletion instruction signal from the HSS 10. The PCRF 20 stores information indicating the connection destination P-GW for each mobile device 2 as shown in FIG. 6 when the session of the mobile device 2 is established. This information is information (3GPP-SGSN-MCC-MNC information) included in the session establishment signal (Dia_CC-Request) at the time of session establishment. The information is information in which information on the subscriber, the connection destination P-GW, and the country in which the user is located is associated.

  The information of the subscriber is information for specifying the mobile device 2, and specifically, is the IMSI. The information of the connection destination P-GW is information indicating the P-GW 30 that establishes the session of the mobile device 2 in the home network HN. The P-GW 30 indicated by the information has secured resources of the mobile device 2. The visited country is a country in which the mobile device 2 is located or has been served by the mobile communication network. The PCRF 20 specifies, from the stored information illustrated in FIG. 6, the information that specifies the mobile device 2 included in the received communication state deletion instruction signal and the information of the connection destination P-GW that corresponds to the information of the former country in which the mobile terminal 2 is located. The PCRF 20 transmits a communication state deletion instruction signal to the P-GW 30 indicated by the information of the specified P-GW. The P-GW 30 that is the transmission destination of the communication state deletion instruction signal according to the mobile device 2 may be specified by a method other than the above.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, when the mobile device 2 ends roaming using the roaming network RN, the P-GW 30 a secures a roaming resource of the mobile device 2. A communication state deletion instruction signal is transmitted.

  The P-GW 30 receives a communication state deletion instruction signal from the PCRF 20. The P-GW 30 deletes (releases) the information on the communication state of the mobile device 2 stored in the P-GW 30 including the resource of the mobile device 2 specified by the information included in the communication state deletion instruction signal. The deletion of the information, that is, the release of the resource itself is performed in the same manner as in the related art. At this time, the P-GW 30 performs a process of disconnecting the session RS of the mobile device 2 used for roaming. Further, P-GW 30 may transmit a communication state deletion instruction signal to roaming network RN. In the roaming network RN, the nodes (MME 40, S-GW 50, etc.) that have performed the process related to roaming of the mobile device 2 also receive the communication state deletion instruction signal and are specified by the information included in the communication state deletion instruction signal. Information related to the communication state, including the resources of the mobile device 2 to be deleted, may be deleted (released).

  It is assumed that, even if the HSS 10 transmits a location deletion signal related to the mobile device 2 to the MME 40b of the roaming network RN and the response to the signal returns to the HSS 10, the deletion of the communication state in the roaming network RN does not operate. Then, the communication state deletion instruction signal may be always transmitted.

  The control unit 12 may perform control to release the resources secured by the P-GW 30 according to the roaming network RN in which the mobile device 2 is located when roaming.

  For example, the above control is performed on a roaming network RN in a country where it is determined that there is a possibility that the in-range deletion signal may not reach the home network HN from the roaming network RN due to weak communication equipment due to packet loss or the like. That is, it is set to transmit a communication state deletion instruction signal to the P-GW 30. On the other hand, for the roaming network RN in a country where the communication equipment is robust and there is no concern about packet loss or the like, the above control is not performed, that is, the communication state deletion instruction signal is set not to be transmitted to the P-GW 30. I do. For example, the control unit 12 stores in advance information shown in FIG. 7 as information relating to the setting. The information is information in which the former country and the necessity of the communication state deletion instruction signal are associated. The information is set by the service provider of the home network HN based on the above-described criteria in advance.

  The control unit 12 specifies, from the stored information illustrated in FIG. 7, the information indicating whether or not the communication state deletion instruction signal is necessary, which corresponds to the information on the former country of the mobile device 2 specified as described above. When transmission is determined to be required by the specification (when the country is a former country where transmission is required), the control unit 12 transmits a communication state deletion instruction signal to the PCRF 20. When the transmission is determined to be unnecessary by the specification (in the case of the former country where the transmission is unnecessary), the control unit 12 does not transmit the communication state deletion instruction signal to the PCRF 20.

  Further, the control unit 12 may determine whether or not the transmission of the communication state deletion instruction signal is necessary according to the service provider that provides the roaming network RN, not the country in which the user is located. In this case, the control unit 12 stores in advance information (information corresponding to FIG. 5 relating to the service provider) in which the combination of the MCC and the MNC is associated with the service provider. The control unit 12 specifies the information of the service provider corresponding to the combination of the MCC and the MNC included in the information regarding the former MME 40 included in the subscriber profile from the information stored in advance. Further, the control unit 12 stores in advance information on the necessity / unnecessity of a communication state deletion instruction signal according to the service provider (information corresponding to the service provider in FIG. 7). The control unit 12 specifies the information on the necessity of the communication state deletion instruction signal corresponding to the information on the specified service provider from the information stored in advance. The control unit 12 transmits the communication state deletion instruction signal according to the information on the necessity of the communication state deletion instruction signal specified in the same manner as described above. In the present embodiment, in addition to the above points, the point where the visited country is used may be replaced with a service provider. The above is the function of the HSS 10 according to the present embodiment.

  Subsequently, a process executed in the communication system 1 including a process executed by the HSS 10 according to the present embodiment (an operation method performed by the HSS 10) will be described with reference to a sequence diagram of FIG. At the start of this processing, the mobile device 2 performs communication by performing roaming using the roaming network RN (S01). Processing related to the communication in the communication system 1 is performed by the MME 40b and the S-GW 50b of the roaming network RN and the P-GW 30a of the home network HN. In the P-GW 30a, resources for enabling the mobile device 2 to perform mobile communication are secured.

  Subsequently, when the user moves, the mobile device 2 exits the service target area of the roaming network RN and enters the service target area of the home network HN. Then, the mobile device 2 returns to the home directly from under the home network HN. A location registration signal is transmitted to the network HN. The location registration signal is received by the MME 40a of the home network HN accommodating the eNodeB 60a of the home network HN, and transmitted from the MME 40a to the HSS 10 (S02). In the HSS 10, a location registration signal is received. In the HSS 10, a process related to location registration based on the location registration signal is performed, and a response to the location registration signal is transmitted to the mobile device 2 via the MME 40a (S03).

  Further, in the HSS 10, when the location registration signal is received from the mobile device 2 under the control of the own network HN, the detection unit 11 determines whether the mobile device 2 has finished roaming (S04). When it is determined (detected) that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming, subsequently, the control unit 12 secures the mobile device 2 in the P-GW 30a according to the roaming network RN in which the mobile device 2 is located at the time of roaming. It is determined whether or not control is performed to release the existing resources, that is, whether or not to transmit a communication state deletion instruction signal to the PCRF 20 (S05).

  Subsequently, as in the conventional case, the location deletion signal related to the mobile device 2 is transmitted from the HSS 10 to the MME 40b of the roaming network (S06). The processing for the in-range deletion signal is performed in the same manner as in the related art (not shown). However, as described above, the communication facility of the roaming network RN is vulnerable, and the processing related to the located deletion signal is performed without the visited deletion signal reaching the nodes or devices of the roaming network RN and the home network HN due to packet loss or the like. May not be performed properly.

  If it is determined in S05 that the communication state deletion instruction signal is to be transmitted to the PCRF 20, the control unit 12 transmits a communication state deletion instruction signal to the PCRF 20 (S07). In S04, when it is determined that the mobile device 2 has not roamed (that is, the mobile device 2 has not finished roaming) (in this case, the determination of S05 is not performed), and in S05, When it is determined that the communication state deletion instruction signal is not transmitted to the PCRF 20, the communication state deletion instruction signal is not transmitted.

  The communication state deletion instruction signal is received by the PCRF 20. Subsequently, the PCRF 20 determines (specifies) the P-GW 30 to which the communication state deletion instruction signal is to be transmitted (S08). Subsequently, the PCRF 20 transmits a communication state deletion instruction signal to the determined destination P-GW 30a (S09).

  In the P-GW 30a, the communication state deletion instruction signal is received, and the communication state of the mobile device 2 stored in the P-GW 30 including the resource of the mobile device 2 specified by the information included in the communication state deletion instruction signal Is deleted (released) (S10).

  In the HSS 10, the PCRF 20, the P-GW 30b, the MME 40a, and the S-GW 50a, a process for establishing a session between the mobile device 2 and the Internet I according to the location registration signal is performed (S11). Subsequently, communication by the mobile device 2 using the session is performed (S12). The above is the processing executed in the communication system 1 including the processing executed in the HSS 10 according to the present embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, when the roaming end of the mobile device 2 is detected, the resource is controlled to be released by a communication state deletion instruction signal which is a control signal in the home network HN. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even if the resource is not released by the conventional location deletion signal via the roaming network RN, the resource can be released, and after the roaming ends, the release of the resource secured during roaming can be performed. It can be done reliably.

  Further, as in the above-described embodiment, resource release control may be performed according to the roaming network RN, for example, according to which country the roaming network RN is. According to this configuration, resources can be released by the communication state deletion instruction signal only when necessary, and transmission and reception of unnecessary signals can be suppressed.

  Further, as in the above-described embodiment, it may be detected that the roaming mobile device 2 performs location registration under the home network HN, and that the mobile device 2 has completed roaming. According to this configuration, it is possible to reliably and appropriately detect that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming.

  In the embodiment described above, the resource control system according to the present invention is the HSS 10, but a resource control system other than the HSS 10 may be the resource control system according to the present invention. For example, the PCRF 20 may be the resource control system according to the present invention. In that case, the PCRF 20 includes a detection unit and a control unit, similarly to the HSS 10 described above.

  The detection unit of the PCRF 20 may detect that the roaming mobile device 2 establishes a session under the home network HN and detect that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming. The PCRF 20 grasps a session established by the mobile device 2 via the home network HN, similarly to the conventional PCRF. The session grasped by the PCRF 20 includes a session when the mobile device 2 performs roaming.

  When a session related to the mobile device 2 is newly established, the detection unit of the PCRF 20 detects that the session related to the mobile device 2 has already been established, that is, detects a double call. The detection is performed, for example, when the PCRF 20 receives a session establishment signal for establishing a session from the P-GW 30. When detecting the double call, the detection unit of the PCRF 20 compares the sessions to detect that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming. The detection unit of the PCRF 20 compares the P-GW 30 of the previously established session (first call) with the P-GW 30 of the later established session (second call). As a result of the comparison, when they are different from each other, and the P-GW 30 established later is used when the mobile station 2 is located in the own network HN (used when roaming). If not, the detection unit of the PCRF 20 determines (detects) that the roaming mobile device 2 has finished roaming. The above is generally based on the assumption that there is a high possibility of a double call in the above case, since two bearers are not usually set up in the same APN (Access Point Name) across countries.

  Except for the above, the detection unit and the control unit of the PCRF 20 have the same functions as the detection unit 11 and the control unit 12 of the HSS 10 described above. That is, when it is detected that the mobile device 2 has finished roaming, the PCRF 20 transmits a communication state deletion instruction signal to the P-GW 30 that has secured the roaming resources of the mobile device 2. As in the above-described embodiment, the P-GW 30 releases the resources of the mobile device 2 based on the communication state deletion instruction signal.

  In the present embodiment, the relay node from which resources are released is the P-GW 30 of the home network HN. However, the relay node does not necessarily need to be the P-GW 30, and a relay node other than the P-GW 30 may be a resource release target depending on the configuration of the home network HN and the like. Further, the resource control system according to the present invention may be other than the nodes or devices of the above-described embodiments.

  Note that the block diagram used in the description of the above-described embodiment shows blocks in functional units. These functional blocks (components) are realized by an arbitrary combination of at least one of hardware and software. In addition, a method of implementing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized using one device physically or logically coupled, or directly or indirectly (for example, two or more devices physically or logically separated from each other). , Wired, wireless, etc.), and may be implemented using these multiple devices. The functional block may be realized by combining one device or the plurality of devices with software.

  Functions include judgment, decision, judgment, calculation, calculation, processing, derivation, investigation, search, confirmation, reception, transmission, output, access, resolution, selection, selection, establishment, comparison, assumption, expectation, deemed, Broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating, mapping, assigning, but not limited to these I can't. For example, a functional block (configuration unit) that causes transmission to function is called a transmitting unit (transmitting unit) or a transmitter (transmitter). In any case, as described above, the realization method is not particularly limited.

  For example, the HSS 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that performs processing of the method of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the HSS 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The above-described HSS 10 may be physically configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, a memory 1002, a storage 1003, a communication device 1004, an input device 1005, an output device 1006, a bus 1007, and the like. Further, nodes or devices other than the HSS 10 included in the communication system 1 may have the same hardware configuration.

  In the following description, the term “apparatus” can be read as a circuit, a device, a unit, or the like. The hardware configuration of the HSS 10 may be configured to include one or more devices illustrated in the drawing, or may be configured without including some devices.

  The functions of the HSS 10 are performed by reading predetermined software (program) on hardware such as the processor 1001 and the memory 1002, so that the processor 1001 performs an arithmetic operation, controls communication by the communication device 1004, and controls the memory 1002 and the storage device. It is realized by controlling at least one of data reading and writing in 1003.

  The processor 1001 controls the entire computer by operating an operating system, for example. The processor 1001 may be configured by a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with a peripheral device, a control device, an arithmetic device, a register, and the like. For example, each function of the HSS 10 described above may be realized by the processor 1001.

  In addition, the processor 1001 reads a program (program code), a software module, data, and the like from at least one of the storage 1003 and the communication device 1004 to the memory 1002, and executes various processes according to these. As the program, a program that causes a computer to execute at least a part of the operation described in the above embodiment is used. For example, each function of the HSS 10 may be realized by a control program stored in the memory 1002 and operated by the processor 1001. Although it has been described that the various processes described above are executed by one processor 1001, the processes may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 1001. Processor 1001 may be implemented by one or more chips. Note that the program may be transmitted from a network via a telecommunication line.

  The memory 1002 is a computer-readable recording medium, and includes, for example, at least one of a ROM (Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). May be done. The memory 1002 may be called a register, a cache, a main memory (main storage device), or the like. The memory 1002 can store a program (program code), a software module, and the like that can be executed to perform the method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

  The storage 1003 is a computer-readable recording medium such as an optical disk such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, and a magneto-optical disk (eg, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a Blu-ray). (Registered trademark) disk, a smart card, a flash memory (eg, card, stick, key drive), a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a magnetic strip, or the like. The storage 1003 may be called an auxiliary storage device. The above-described storage medium may be, for example, a database including at least one of the memory 1002 and the storage 1003, a server, or another appropriate medium.

  The communication device 1004 is hardware (transmission / reception device) for performing communication between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and is also referred to as, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, a communication module, or the like. The communication device 1004 includes a high-frequency switch, a duplexer, a filter, a frequency synthesizer, and the like, for example, in order to realize at least one of frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD). May be configured. For example, each function of the HSS 10 described above may be realized by the communication device 1004.

  The input device 1005 is an input device that receives an external input (for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, a switch, a button, a sensor, and the like). The output device 1006 is an output device that performs output to the outside (for example, a display, a speaker, an LED lamp, and the like). Note that the input device 1005 and the output device 1006 may have an integrated configuration (for example, a touch panel).

  Each device such as the processor 1001 and the memory 1002 is connected by a bus 1007 for communicating information. The bus 1007 may be configured using a single bus, or may be configured using a different bus for each device.

  The HSS 10 includes hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Alternatively, some or all of the functional blocks may be realized by the hardware. For example, the processor 1001 may be implemented using at least one of these pieces of hardware.

  The notification of information is not limited to the aspects / embodiments described in the present disclosure, and may be performed using another method. For example, the information is notified by physical layer signaling (for example, DCI (Downlink Control Information), UCI (Uplink Control Information)), higher layer signaling (for example, RRC (Radio Resource Control) signaling, MAC (Medium Access Control) signaling, Broadcast information (MIB (Master Information Block), SIB (System Information Block))), other signals, or a combination thereof may be used. Further, the RRC signaling may be called an RRC message, and may be, for example, an RRC connection setup message, an RRC connection reconfiguration message, or the like.

  Each aspect / embodiment described in the present disclosure is applicable to LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4G (4th generation mobile communication system), 5G (5th generation mobile communication system). system), FRA (Future Radio Access), NR (new Radio), W-CDMA (registered trademark), GSM (registered trademark), CDMA2000, UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi (registered trademark) )), Systems utilizing IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX®), IEEE 802.20, UWB (Ultra-WideBand), Bluetooth (registered trademark), and other suitable systems, and extensions based thereon. It may be applied to at least one of the next generation systems. Further, a plurality of systems may be combined (for example, a combination of at least one of LTE and LTE-A with 5G) and applied.

  The processing procedure, sequence, flowchart, and the like of each aspect / embodiment described in the present disclosure may be rearranged as long as there is no inconsistency. For example, for the methods described in this disclosure, elements of various steps are presented in an exemplary order, and are not limited to the specific order presented.

  The specific operation described as being performed by the base station in the present disclosure may be performed by its upper node in some cases. In a network consisting of one or more network nodes having a base station, various operations performed for communication with the terminal may be performed by the base station and other network nodes other than the base station (eg, MME or It is clear that this can be done by at least one of S-GW or the like (but not limited to these). In the above, the case where the number of other network nodes other than the base station is one is illustrated, but a combination of a plurality of other network nodes (for example, MME and S-GW) may be used.

  Information and the like can be output from an upper layer (or lower layer) to a lower layer (or upper layer). Input and output may be performed via a plurality of network nodes.

  The input and output information and the like may be stored in a specific place (for example, a memory) or may be managed using a management table. Information that is input and output can be overwritten, updated, or added. The output information or the like may be deleted. The input information or the like may be transmitted to another device.

  The determination may be made based on a value represented by 1 bit (0 or 1), a Boolean value (Boolean: true or false), or a comparison of numerical values (for example, a predetermined value). Value).

  Each aspect / embodiment described in the present disclosure may be used alone, may be used in combination, or may be switched and used with execution. Further, the notification of the predetermined information (for example, the notification of “X”) is not limited to being explicitly performed, and is performed implicitly (for example, not performing the notification of the predetermined information). Is also good.

  While the present disclosure has been described in detail, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described in the present disclosure. The present disclosure can be implemented as modified and changed aspects without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure defined by the description of the claims. Therefore, the description of the present disclosure is intended for illustrative purposes, and has no restrictive meaning to the present disclosure.

  Software, regardless of whether it is called software, firmware, middleware, microcode, a hardware description language, or any other name, instructions, instruction sets, codes, code segments, program codes, programs, subprograms, software modules , Applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, and the like.

  In addition, software, instructions, information, and the like may be transmitted and received via a transmission medium. For example, if the software uses at least one of wired technology (coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), etc.) and wireless technology (infrared, microwave, etc.), When transmitted from a server or other remote source, at least one of these wired and / or wireless technologies is included within the definition of a transmission medium.

  The information, signals, etc. described in this disclosure may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc., that can be referred to throughout the above description are not limited to voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic or magnetic particles, optical or photons, or any of these. May be represented by a combination of

  Note that terms described in the present disclosure and terms necessary for understanding the present disclosure may be replaced with terms having the same or similar meaning. For example, at least one of the channel and the symbol may be a signal (signaling). Also, the signal may be a message. Further, a component carrier (CC) may be called a carrier frequency, a cell, a frequency carrier, or the like.

  The terms "system" and "network" as used in this disclosure are used interchangeably.

  Further, the information, parameters, and the like described in the present disclosure may be expressed using an absolute value, may be expressed using a relative value from a predetermined value, or may be expressed using another corresponding information. May be represented. For example, the radio resource may be indicated by an index.

  The names used for the parameters described above are not limiting in any way. Further, equations and the like using these parameters may differ from those explicitly disclosed in the present disclosure. The various channels (eg, PUCCH, PDCCH, etc.) and information elements can be identified by any suitable name, so that the various names assigned to these various channels and information elements are limited in any respect. is not.

  In the present disclosure, “base station (BS)”, “wireless base station”, “fixed station”, “NodeB”, “eNodeB (eNB)”, “gNodeB (gNB)”, “ "Access point", "transmission point", "reception point", "transmission / reception point", "cell", "sector", "cell group", " Terms such as "carrier" and "component carrier" may be used interchangeably. A base station may be referred to by a term such as a macro cell, a small cell, a femto cell, a pico cell, and the like.

  A base station can accommodate one or more (eg, three) cells. If the base station accommodates multiple cells, the entire coverage area of the base station can be partitioned into multiple smaller areas, each smaller area being a base station subsystem (eg, a small indoor base station (RRH: The communication service can also be provided by a Remote Radio Head.The term “cell” or “sector” is a part or the whole of a coverage area of at least one of a base station and a base station subsystem that provide communication service in this coverage. Point to.

  In the present disclosure, terms such as “Mobile Station (MS)”, “user terminal”, “User Equipment (UE)”, “terminal” and the like may be used interchangeably. .

  A mobile station can be a subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, by one of ordinary skill in the art. It may also be called a terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other suitable term.

  At least one of the base station and the mobile station may be called a transmitting device, a receiving device, a communication device, or the like. Note that at least one of the base station and the mobile station may be a device mounted on the mobile unit, the mobile unit itself, or the like. The moving object may be a vehicle (for example, a car, an airplane, or the like), may be an unmanned moving object (for example, a drone, an autonomous vehicle), or may be a robot (maned or unmanned). ). Note that at least one of the base station and the mobile station includes a device that does not necessarily move during a communication operation. For example, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may be an IoT (Internet of Things) device such as a sensor.

  The terms "determining" and "determining" as used in the present disclosure may encompass a wide variety of operations. `` Judgment '', `` decision '', for example, judgment (judging), calculation (calculating), calculation (computing), processing (processing), derivation (deriving), investigating (investigating), searching (looking up, search, inquiry) (E.g., searching in a table, database, or another data structure), ascertaining may be considered "determined", "determined", and the like. Also, “determining” and “deciding” include receiving (eg, receiving information), transmitting (eg, transmitting information), input (input), output (output), and access. (accessing) (for example, accessing data in a memory) may be regarded as “determined” or “determined”. In addition, `` judgment '' and `` decision '' means that resolving, selecting, selecting, establishing, establishing, comparing, etc. are considered as `` judgment '' and `` decided ''. May be included. In other words, “judgment” and “decision” may include deeming any operation as “judgment” and “determined”. “Judgment (determination)” may be read as “assuming”, “expecting”, “considering”, or the like.

  The terms "connected," "coupled," or any variation thereof, mean any direct or indirect connection or connection between two or more elements that It may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between the two elements "connected" or "coupled." The coupling or connection between the elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, “connection” may be read as “access”. As used in this disclosure, two elements may be implemented using at least one of one or more wires, cables, and printed electrical connections, and as some non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples, in the radio frequency domain. , Can be considered "connected" or "coupled" to each other using electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the microwave and optical (both visible and invisible) regions, and the like.

  The phrase "based on" as used in the present disclosure does not mean "based solely on" unless stated otherwise. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based only on" and "based at least on."

  Any reference to elements using designations such as "first", "second", etc., as used in the present disclosure, does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations may be used in the present disclosure as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Thus, reference to the first and second elements does not mean that only two elements can be employed, or that the first element must precede the second element in some way.

  Where the terms “include”, “including” and variations thereof are used in the present disclosure, these terms are as inclusive as the term “comprising” Is intended. Further, the term "or" as used in the present disclosure is not intended to be an exclusive or.

  In the present disclosure, where articles are added by translation, for example, a, an and the in English, the present disclosure may include that the nouns following these articles are plural.

  In the present disclosure, the term “A and B are different” may mean that “A and B are different from each other”. The term may mean that “A and B are different from C”. Terms such as "separate" and "coupled" may be construed similarly to "different."

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Communication system, 2 ... Mobile station, 10 ... HSS, 11 ... Detection part, 12 ... Control part, 20 ... PCRF, 30 ... P-GW, 40 ... MME, 50 ... S-GW, 60 ... eNodeB, 1001 ... Processor, 1002 memory, 1003 storage, 1004 communication device, 1005 input device, 1006 output device, 1007 bus.

Claims (4)

A resource control system for controlling a resource included in a mobile communication network and secured at a relay node of the mobile communication network when a mobile device of the mobile communication network roams,
A detection unit that detects that the roaming mobile device has finished roaming,
When the detection unit detects that the mobile device has finished roaming, a control unit that controls to release the resources secured by the relay node by a control signal in the mobile communication network. ,
Resource control system comprising:   2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control to release the resources secured in the relay node by the control signal according to a mobile communication network in which the mobile device is located when roaming. 3. Resource control system as described.   The resource according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects that the roaming mobile device performs location registration under the mobile communication network, and detects that the mobile device has completed roaming. Control system.   The detection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detection unit detects that the roaming mobile device establishes a session under the mobile communication network, and detects that the mobile device has finished roaming. A resource control system according to claim 1.

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