JP2503901B2 - Subscriber information transfer method between businesses - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for transferring subscriber information between business operators in a mobile communication system, and more particularly to a method for transferring subscriber information for generating a temporary database regarding roaming subscribers moving between business operators. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a mobile communication system such as a car telephone system, a subscriber moves from a service area of a mobile communication system provided by a certain operator to a service area provided by a different operator, that is, when roaming. , In order for the roaming subscriber to continue the system service originally received by the contract in the system of the roaming destination, various subscriber data regarding the roaming subscriber is transferred between these operators.

Conventionally, an inter-network location registration procedure between networks provided by each business operator as shown in FIG. 4 has been adopted as a method of transferring subscriber information between business operators concerning such roaming subscribers. In FIG. 4, 1 is a source mobile communication network (hereinafter referred to as NW: NetWork), 2 is a destination mobile communication network (NW), and 5 is originally registered in NW1,
A mobile device roaming from NW1 to NW2 (hereinafter referred to as M
S: Mobile Station).

Reference numeral 3 denotes a home location register (hereinafter referred to as HLR: Home Location Register) for storing subscriber information and location information regarding subscribers registered in NW1, and reference numeral 4 denotes registration in NW2 that has accessed NW2. Gateway location register (hereinafter referred to as GLR: Gateway Location Register) for temporarily storing subscriber data and location information relating to subscribers other than the registered subscribers,
Reference numeral 6 denotes a mobile communication switching station in the area (hereinafter, referred to as VMSC: Visitor Mobile-services Switching) having jurisdiction over the moved MS 5.
Center).

Further, 111, 112 and 141, 14
Reference numeral 2 denotes a subscriber information management table for storing various subscriber management information relating to the MS 5, which is provided in the internal databases of the HLR 3 and the GLR 4, respectively.
2, 142 are MS5 subscriber numbers (hereinafter, MSN: Mob
ile Subscriber Number), 111 and 141 are tables assigned to mobile station numbers of MS5 (hereinafter referred to as MSI: Mobile Station Identity), and MSN and MS, respectively.
Searched by I.

These subscriber information management tables 111,
The subscriber data 112, 141, and 142 include, as subscriber management information relating to the MS 5, subscriber data including outgoing call information, incoming call information, and billing information that define services provided to each subscriber and each mobile station, and each mobile station. Mobile device data consisting of operation information, and a subscriber authentication key (hereinafter referred to as SBKY: mobile SuBscriber authe) for authenticating their validity.
ntication KeY) and mobile device authentication key (hereinafter,
MSKY: Mobile Station authentication KeY)
Etc. are stored.

The subscriber information management table assigned to the MSN and MSI stores information for referencing the other table, so that when the subscriber uses a plurality of mobile stations. For example, all MSIs corresponding to MSN are referred to and used as call control information.

[0008] Now, when the mobile device MS5 roams from the mobile communication network NW1 to the mobile communication network NW2 provided by a different operator, the MS5 is transmitted from a base station (not shown) having jurisdiction over the destination area. The location registration area number (LAI: Location Area Identity) is received and compared with the LAI stored in the device at the time of previous location registration. If they do not match, location registration in a new area is required. It is determined that the MSN and MSI are transmitted to the mobile communication switching center VMSC6 located in the area via the base station that controls this area.
And a location registration request 41 including LAI are transmitted.

Based on the MSN included in the location registration request 41, the VMSC 6 recognizes that this subscriber is a roaming subscriber from another mobile communication network, and authenticates this roaming subscriber and the roaming mobile station MS5. In order to perform the above, the MSN, MS stored in the received location registration request 41 is sent to the barrier location register GLR4.
Based on I, the authentication information read request 42 is transmitted.

The GLR 4 requests this authentication information read request 4
Depending on 2, the presence or absence of subscriber data and mobile station data corresponding to MSN and MSI is confirmed, and if these data are not held, that is, at the time of initial location registration, the MS
The inter-network authentication information read request 43 is sent to the home location register HLR3 of the NW1 designated by the operator identification information included in N, and the HLR3 is sent as a response.
The subscriber authentication key (SBKY) and the mobile device authentication key (MSKY) are received from the device and the authentication key is returned to the VMSC 6 as a response 44 to the authentication read request 42 from the VMSC 6.

The VMSC 6 carries out the authentication processing of the roaming subscriber and the roaming mobile station MS5 based on SBKY and MSKY from the GLR 4, and if the result of the authentication is normal, it sends a location registration instruction 45 to the GLR 4. At the same time, the location registration acceptance 46 is sent to the MS 5. The location registration instruction 45 includes MSN, M
In addition to SI and LAI, a routing number indicating a route from GLR4 to VMSC6 (hereinafter, PRN: Pursuit Routi
ng Number) is included.

[0012] The GLR 4 responds to the location registration instruction from the VMSC 6 to the roaming mobile unit MS 5 by using a subscriber roaming number for management (hereinafter, RON: ROaming Number-
mobile subscriber number) and mobile roaming number (hereinafter RMI: Roaming number-Mobile s)
tation Identity) and assign this RON, RM
The I, MSN, MSI, LAI and PRN are respectively stored in the subscriber information management tables 141 and 142 of the internal database, and the inter-network location registration request 47 containing these information is sent to the HLR 3.

In response to this, the HLR 3 stores RMI, PRN and LAI in the subscriber information management table 111 searched by MSI and stores RON in the subscriber information management table 112 searched by MSN.

Further, the HLR 3 is an inter-network location registration response 4
9, the mobile station data including the calling information and the incoming information stored in the subscriber information management tables 111 and 112 and the subscriber data are returned to the GLR 4, and the GLR 4
Stores the received mobile device data and subscriber data in the subscriber information management tables 142 and 141, respectively.

As a result, the location registration processing for the roaming subscriber and the roaming mobile station MS5 is completed, and the subsequent location registration processing and call control processing are GLR.
It is carried out based on these information in 4.

[0016]

Therefore, in such a conventional inter-enterprise subscriber information transfer method as described above, according to the location registration request sent autonomously from the mobile device, the call origination / reception necessary for call processing is performed. Information is always transferred between operators, so even for location registration requests sent by roaming mobile devices that are not intended to make or receive calls, or when the mobile device that is being powered on simply passes through an area, etc. There is a problem in that the transmission / reception information unnecessary for the location registration request is transferred between the operators, which reduces the transfer processing efficiency of each station.

In addition, as the number of service types for mobile devices increases, outgoing / incoming information that defines these services for each subscriber and each mobile device tends to increase, and according to location registration that does not involve incoming and outgoing calls, There has been a problem that the storage capacity of the GLR has to be prepared more than necessary for these outgoing / incoming information.

The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and reduces the data transfer processing between enterprises based on the location registration request from the roaming mobile device, and the inter-enterprise link capacity and barrier required for this. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inter-enterprise subscriber information transfer method capable of reducing the storage capacity of the location register.

[0019]

In order to achieve such an object, an inter-enterprise subscriber information transfer method according to the present invention uses a roaming within a gateway location register in response to a location registration request from a roaming subscriber. Required to retrieve subscriber information for a subscriber and, if it does not have corresponding subscriber information, authenticate the roaming subscriber from the home location register of the mobile communication system with which the roaming subscriber subscribes. When the authentication information is obtained and the authentication process is performed, and when the authentication is obtained, the identification information for identifying the roaming subscriber, the location information indicating the current location of the roaming subscriber, and the authentication information are connected to the gateway. It is designed to be stored in the location register.

In addition, in response to a calling request from the roaming subscriber, the calling information regarding the roaming subscriber in the barrier location register is searched, and if the corresponding calling information is not held, the roaming subscriber makes a contract. From the home location register of the mobile communication system
Obtains outgoing information about roaming subscribers, performs outgoing call processing based on this outgoing information, stores this information in the gateway location register, and responds to incoming requests to the roaming subscriber by roaming subscription in the gateway location register. The incoming call information for the roaming subscriber, and if the corresponding incoming call information is not retained, obtain the incoming call information for the roaming subscriber from the home location register of the mobile communication system with which the roaming subscriber subscribes and Incoming call processing based on information,
This information is stored in the barrier location register.

Further, when the barrier location register obtains the call origination information or the call termination information about the roaming subscriber from the home location register, it determines whether or not the storage area of the call origination and termination information corresponding to the roaming subscriber already exists. If it is determined that the storage area does not exist, a new storage area is secured for the roaming subscriber and the outgoing call information or the incoming call information obtained from the home location register is stored.

[0022]

Therefore, in response to the location registration request from the roaming subscriber, the subscriber information regarding the roaming subscriber in the barrier location register is retrieved, and if the corresponding subscriber information is not held, the roaming subscriber is registered. From the home location register of the mobile communication system originally contracted by, the authentication information about this roaming subscriber is transferred over the network for authentication processing, and after the authentication is obtained, identification information about the roaming subscriber and location information. And authentication information is stored in the barrier location register.

In addition, in response to a call request from the roaming subscriber, the call information about the roaming subscriber in the barrier location register is searched, and if the corresponding call information is not held, the roaming subscriber originally contracts. Calling information about roaming subscribers is transferred between networks from the home location register of the mobile communication system in operation, calling processing is performed based on this calling information, and this information is stored in the gateway location register.

Also, in response to an incoming call request to the roaming subscriber, the incoming call information regarding the roaming subscriber in the barrier location register is searched, and if the corresponding incoming call information is not held, the roaming subscriber contracts. The home location register of the mobile communication system transfers the incoming call information regarding the roaming subscriber to the network, performs incoming call processing based on the incoming call information, and stores the information in the gateway location register.

Furthermore, when the call origination information or the call arrival information regarding the roaming subscriber is obtained from the home location register, whether the storage area of the call origination and termination information corresponding to the roaming subscriber already exists by the barrier location register. When it is determined that the storage area does not exist, a new storage area is secured for the roaming subscriber, and the outgoing call information or the incoming call information obtained from the home location register is stored.

[0026]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an inter-network location registration procedure as an inter-enterprise subscriber transfer method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
In FIG. 4, the same or equivalent parts as those in the above description (FIG. 4) are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0027] 1 and 2 are mobile communication networks (NW) different from each other, and 5 is originally registered as a contract with NW1,
Mobile device (MS) roaming from NW1 to NW2, 3
Is a home location register (HLR), 4 is a barrier location register (GLR), and 6 is a visited mobile switching center (VMSC) which controls the MS 5 after moving.

Further, 111 and 112 are HLRs, respectively.
A subscriber information management table for storing various management information about the MS 5 provided in the internal database 3 of 1
Reference numerals 13 and 114 denote location registration information management tables for storing location registration information regarding the MS 5 provided in the internal database of the GLR 4 in correspondence with the mobile device and the subscriber, respectively.

Next, referring to FIG. 1, an inter-network location registration procedure will be described as a method for transferring subscriber information between enterprises concerning roaming subscribers according to the present invention.

When the mobile station MS5 roams from the mobile communication network NW1 to the mobile communication network NW2 provided by a different operator, the MS5 is transmitted from a base station (not shown) which controls the destination area. The received location registration area number (LAI) is compared and compared with the LAI stored in the own machine at the time of previous location registration.

If they do not match, it is determined that new location registration is required due to roaming to a different area, and the mobile communication switching center VMSC6 in the area is notified via the base station having jurisdiction over this area. In contrast, the subscriber number (M
The location registration request 11 including the SN), the mobile station number (MSI) and the received LAI is transmitted.

Based on the MSN included in the location registration request 11, the VMSC 6 recognizes that this subscriber is a roaming subscriber from another mobile communication network, and authenticates this roaming subscriber and roaming mobile station MS5. In order to perform the above, the MSN and MSI included in the received location registration request 11 are sent to the barrier location register GLR4.
The authentication information read request 12 based on the above is transmitted.

The GLR 4 requests this authentication information read request 1
2, the internal database is searched based on the MSN and MSI, and the presence or absence of subscriber data and mobile device data corresponding to the MSN and MSI is checked. If these data are not stored in the internal database, that is, the initial location registration is performed. At times, an inter-network authentication information read request 13 is sent to the home location register HLR3 of the NW1 designated by the company identification information included in the MSN.

After that, the GLR 4 sends HL as the response.
The subscriber authentication key (SBKY) and the mobile device authentication key (MSKY) are received from R3, and these authentication keys are returned to the VMSC 6 as a response 14 to the authentication information read request 12 from the VMSC 6.

The VMSC 6 executes the authentication processing of the roaming subscriber and the roaming mobile station MS5 based on SBKY and MSKY from the GLR 4, and if the result of the authentication is normal, sends the location registration instruction 15 to the GLR 4. At the same time, the location registration acceptance 16 is sent to the MS 5. The location registration instruction 15 includes MSN, M
In addition to SI and LAI, a routing number (PRN) indicating a route from GLR4 to VMSC6 is included.

The GLR 4 responds to the location registration instruction from the VMSC 6 to the mobile subscriber roaming number (RON) and the mobile unit roaming number (RM) for the MS 5.
I) is assigned to these RON, RMI, MSN, M
SI, LAI, PRN, MSKY, and SBKY are stored in the corresponding location registration information management tables 113 and 114, respectively, and the inter-network location registration request 17 including these information is sent to the HLR 3.

In response to this, the HLR 3 stores RMI, PRN, and LAI in the subscriber information management table 111 searched by MSI and stores RON in the subscriber information management table 112 searched by MSN. The inter-network location registration process is completed.

Therefore, when there is an initial location registration request from the roaming mobile station with no incoming / outgoing call, information necessary only for inter-network location registration, that is, MSKY, SBKY and PRN, LAI, RON are NW1 and NW2. Transferred to and from.

For subsequent location registration requests from the MS 5, the location registration information management tables 113 and 114 temporarily created in the internal database of the GLR 4 are referred to, and the MSKY and the MSKY stored therein are stored. SBKY
Based on the above, the subscriber and the mobile device are authenticated, and the PRN and LAI are updated if necessary.

Further, the current position of the MS 5 is registered and updated also in the internal database of the HLR 3, and when another NW makes an inquiry about the position information of the MS 5, the information is stored in the subscriber information management tables 111 and 112. The latest location information about MS5 is referenced and reported.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a description will be given of a call processing procedure for a call request from the roaming mobile station MS5 after the inter-network location registration processing is completed. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmission processing procedure after the inter-network location registration is completed, and the same or equivalent parts as those in the above description are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 2, reference numerals 121 and 122 denote outgoing / incoming call information management tables for storing outgoing / incoming call information regarding the roaming mobile station MS5, which are provided in the internal database of the barrier location register GLR4.

When the SETUP signal 21 is sent as a call origination request from the MS 5 for which the inter-network location registration process has already been completed, the in-area mobile communication switching center VMSC 6 has a base station (not shown) in charge of the area. This is received via (1) and the transmission information read request 22 is sent to the GLR 4.

In response to this, the GLR 4 searches the internal database on the basis of the MSI and MSN of the MS 5 included in the calling information read request 22, and the mobile station outgoing / incoming information of the location registration information management tables 113 and 114. Number (hereinafter, CMI: Calling number-Mobile station Ide
ntity) and subscriber calling / receiving information number (hereinafter C
Based on AN: CAlling Number-mobile subscriber number), the transmission information regarding the MS 5 is extracted.

Here, when the CMI and CAN are not assigned and the transmission information regarding the MS5 is not held, the HLR3 indicated by the operator identification information included in the MSN is inter-network connected. The transmission information read request 23 is transmitted.

In response to the inter-network transmission information read request 23, the HLR 3 receives the MSI and MS contained therein.
The internal database is searched based on N, and the outgoing information about the MS 5 is extracted from the searched tables 111 and 112, and this is read out as an inter-network outgoing information read response 2
4 is returned to GLR4.

The GLR 4 is based on the information such as the service level included in the transmission information of the MS 5 thus obtained,
The calling process for the MS 5 is performed, and the calling information read response 25 is returned to the VMSC 6. V accordingly
The MSC 6 sends an address signal (IAM: Initial Address Messerge) 26 for instructing a call to the instructed destination, and makes a call.

After that, the GLR 4 secures a new table in the internal database, that is, the outgoing / incoming call management table 121 corresponding to the mobile station and the incoming / outgoing call management table 122 corresponding to the subscriber, and the outgoing call information regarding the mobile station is The mobile station outgoing / incoming call information number CMI is used as search information, and the outgoing call information regarding the subscriber is stored in the corresponding tables 121 and 122 using the subscriber outgoing / incoming call information number CAN as search information.

In this way, the roaming mobile unit MS5
In response to the call request from the GLR4, the GLR4 obtains the call information necessary for the call control processing from the HLR3, secures a new table in the internal database, and stores the new table. Call control processing is performed based on the outgoing information stored in the table.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, an incoming call processing procedure for an incoming call request to the roaming mobile unit MS5 after completion of the inter-network location registration process will be described. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an incoming call processing procedure after completion of the inter-network location registration, and the same or equivalent portions as those in the above description are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Now, when there is an incoming call information read request 31 corresponding to an incoming call to the HLR 3 of the NW 1, the HLR 3
Searches the subscriber information management tables 111 and 112 for MS5 in the internal database based on the mobile unit number MSI and the subscriber number MSN read from the incoming call information read request 31.

If the inter-network location registration for the MS 5 has already been completed, the HLR 3 uses the mobile station roaming number RMI and subscriber roaming number ROM currently stored in the subscriber information management tables 111 and 112. Recognizing that the MS 5 is roaming to the NW 2, the tables 111 and 112 are used as the inter-network incoming instruction 32 to the gateway location register GLR 4 of the NW 2.
Forward incoming information about MS5 within.

Based on the incoming call information received as the inter-network incoming call instruction 32, the GLR 4 performs the incoming call process for the MS 5 and sends the incoming call instruction 33 to the VMSC 6. In response, the mobile switching center VMSC6 located in
The MS 5 simultaneous call 34 is performed for the area determined by the location registration area information LAI of the MS 5.

After that, the GL 4 refers to the location registration information management tables 113 and 114 to judge whether or not the mobile station originating / terminating number CMI and the subscriber originating / terminating number CAN are assigned to the MS 5, and the assignment is performed. If not, the outgoing / incoming call information management table 1 is stored in the internal database.
After securing 21 and 122, the incoming call information is stored in the outgoing and incoming call information management tables 121 and 122. FIG. 3
Has already been sent and received by the outgoing call request management table 12
1, 122 is secured and incoming call information is stored.

In this way, the roaming mobile unit MS5
In response to the incoming call request to the GLR4, the GLR4 receives the incoming call information necessary for the call control processing from the HLR3, secures a new table in the internal database, and stores the new table. Call control processing is executed based on the incoming call information stored in the table.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention, based on a location registration request from a roaming mobile station without call origination / reception, information transfer is performed between the mobile station and the mobile communication network in which the mobile station is originally registered for contract. When performing, only the information necessary for location registration such as authentication key and roaming number is exchanged, and when a call origination / termination request for the roaming mobile device is subsequently generated, it is necessary for call control processing such as origination information and termination information Since such information is obtained by inter-network transfer, only the information required for various processing requests that have occurred is transferred over the network, and only the information required for the processing request is stored in the gateway location register (GLR). .

Therefore, in the inter-operator subscriber information transfer method, it is possible to reduce the inter-operator link capacity that connects mobile communication networks provided by different business operators, and improve the data transfer processing efficiency between each business operator. The special effect is that the storage capacity of the barrier location register can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an inter-network location registration procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmission processing procedure after completion of inter-network location registration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an incoming call processing procedure after completion of inter-network location registration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional inter-network location registration procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 mobile communication network (NW) 3 home location register (HLR) 4 barrier location register (GLR) 5 mobile device (MS) 6 mobile switching center (VMSC) 11 location registration request 12 authentication information read request 13 network Inter-network authentication information read request 14 Authentication information read response 15 Location registration instruction 16 Location registration acceptance 17 Inter-network location registration request 21 SETUP signal 22 Transmission information read request 23 Inter-network transmission information read request 24 Inter-network transmission information read response 25 Transmission information read Response 26 Address signal 31 Incoming information read request 32 Inter-network incoming instruction 33 Incoming instruction 34 Simultaneous call 111,112 HLR subscriber information management table 113,114 GLR location registration information management table 121,122 GLR outgoing / incoming information management table

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A home location register for storing subscriber information regarding a subscriber, and a barrier location register for temporarily storing subscriber information regarding a roaming subscriber from another mobile communication system, and as required. In a mobile communication system for exchanging subscriber information about roaming subscribers with other mobile communication systems of different operators, the roaming subscribers in the barrier location register in response to a location registration request from the roaming subscribers. Required to authenticate the roaming subscriber from the home location register of the mobile communication system with which the roaming subscriber is subscribed, if it does not have the corresponding subscriber information. If you obtain the authentication information and perform the authentication process, and if the authentication is obtained, The identification information for identifying the roaming subscriber, the location information indicating the current location of the roaming subscriber, and the authentication information are stored in the barrier location register, and in response to a call request from the roaming subscriber. Then, the calling location information regarding the roaming subscriber in the barrier location register is searched, and if the corresponding calling information is not held, from the home location register of the mobile communication system with which the roaming subscriber has a contract, Obtaining outgoing information about the roaming subscriber, performing outgoing call processing based on this outgoing information, storing this information in the gateway location register, and responding to an incoming call request to the roaming subscriber, the gateway location register Search for incoming information about the roaming subscriber in If the incoming call information regarding the roaming subscriber is not held, the incoming call information regarding the roaming subscriber is obtained from the home location register of the mobile communication system with which the roaming subscriber has a contract, and incoming call processing is performed based on this incoming call information. A method for transferring subscriber information between business operators, characterized in that this information is stored in the barrier location register. 2. The inter-enterprise data transfer method according to claim 1, wherein the barrier location register corresponds to the roaming subscriber when the call origination information or the call termination information regarding the roaming subscriber is obtained from the home location register. It is determined whether or not the storage area for the outgoing / incoming call information already exists, and if the storage area does not exist, a new storage area is secured corresponding to the roaming subscriber and obtained from the home location register. A method for transferring subscriber information between business operators, characterized in that the outgoing call information or the incoming call information is stored.