JP6110719B2 - User device and communication method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a user apparatus and a communication method capable of executing specific access restrictions such as Application and Service Access Control (ASAC).

  Conventionally, in 3G and Long Term Evolution (LTE) defined in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), access regulation (AC) is used as a technique for avoiding congestion in a mobile communication network. As such access restriction, Access Class Barring (ACB) that restricts all kinds of communication without limitation to specific communication for user equipment (UE) is widely known (for example, non-patent literature). 1). In addition, Service Specific Access Control (SSAC) that regulates a specific service (voice call or TV phone) for the UE is also defined.

  Furthermore, specific applications (for example, e-mail and web browsing) are restricted, and specific applications (for example, disaster message boards and disaster voice messages) or specific services (voice calls and videophones) are allowed. Application and Service Access Control (ASAC) is also deliberated at 3GPP. However, in some countries, there is a network neutrality regulation in which an operator treats each application fairly and the handling should not be different for each application. For this reason, ASAC is not applied to UEs roaming to mobile communication networks provided by operators in other countries, and operators in countries where there is no network neutrality regulation are subscribers (UEs) ) Is being considered to apply only to.

3GPP TS22.011 V11.2.0, 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Service accessibility (Release 11) Section 4: Access control, 3GPP, December 2011

  As described above, the ASAC is not applied to UEs roaming to a mobile communication network provided by an operator in another country. Such a situation is not preferable from the viewpoint of operating a mobile communication network in a sound manner and appropriately providing mobile communication services to all users.

  In addition, when trying to apply to a UE roaming ASAC, there are the following problems. Specifically, the ASAC policy is an ASAC trigger number associated with a list of applications that can be started, and can be freely defined by each operator. Therefore, when the UE roams to a mobile communication network provided by an operator in another country, an ASAC policy different from that before roaming is often applied. For this reason, even if the restriction by the ASAC is activated using the same trigger number, an application different from the roaming destination ASAC policy may be activated.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and a user who can continuously apply specific access restrictions such as Application and Service Access Control (ASAC) to other mobile communication networks before and after roaming. An object is to provide an apparatus and a communication method.

  A first feature of the present invention is that a policy holding unit that holds an access control policy in which a trigger number and a list of predetermined applications are associated with each other, and a specific access restriction including the trigger number from a connected mobile communication network The start command receiving unit that receives the start command, the mobile communication network associated with the access control policy held by the policy holding unit, and the connected mobile communication network that transmitted the start command are the same In this case, the gist is to include an access control unit that activates the specific access restriction based on the access control policy.

  A second feature of the present invention is that a shared identifier indicating that a trigger number is associated with a list of predetermined applications and the access control policy is shared in a roaming source mobile communication network and a roaming destination mobile communication network. A policy holding unit that holds an access control policy including: an activation command receiving unit that receives an activation command of a specific access restriction including the trigger number from the roaming destination mobile communication network; and a roaming destination mobile communication network When the identifier is the shared identifier, the gist includes an access control unit that activates the specific access restriction based on the access control policy.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an access control policy in which a trigger number and a list of predetermined applications are associated with each other, and activation of a specific access restriction including the trigger number from a connected mobile communication network When the step of receiving a command, the mobile communication network associated with the held access control policy, and the connected mobile communication network that transmitted the activation command are the same, based on the access control policy And a step of activating the specific access restriction.

  A fourth feature of the present invention is that a shared identifier indicating that a trigger number is associated with a list of predetermined applications and the access control policy is shared in a roaming source mobile communication network and a roaming destination mobile communication network. Holding an access control policy including: a step of receiving a specific access restriction start command including the trigger number from the roaming destination mobile communication network; and an identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network is a shared identifier. In some cases, the method includes a step of activating the specific access restriction based on the access control policy.

  According to the features of the present invention, it is possible to provide a user apparatus and a communication method capable of continuously applying specific access restrictions such as Application and Service Access Control (ASAC) before and after roaming to another mobile communication network.

1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of a mobile communication system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a functional block block diagram of UE100 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement flow when UE100 which concerns on embodiment of this invention receives the starting instruction | command of ASAC in H-PLMN. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement flow when UE100 which concerns on embodiment of this invention receives the starting instruction | command of ASAC during the roaming to V-PLMN. It is a figure which shows the example of the ASAC policy applied to PLMN # A and PLMN # B which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the ASAC policy shared by the some mobile communication network which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and ratios of dimensions and the like are different from actual ones.

  Accordingly, specific dimensions and the like should be determined in consideration of the following description. Moreover, it is a matter of course that portions having different dimensional relationships and ratios are included between the drawings.

(1) Overall Schematic Configuration of Mobile Communication System FIG. 1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of a mobile communication system 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile communication system 10 is a mobile communication system according to a communication scheme defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), specifically, Long Term Evolution (LTE).

  In the present embodiment, the mobile communication system 10 includes a plurality of mobile communication networks (PLMN # A to #C). PLMN # A includes an operation management system 30A (OPS) and a radio base station 40A (hereinafter, eNB 40A). Similarly, PLMN # B includes an operation management system 30B and eNB40B, and PLMN # C includes an operation management system 30C and eNB40C. PLMNs #A to #C are communication networks including a mobility management node (MME) and a gateway (not shown) with an external network.

  Operation management systems 30A to 30C are connected to PLMN #A to #C, respectively, and manage devices such as eNB and UE 100 included in the PLMN. In particular, in the present embodiment, the operation management systems 30A to 30C instruct the eNB included in the PLMN to restrict access to the PLMN by the UE 100.

  eNB40A-40C is a radio base station which performs radio | wireless communication with UE100. Specifically, eNB40A-40C performs the radio | wireless communication according to LTE. Further, the eNB 40A (to 40C) instructs the access restriction to the corresponding UE 100 based on the access restriction instruction received from the operation management system 30A (to 30C).

  The UE 100 is a user device that performs wireless communication with the eNB 40A (up to 40C). The UE 100 can execute a plurality of applications (for example, e-mail, web browsing, disaster message board, and disaster voice message) and services (voice call and video phone). Moreover, UE100 can perform the access control to a mobile communication network based on the access control received from eNB40A (... 40C).

  Specifically, the UE 100 can execute Application and Service Access Control (ASAC) that regulates communication by a specific application.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that UE 100 is subscribed to a mobile communication service of an operator who provides PLMAN # A. That is, PLMAN # A is Home PLMN (H-PLMN) for UE100, and PLMAN # B and #C are Visitor PLMN (V-PLMN) for UE100. The UE 100 can receive a communication service provided by the PLMN by roaming to PLMAN # B, #C.

(2) Functional block configuration of UE 100 Next, a functional block configuration of the UE 100 configuring the mobile communication system 10 will be described. FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of UE 100. Note that in FIG. 2, functional blocks that are less relevant to the present invention are omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the UE 100 includes an activation command receiving unit 101, an access control unit 103, an ASAC policy holding unit 105, an ASAC activation unit 107, and a general application 109.

  The activation command receiving unit 101 receives an access restriction activation command (activation trigger) from the connected PLMN. Specifically, activation command receiving unit 101 receives an activation command for an ASAC (specific access restriction) included in broadcast information broadcast from connected eNB 40A (to 40C). The start command of ASAC includes the trigger number of the ASAC policy (access control policy). Here, FIG. 5A shows an example of an ASAC policy applied to PLMN # A, and FIG. 5B shows an example of an ASAC policy applied to PLMN # B. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, in the ASAC policy, a trigger number and a list of applications (predetermined applications) that can be activated by the UE 100 are associated with each other. For example, in PLMN # A, when trigger number # 1, applications A and B are set to be startable. That is, only the applications A and B are allowed to be executed, and other applications cannot be executed. On the other hand, in PLMN # B, in the case of trigger number # 1, it is set that applications A, B, and C can be started. The ASAC policy is described as an OMA-DM (Device Management) MO (Management Object) defined by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA).

  Thus, the ASAC policy can be defined for each PLMN, that is, for each operator. Therefore, when the operator changes, such as when the UE 100 roams to PLMN # B, even if the trigger number is the same, the UE 100 can start different applications (application C in the above example).

  As described above, the activation command receiving unit 101 can also receive an activation command for the ASAC from the roaming destination mobile communication network (V-PLMN). In this case, the activation command receiving unit 101 can receive the activation command including the identifier (PLMN-ID) of the roaming destination mobile communication network.

  The access control unit 103 activates the access restriction based on the access restriction activation command received by the activation instruction receiving unit 101. Specifically, the access control unit 103 includes the mobile communication network (for example, PLMN # A) associated with the ASAC policy held by the ASAC policy holding unit 105, and the connected mobile communication that has transmitted the start command. When the network (for example, PLMN # A) is the same, the ASAC is activated based on the held ASAC policy.

  During normal operation (non-roaming), the ASAC policy holding unit 105 holds the HACLM policy of H-PLMN (PLMAN # A), so the access control unit 103 sets the mobile communication with the ASAC policy set. Since the network (predetermined mobile communication network), that is, the operator that provides PLMAN # A, and the connected mobile communication network that transmitted the start command are the same, the ASAC is started based on the corresponding ASAC policy.

  Further, the access control unit 103 is configured so that the roaming destination mobile communication network (for example, PLMN # B) has an identifier (PLMN-ID) of the roaming source mobile communication network (for example, PLMN # A) and the roaming destination mobile communication network. In the case of the shared PLMN-ID (shared identifier) indicating that the ASAC policy is shared, the ASAC can be activated based on the ASAC policy.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of an ASAC policy shared by a plurality of mobile communication networks. As shown in FIG. 6, the ASAC policy shared by a plurality of mobile communication networks is compared with the ASAC policy applied to PLMN # A, B shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). "And" shared PLMN "(shared PLMN-ID) information has been added.

  “Setting PLMN” indicates a PLMN that sets (defines) a shared ASAC policy, that is, an operator. “Shared PLMN” indicates a PLMN sharing the ASAC policy shown in FIG. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6, this ASAC policy is shared by PLMN # A and PLMN # C. For example, in the case of trigger number # 1, applications A and B are set to be startable, and such setting is shared by both PLMN #A and PLMN #C PLMN (that is, depending on PLMN #B) Not shared). The access control unit 103 can hold an ASAC policy including such “shared PLMN” (shared PLMN-ID).

  When the access control unit 103 waits in the roaming destination mobile communication network, the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network included in the information received from the roaming destination mobile communication network (for example, broadcast information from the eNB) is the shared PLMN. -Determine whether the ID.

  Alternatively, when the activation command receiving unit 101 receives an activation command including an identifier of a roaming destination mobile communication network, the access control unit 103 determines that the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network included in the activation command is a shared PLMN-ID It is determined whether or not.

  If the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network is not a shared PLMN-ID, the access control unit 103 acquires an ASAC policy applied in the roaming destination mobile communication network from the roaming destination mobile communication network, and acquires the acquired ASAC policy. Start ASAC based on

  The ASAC policy holding unit 105 holds an ASAC policy applied in a specific mobile communication network as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). The ASAC policy holding unit 105 normally holds the ASAC policy of H-PLMN (PLMAN # A). That is, the ASAC policy holding unit 105 holds the ASAC policy held by the operator of PLMAN # A.

  However, the ASAC policy holding unit 105 can also hold the roaming destination ASAC policy when the UE 100 roams to another mobile communication network. The ASAC policy holding unit 105 can also hold an ASAC policy including a shared PLMN-ID indicating that the ASAC policy is shared between the roaming source PLMN and the roaming destination PLMN as shown in FIG.

  The ASAC activation unit 107 activates the ASAC based on an instruction from the access control unit 103. Specifically, the ASAC activation unit 107 activates the ASAC based on the ASAC policy held in the ASAC policy holding unit 105, and communicates with the restricted general application 109 among the general applications 109. Regulate and allow communication by the general application 109 subject to the regulation.

  The general application 109 is application software installed in the UE 100, specifically, an application such as e-mail or web browsing, or an application for executing a communication service (voice call or videophone). The general application 109 includes application software pre-installed in the UE 100 and application software downloaded and installed by the user of the UE 100.

(3) Operation of Mobile Communication System Next, the operation of the mobile communication system 10 will be described. Specifically, the operation when UE 100 receives an activation command for ASAC will be described.

(3.1) Operation example 1
FIG. 3 shows an operation flow when the UE 100 receives an ASAC activation command in the H-PLMN. As shown in FIG. 3, UE100 receives the starting instruction | command of ASAC from eNB40A (S10). Specifically, the eNB 40A broadcasts broadcast information including an ASAC activation command in a cell formed by the eNB 40A based on an instruction from the operation management system 30A. As a result, the UE 100 receives an ASAC activation command.

  The UE 100 compares the PLMN (PLMN # A) that transmitted the activation instruction of the ASAC with the PLMN associated with the held ASAC policy (S20). As described above, in the normal time such as non-roaming, the ASAC policy holding unit 105 of the UE 100 holds the ASAC policy (see FIG. 5A) of the H-PLMN (PLMN # A).

  The UE 100 determines whether or not the PLMNs compared in S20 are the same (S30). If the compared PLMNs are the same, the UE 100 activates the ASAC based on the retained ASAC policy (S40). On the other hand, when the compared PLMNs are different, the UE 100 does not activate the ASAC despite receiving the activation command for the ASAC (S50).

(3.2) Operation example 2
FIG. 4 shows an operation flow when the UE 100 receives an activation command for ASAC during roaming to the V-PLMN. As shown in FIG. 4, the UE 100 roams from the H-PLMN (PLMN # A) to the V-PLMN (PLMN # C) (see a dotted arrow in FIG. 1) when the UE 100 moves (S110).

  In a state where the UE 100 is roaming to PLMN # C in this way, the UE 100 receives an activation instruction for ASAC from the roaming destination eNB 40C (S120). Also, when the UE 100 waits at the roaming destination PLMN #C, the PLMN #C PLMN-ID (PLMN-ID = C) included in the information (such as broadcast information) received from the PLMN #C via the eNB40C Obtain (S130).

  The UE 100 determines whether or not the acquired PLMN-ID is a shared PLMN-ID (S140). Specifically, the UE 100 includes the acquired PLMN-ID (PLMN-ID = C) as a shared PLMN of the H-PLMN (PLMN # A) based on the ASAC policy as shown in FIG. Determine whether or not.

  If the acquired PLMN-ID is a shared PLMN-ID, and the ASAC policy is held shared with PLMN # A that is an H-PLMN, the UE 100 activates the ASAC (S150). For example, when the ASAC according to the ASAC policy with the trigger number # 1 shown in FIG. 6 is started, the applications A and B are set to be startable. The ASAC policy is shared with PLMN # A and has the same content as the ASAC policy (see FIG. 5A) applied in PLMN # A. That is, by diverting the ASAC policy applied in PLMN # A, the ASAC policy is shared with PLMN # C.

  Whether or not the ASAC policy can be shared is generally defined when a roaming agreement between operators is concluded. In addition, sharing of an ASAC policy by such a shared PLMN-ID is actually performed between a PLMN deployed in each country such as Europe, for example, a PLMN in country A and a PLMN in country B adjacent to country A. It can be suitably used when the same operator operates.

(4) Action / Effect As described above, when the PLMN associated with the ASAC policy held by the ASAC policy holding unit 105 is the same as the connected PLMN that has transmitted the start command, the UE 100 Start ASAC based on policy. For this reason, when UE100 roams, etc., if the PLMN associated with the held ASAC policy is different from the connected PLMN, the ASAC with the same ASAC trigger number but different content is not available. It is prevented from being activated in preparation.

  Further, when the identifier of the roaming destination PLMN is a shared PLMN-ID indicating that the roaming source PLMN and the roaming destination PLMN share the ASAC policy, the UE 100 activates the ASAC based on the ASAC policy. . For this reason, even when the UE 100 roams, if the retained ASAC policy can be applied, the ASAC can be activated promptly.

  That is, even when the UE 100 roams, the ASAC can be activated if possible, and the ASAC can be applied to the roaming UE. That is, according to the UE 100, the ASAC can be continuously applied to other PLMNs before and after roaming. Also, in this embodiment, when the identifier of the roaming destination PLMN is not a shared PLMN-ID, the UE 100 acquires an ASAC policy applied in the roaming destination PLMN from the roaming destination PLMN, and based on the acquired ASAC policy You can start ASAC. For this reason, even when the ASAC policy is not shared in the PLMN of the roaming destination, the ASAC can be activated.

(5) Other Embodiments As described above, the content of the present invention has been disclosed through one embodiment of the present invention. However, it is understood that the description and drawings constituting a part of this disclosure limit the present invention. should not do. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the UE 100 is described as being able to execute the operation according to the operation example 1 (see FIG. 3) and the operation example 2 (see FIG. 4), but the UE 100 is based on any of the operation examples. You may perform only operation | movement.

  Further, the above-described features of the present invention may be expressed as follows. The first feature of the present invention is that an ASAC policy holding unit 105 (policy holding unit) that holds an ASAC policy (access control policy) in which a trigger number and a list of predetermined applications are associated with each other, and mobile communication being connected An activation command receiving unit 101 that receives an activation command of an ASAC (specific access restriction) including the trigger number from the network, a mobile communication network associated with the access control policy held by the policy holding unit, The gist of the present invention is to include an access control unit 103 (access control unit) that activates the specific access restriction based on the access control policy when the connected mobile communication network that transmitted the activation command is the same.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the policy holding unit holds the access control policy set by a predetermined mobile communication network, and the access control unit receives the predetermined mobile communication network and the activation command. When the transmitted mobile communication network being connected is the same, the specific access restriction may be activated based on the access control policy.

  The second feature of the present invention is that a shared PLMN that associates a trigger number with a list of predetermined applications and indicates that the access control policy is shared in the roaming source mobile communication network and the roaming destination mobile communication network. A policy holding unit that holds an access control policy including an ID (shared identifier), an activation command receiving unit that receives a specific access restriction activation command including the trigger number from the roaming destination mobile communication network, and the roaming When the previous PLMN-ID (identifier of the mobile communication network) is the shared identifier, the gist is provided with an access control unit that activates the specific access restriction based on the access control policy.

  In the second aspect of the present invention, when the access control unit waits in the roaming destination mobile communication network, the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network included in the information received from the roaming destination mobile communication network It may be determined whether or not is the shared identifier.

  In the second aspect of the present invention, the activation command receiving unit receives the activation command including an identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network, and the access control unit receives the roaming destination of the roaming destination included in the activation command. It may be determined whether the identifier of the mobile communication network is the shared identifier.

  In the second aspect of the present invention, the access control unit is applied from the roaming destination mobile communication network to the roaming destination mobile communication network when the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network is not the shared identifier. The access control policy may be acquired, and the specific access restriction may be activated based on the acquired access control policy.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an access control policy in which a trigger number and a list of predetermined applications are associated with each other, and activation of a specific access restriction including the trigger number from a connected mobile communication network When the step of receiving a command, the mobile communication network associated with the held access control policy, and the connected mobile communication network that transmitted the activation command are the same, based on the access control policy And a step of activating the specific access restriction.

  A fourth feature of the present invention is that a shared identifier indicating that a trigger number is associated with a list of predetermined applications and the access control policy is shared in a roaming source mobile communication network and a roaming destination mobile communication network. Holding an access control policy including: a step of receiving a specific access restriction start command including the trigger number from the roaming destination mobile communication network; and an identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network is a shared identifier. In some cases, the method includes a step of activating the specific access restriction based on the access control policy.

  As described above, the present invention naturally includes various embodiments that are not described herein. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is defined only by the invention specifying matters according to the scope of claims reasonable from the above description.

10 ... Mobile communication system
30A-30C ... Operation management system
40A-40C ... eNB
100 ... UE
101 ... Start command receiver
103 ... Access control unit
105 ... ASAC policy holding part
107… ASAC starting part
109… General application

Claims (8)

A policy holding unit that holds an access control policy in which a trigger number and a list of predetermined applications are associated;
An activation command receiving unit that receives an activation command for a specific access restriction including the trigger number, from a connected mobile communication network;
When the mobile communication network associated with the access control policy held by the policy holding unit is the same as the connected mobile communication network that has transmitted the activation command, the identification is performed based on the access control policy. A user device comprising: an access control unit that activates access restriction. The policy holding unit holds the access control policy set by a predetermined mobile communication network,
The access control unit activates the specific access restriction based on the access control policy when the predetermined mobile communication network is the same as the connected mobile communication network that has transmitted the activation command. A user device according to 1. A policy that associates a trigger number with a list of predetermined applications and holds an access control policy including a shared identifier indicating that the access control policy is shared in the roaming source mobile communication network and the roaming destination mobile communication network A holding part;
An activation command receiving unit that receives an activation command of a specific access restriction including the trigger number from the roaming destination mobile communication network;
A user apparatus comprising: an access control unit that activates the specific access restriction based on the access control policy when an identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network is the shared identifier.   When the access control unit waits in the roaming destination mobile communication network, whether or not the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network included in the information received from the roaming destination mobile communication network is the shared identifier The user device according to claim 3, wherein the user device is determined. The activation command receiving unit receives the activation command including an identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network,
The user apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the access control unit determines whether or not an identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network included in the activation command is the shared identifier.   When the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network is not the shared identifier, the access control unit acquires an access control policy applied in the roaming destination mobile communication network from the roaming destination mobile communication network, and acquires the access control policy. The user apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the specific access restriction is activated based on the access control policy. Maintaining an access control policy in which a trigger number is associated with a list of predetermined applications;
Receiving an activation command for specific access control including the trigger number from a connected mobile communication network;
When the mobile communication network associated with the held access control policy is the same as the connected mobile communication network that has transmitted the activation command, the specific access restriction is activated based on the access control policy A communication method comprising the steps. A step of associating a trigger number with a list of predetermined applications and holding an access control policy including a shared identifier indicating that the access control policy is shared in a roaming source mobile communication network and a roaming destination mobile communication network When,
Receiving an activation instruction for specific access restriction including the trigger number from the roaming destination mobile communication network;
And a step of activating the specific access restriction based on the access control policy when the identifier of the roaming destination mobile communication network is a shared identifier.

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