JP7084447B2 - Relay device, server device, terminal device, communication system, program and relay method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a relay device, a server device, a terminal device, a communication system, a program, and a relay method for relaying communication between a terminal device and a server device that can be connected to a base station of a mobile communication network.

Conventionally, it has been proposed for a communication standard called LTE-AdvancedPro (see Non-Patent Document 1), which is an extension of LTE (Long Term Evolution) -Advanced of 3GPP, which is a communication standard for mobile communication systems, and a fifth-generation mobile communication. In the communication standard of the new wireless access technology (NR: New Radio), low power consumption wide area (hereinafter referred to as "LPWA" (Wide Area)) that provides communication to devices for IoT (Internet of Things) is provided. As a communication technology, Cat. Is a two wireless communication method that realizes a low price of a terminal device incorporated in an IoT device and an expansion of a coverage area capable of communicating with a base station. M and Cat. NB (Narrow Band) is supported. Cat. M is Cat. Also called M1, LTE-M or eMTC (enhanced Machine-Type Communications), the frequency bandwidth is limited to, for example, 1.4 MHz, supporting a coverage extension of about 15 dB and a maximum communication speed of 1 Mbps (uplink). In addition, Cat. NB, also called NB-IoT, has a frequency bandwidth limited to a narrow band of, for example, 200 kHz, supports a coverage extension of about 23 dB and a maximum communication speed of 63 kbps (uplink), and can also be used in the LTE frequency band.

3GPP TS 36.300 V13.5.0 (2016-09).

Among the LPWA communication technologies, there is a communication method (NIDD (Non-IP Data Device)) in which a communication method (NIDD (Non-IP Data Device)) is used to communicate between a terminal device and a server device via a mobile communication network by using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol). There is a communication method that conforms to). In non-IP communication, the server device that is the destination of the upload data from the terminal device is limited to only one, and it is not possible to send the upload data from the terminal device to the specified server device among multiple server devices. , There is a problem that convenience is low.

The relay device according to one aspect of the present invention communicates with the terminal device by using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol), and relays the communication between the terminal device and the server device in the mobile communication network. A device that acquires server identification information stored in the user data section of upload data transmitted from the terminal device, and identifies the server device corresponding to the server identification information from a plurality of server devices. It has a unit and a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting the upload data to the server device specified by the specific unit.
In the relay device, the non-IP communication may be low power consumption wide area communication.
Further, in the relay device, the low power consumption wide area communication may be communication conforming to NIDD (Non-IP Data Deployer).
Further, in the relay device, the transmission process may include a process of deleting the server identification information from the upload data transmitted to the server device specified by the specific unit.
Further, in the relay device, the transmission process is a process of selecting a server device for transmitting the uploaded data from two or more server devices specified by the specific unit according to a predetermined selection condition, or a predetermined alternative. Depending on the conditions, a process of selecting another server device for transmitting the uploaded data in place of the server device specified by the specific unit may be included.
Further, in the relay device, the relay device may be an SCS (Service Capacity Server).
Further, in the relay device, the relay device may be an SCEF (Service Capacity Exposure Function).

Further, the server device according to another aspect of the present invention is a server that communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol). The device has an extraction unit that extracts user data from the user data unit of the upload data transmitted from the terminal device, distinguishing it from the server identification information stored in the user data unit.

Further, the server device according to still another aspect of the present invention communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol). A storage unit for storing server identification information for identifying a server device to which upload data from the terminal device is transmitted in a user data unit of download data to be transmitted to the terminal device, which is a server device, and the above-mentioned storage unit. The storage unit includes a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting download data storing the server identification information to the terminal device.

Further, the terminal device according to still another aspect of the present invention communicates with the relay device of the mobile communication network by using non-IP communication without using IP (Internet Protocol), and communicates with the server device via the relay device. The terminal device has an extraction unit that extracts user data from the user data unit of download data transmitted from the server device, distinguishing it from the server identification information stored in the user data unit.

Further, the terminal device according to still another aspect of the present invention communicates with the relay device of the mobile communication network by using non-IP communication without using IP (Internet Protocol), and communicates with the server device via the relay device. In the terminal device, a storage unit for storing server identification information for identifying a server device to which the upload data is transmitted is stored in a user data unit of upload data to be transmitted to the server device, and the storage unit is the storage unit. It has a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting upload data storing server identification information to the server device.

Further, the communication system according to still another aspect of the present invention includes a terminal device that can be connected to a base station of a mobile communication network, a server device that communicates with the terminal device via the mobile communication network, and the terminal device. A communication system including a relay device for relaying communication with the server device, wherein the relay device is any of the above-mentioned relay devices, and the server device is any of the above-mentioned server devices. The terminal device is one of the terminal devices described above.

Further, the program according to still another aspect of the present invention communicates with a terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use an IP (Internet Computer), and relays communication between the terminal device and the server device. It is a program that makes the computer of the network relay device function, and acquires the server identification information stored in the user data section of the upload data transmitted from the terminal device, and the server identification information is selected from a plurality of server devices. The computer is made to function as a specific unit that specifies a server device corresponding to the above, and a transmission processing unit that performs a transmission process for transmitting the upload data to the server device specified by the specific unit.

Further, the program according to still another aspect of the present invention is a server that communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use an IP (Internet Computer). A program that functions the computer of the device, as an extraction unit that extracts user data from the user data unit of the uploaded data transmitted from the terminal device, distinguishing it from the server identification information stored in the user data unit. Make the computer work.

Further, the program according to still another aspect of the present invention is a server that communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device by using non-IP communication that does not use an IP (Internet Computer). A program that makes the computer of the device function, and stores server identification information for identifying the server device to which the upload data from the terminal device is sent in the user data section of the download data to be transmitted to the terminal device. The computer is made to function as a storage unit and a transmission processing unit in which the storage unit performs transmission processing for transmitting download data in which the server identification information is stored to the terminal device.

Further, the program according to still another aspect of the present invention is a terminal that communicates with a relay device of a mobile communication network using non-IP communication that does not use an IP (Internet Computer) and communicates with a server device via the relay device. A program that functions the computer of the device, as an extraction unit that extracts user data from the user data unit of the download data transmitted from the server device, distinguishing it from the server identification information stored in the user data unit. Make the computer work.

Further, the program according to still another aspect of the present invention is a terminal that communicates with a relay device of a mobile communication network using non-IP communication that does not use an IP (Internet Computer) and communicates with a server device via the relay device. A program that makes the computer of the device function, a storage unit that stores server identification information for identifying the server device to which the upload data is sent, and a storage unit in the user data section of the upload data to be transmitted to the server device. The computer functions as a transmission processing unit in which the storage unit performs transmission processing for transmitting upload data storing the server identification information to the server device.

Further, the relay method according to still another aspect of the present invention communicates with the terminal device by using non-IP communication without using IP (Internet Protocol), and communicates with the terminal device via a mobile communication network between the terminal device and the server device. It is a relay method for relaying the communication, and acquires the server identification information stored in the user data section of the upload data transmitted from the terminal device, and corresponds to the server identification information from among a plurality of server devices. It includes specifying a server device and performing a transmission process for transmitting the uploaded data to the specified server device.

According to the present invention, upload data from a terminal device to a designated server device among a plurality of server devices by using non-IP communication in which the destination server device is limited to only one server device. Data can be sent.

Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the schematic structure of the communication system which concerns on embodiment. An explanatory diagram showing a more detailed configuration of the communication system. A sequence diagram showing a flow of transmission processing for transmitting upload data from a terminal device to a designated AS in the same communication system. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a user data unit that is communicated between a terminal device and an MME using a control plane. A sequence diagram showing a flow of processing for transmitting download data from an AS to a terminal device in the same communication system. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the schematic structure of the communication system which concerns on the modification which uses SCEF as a relay device.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication system according to the present embodiment.
The communication system of the present embodiment mainly includes one or more terminal devices 10, an SCS (System Capacity Server) 100 as a relay device, and an application server (hereinafter referred to as “AS”) 200A as a server device. It is composed of 200D (hereinafter, also referred to as "AS200" when not particularly distinguished).

The upload data transmitted from the terminal device 10 to the AS200 via the SCS100 is relayed to the SCS100 via the base station 20, the MME (Mobile Management Efficiency) 40, and the SCEF (Service Capacity Exposure Function) 50, and is relayed to the AS200. Be done. Further, the download data transmitted from the AS 200 to the terminal device 10 via the SCS 100 is relayed by the SCS 100 and sent to the terminal device 10 via the SCEF 50, MME 40, and base station 20. These upload data and download data have a data structure in which a header part and the like are added to a user data part in which user data is stored.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a more detailed configuration of the communication system of the present embodiment.
The mobile communication network 1 constituting the communication system of the present embodiment mainly includes one or more base stations 20 that wirelessly communicate with the terminal device 10, an MME 40, and a SCEF 50. The SCS 100 includes an SCEF I / F 120 for communicating with the SCEF 50 and an IP I / F 140 for communicating with the AS200A to 200D.

The equipment in the mobile communication network 1 such as the base station 20, MME40, SCEF50, and SCS100 may be managed and operated by, for example, the mobile communication operator of the mobile communication network 1. Although SCS 100 is shown in FIG. 2 as equipment inside the mobile communication network 1, it may be equipment outside the mobile communication network 1. Further, in FIG. 2, for convenience of illustration, only one terminal device 10 is shown, but the number of terminal devices 10 may be two or more.

Each of the terminal devices 10 of the present embodiment has at least a mobile communication unit 12 and a control unit 13, and includes a display unit 11, an operation unit 14, and an operation unit 15 according to the functions of the terminal device 10. For example, when the terminal device 10 is an IoT device including, for example, a sensor device, it has a configuration in which a detection unit for detecting a detection target is provided as an operation unit 14 in addition to the mobile communication unit 12 and the control unit 13. Examples of IoT devices include those equipped with sensor devices used in various industries such as medical care, agriculture, electric power, water and sewage, automobiles, and transportation, but include IoT devices having all uses and functions. Further, the terminal device 10 of the present embodiment includes a device having all uses and functions as long as it is a device incorporating a mobile communication unit 12 for mobile communication, which is also called a mobile station.

The mobile communication unit 12 is a communication unit for mobile communication, also called a mobile station, and functions as a communication means for communicating via the mobile communication network 1. For example, the mobile communication unit 12 is composed of a synthesizer, a frequency converter, a high frequency amplifier, and the like, and is used for mobile communication. High-frequency signal processing for wireless communication with the base station 20 of the network 1 is executed. The mobile communication unit 12 is configured as, for example, a communication module. The terminal device 10 can perform wireless communication with the base station 20 by the mobile communication unit 12 in a predetermined wireless communication method and can be connected to the mobile communication network 1 side, and has a low power consumption wide area via the mobile communication network 1. Communication by, for example, a NIDD (Non-IP Data Deployer) communication method belonging to the LPWA (Low Power, Wide Area) communication technology, which is a communication technology, can be performed.

The mobile communication unit 12 has a Cat. M and Cat. Other communication methods belonging to LPWA communication technology such as NB may be adopted. In addition, Cat. M is LTE Cat. Of 3GPP. M1, LTE Cat. It is a wireless communication method that conforms to the specifications of M2, LTE-M or eMTC, the frequency bandwidth is limited to, for example, 1.4 MHz, the coverage extension of about 15 dB and the maximum communication speed (throughput) of 1 Mbps (upstream) are supported. ing. In addition, Cat. NB is LTE Cat. Of 3GPP. NB1, LTE Cat. It is a wireless communication method that conforms to the specifications of NB2 or NB-IoT, and the frequency bandwidth is limited to a narrow band of, for example, 200 kHz, the coverage is expanded by about 23 dB, and the maximum communication speed (upstream) of 63 kbps (upstream) in the case of NB1. ) Is supported.

The mobile communication unit 12 may be provided with a function of communicating using an IP (Internet Protocol) via the mobile communication network 1 like a normal mobile station. However, in this case, it is necessary to mount a processing module for IP communication, which increases the component cost and the manufacturing cost of the mobile communication unit 12. When the mobile communication unit 12 is mounted on a large number of terminal devices 10 on the market, it has only the functions necessary and sufficient for the communication of the NIDD communication method belonging to the above-mentioned LPWA communication technique, and the IP communication which is not necessary for this communication or the like. Those excluding other functions are preferable in terms of cost.

Further, in the case of the NIDD communication method, it is possible to change the data transmission destination from the SCS 100 without modifying the communication module mounted on the terminal device, so that the platform side for collecting data can be used. The configuration is easy to maintain.

The control unit 13 controls the operation of the terminal device 10. The control unit 13 includes, for example, an MPU (micro processing unit), a RAM, a ROM, or the like, although it differs depending on the type of the terminal device 10. By executing a program such as a predetermined firmware, the control unit 13 relays the predetermined upload data from the mobile communication unit 12 via the mobile communication network 1 by the SCS 100 and transmits the data to the AS200A to 200D, or the AS200A. The display unit 11 and the operation unit 14 are controlled based on the download data received by the mobile communication unit 12 via the mobile communication network 1 by relaying from the 200D to the SCS100.

Further, the base station 20 constitutes a radio access network (RAN), and is also called, for example, eNodeB (eNB) or gNodeB, or is called a macro cell base station, a small cell base station, or the like depending on the size of the cell formed by the base station 20. Or called. The base station 20 includes, for example, a radio unit (RRH) for transmitting and receiving radio signals and a baseband unit (BBU) for performing digital baseband signal processing. For example, the RRH converts a digital baseband signal received from the BBU into an RF signal, amplifies the power to a predetermined signal level, and transmits the digital baseband signal to the terminal device 10. Further, the RRH converts the RF signal received from the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 into a digital baseband signal and transmits it to the BBU.

The core network included in the mobile communication network 1 is also called EPC (Evolved Packet Core) in LTE / LTE-Advanced, for example, and the base station 20 is connected via a predetermined communication interface. The core network also has various nodes such as MME40 and SCEF50. The core network may have other nodes such as PCRF (Police and Charging Rules Fusion).

The MME 40 is a node that accommodates the base station 20 and performs wireless communication network control, mobility control, handover control, user authentication control, and the like. Based on the user registration information, the MME 40 transfers the data transmitted via the base station 20 to the SCEF 50 that performs the data transfer of the NIDD described later, or the data addressed to the terminal device 10 sent from the SCEF 50. Information such as a reception request is transferred to the base station 20. Further, the MME 40 has a function of collecting and storing information such as communication log information and communication control parameters for each of the terminal device 10 and the base station 20.

The SCEF50 is a node having an interface for providing a part of 3GPP communication service to a third party application provider. The SCEF 50 performs a data transmission / reception transfer process with the terminal device 10 by NIDD, which will be described later. The SCEF 50 may create communication usage data (for example, CDR) for billing for data transmission / reception with the terminal device 10 by NIDD.

Further, in the present embodiment, information such as a notification notifying the data communication timing of the periodic communication in which the terminal device 10 performs data communication at a predetermined data communication timing is notified from the terminal device 10 to the SCEF 50 by, for example, a control channel.

Further, in order to reduce power consumption, the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 may suspend power supply to some circuits and put it in a sleep state when waiting for an incoming call. The mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 receives a reception request described later at the time of waiting for an incoming call, supplies power to the entire circuit by using the reception as a trigger, activates a predetermined application, and receives data (from AS200). It may be controlled to receive the download data (such as the download data of the) and return to the sleep state when the data reception is completed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the communication status information indicating the communication status with the terminal device 10 is transferred from the terminal device 10 or the base station 20 to the SCEF 50 via the MME 40. The communication status information is, for example, information such as communication log information and communication control parameters of the terminal device 10 and the base station 20, data communication timing setting information set in the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10, and the like.

The communication system constituting the communication system of the present embodiment supports NIDD. NIDD is a function defined in the 3GPP standard (see, for example, TS23.401 V15.4.0 (2018-06), TS23.682 V15.5.0 (2018-06)) and uses IP. Since it is a non-IP communication that communicates without the need for communication, it is a function that enables data transfer without the mobile communication unit 12 mounted on the terminal device 10 operating the IP stack or acquiring an IP address. By using this NIDD, secure data transfer is possible without an attack from an IP network using IP, and the amount of data transmitted by the mobile communication network 1 is small, so that the power consumption of the device is reduced or weak. It is expected that the communication success rate in the electric field will be improved.

In order to reduce the load of data processing in the mobile communication network 1, a MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) server that performs a part of data processing in the mobile communication network 1 may be provided inside or near the base station 20. The MEC server may have, for example, a function of managing data transmission timing to the terminal device 10 in the cell of the base station 20 corresponding to the server.

Further, the communication system of the present embodiment supports the coverage expansion (CE) of the category M1 (eMTC) and the category NB1 (NB-IoT) so that the terminal device 10 can communicate in the IoT communication mode.

The IoT communication mode is a communication mode for IoT communication with the base station 20, for example, a communication mode compliant with the LTE-Advanced Pro eMTC or NB-IoT standard (see Non-Patent Document 1), or a communication mode. , Is a communication mode of large-scale machine type communication (5G mMTC: massive Machine-Type Communications) proposed in the 5th generation mobile communication.

The broadband communication mode is a communication mode for performing wideband communication with the base station 20 in a broadband communication area narrower than the IoT communication area capable of communicating in the IoT communication mode, and is, for example, a third generation (3G) of mobile communication. ), LTE, LTE-Advanced or LTE-Advanced Pro standard compliant communication mode, or new wireless access technology (5G (New Radio)) communication mode proposed for 5th generation mobile communication. ..

The communication system including the terminal device 10 of the present embodiment may be compatible with both the wideband communication mode and the IoT communication mode, or may be compatible with only the IoT communication mode. good.

Further, in the communication system of the present embodiment, data transmission from the AS 200 to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 is push communication (a communication method in which the mobile communication unit 12 receives the data without transmitting a data acquisition request). Can be done by. By such push communication, it becomes possible to transmit predetermined download data to the terminal device 10 at a time desired by the AS200 side.

However, in order to reduce power consumption, the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 is in a non-communication state at a non-communication timing that is not a predetermined data communication timing. Therefore, even if the download data is transmitted (push communication) to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 at the timing when communication is not possible, the data will not be delivered.

Regarding this point, in the present embodiment, since the data communication timing is managed by the SCEF50 or the like, if there is data transmission (push communication) from the AS200 to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 at the communication impossible timing, the said. The SCEF 50 temporarily holds the download data. Then, at the timing when the predetermined data communication timing is reached, the SCEF 50 transmits the download data to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10.

Further, even at a predetermined data communication timing, when the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 cannot communicate with the base station 20, such as when the power of the terminal device 10 is turned off. , Data will not be delivered. In such a case, in the present embodiment, the MME 40 monitors the communication status between the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 and the base station 20, so that when data is transmitted to the mobile communication unit 12, the MME 40 is used. Notifies the SCEF 50 that it cannot communicate with the mobile communication unit 12. As a result, the SCEF 50 temporarily retains the download data, and when the MME 40 notifies that communication with the mobile communication unit 12 is possible, the SCEF 50 receives the download data via the MME 40. It is transmitted to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10.

Next, the configuration of the SCS 100 in this embodiment will be described.
The SCS 100 receives the upload data transmitted from the mobile communication unit 12 of each terminal device 10 belonging to this communication system via the mobile communication network 1, and receives this via the destination information (server identification information) included in the upload data. It has a function as a relay device for transmitting to the designated AS200A to 200D. As shown in FIG. 2, the SCS 100 includes a control unit 110, an I / F 120 for SCEF, a storage unit 130, and an I / F 140 for IP.

The control unit 110 executes various controls and data processing for exerting the functions of the SCS 100. Specifically, the control unit 110 receives, for example, the upload data transmitted from the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 by the NIDD communication method by the SCEF I / F 120, and the received upload data is the IP I /. The transmission process for transmitting to AS200A to 200D by F140 is executed.

Further, the control unit 110 receives the download data transmitted from each AS200A to 200D by the IP I / F 140, and receives the received download data by the SCEF I / F 120 by the mobile communication unit of the terminal device 10 by the NIDD communication method. The transmission process for transmitting to 12 is executed.

Since upload data transmitted from the terminal device 10 and download data transmitted to the terminal device 10 are often desired to have high security, it is effective to use a NIDD communication method having high security. .. As described above, the NIDD communication method supported by the communication system of the present embodiment is a communication technique that does not use IP and does not require an IP address, so that there is a low risk of being attacked by a general IP communication method. Secure communication is possible. In addition, by using the NIDD communication method in this way, sufficient security can be ensured without taking other security measures such as encrypted communication, so it is necessary for security measures in other communication methods. Since the amount of data can be reduced, it is expected that the power consumption required for data communication of the device will be reduced and the communication success rate in a weak electric field will be improved.

The SCEF I / F 120 is an interface for communicating with the SCEF 50. It is not necessary to connect the SCS100 and SCEF50 by a non-IP communication method that does not use IP, but when connecting by an IP communication method, sufficient security is achieved by using a private IP or a dedicated line. It is desirable to secure.

The storage unit 130 stores programs such as firmware executed by the control unit 110, various information used for various processes executed by the control unit 110, and various data.

The IP I / F 140 is mainly an interface for communicating with each AS200A to 200D. These AS200A to 200D and SCS100 are connected by an IP communication method that communicates using IP, but it is desired to ensure sufficient security. Therefore, for example, sufficient security is achieved by performing authentication so that only AS200A to 200D, which are permitted to communicate by the client certificate, can communicate with SCS100, and performing encrypted communication by SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). Is secured.

Further, AS200A to 200D are application servers that receive upload data from the terminal device 10 and execute processing for providing various services. In the present embodiment, all AS200A to 200D receive upload data from the same terminal device 10 and execute a process for providing a service, but even if they provide the same service to each other. , May provide different services from each other.

The AS200A to 200D are particularly limited in the processing content as long as they receive the upload data from the terminal device 10 and perform data processing, or perform data provision processing for transmitting download data to the terminal device 10. Will not be done. Therefore, the AS200A to 200D are, for example, servers for IoT platforms provided by service providers, and collect and utilize upload data from terminal devices 10 such as smart meters for electricity, gas, water, etc. and various sensors. Examples thereof include a server for providing services, and a server for providing services that collects and utilizes upload data from a terminal device 10 such as various sensors mounted on a moving body such as an automobile.

Next, a process of registering the uploaded data from the terminal device 10 in the storage unit 130 of the SCS 100 will be described.
FIG. 3 shows, in the communication system of the present embodiment, the designated AS200A (of course, other AS200B to 200C) which is the destination designated on the terminal device 10 side among the four AS200A to 200D for upload data from the terminal device 10. It is a sequence diagram which shows the flow of the transmission process for transmission to).
In the present embodiment, the transmission process of transmitting the upload data from the terminal device 10 to the designated AS200A includes the terminal authentication step (S100) for performing the authentication process for registering the terminal device 10 in the communication system, and the terminal device 10 It can be roughly divided into a data UL (upload) step (S200) for transmitting the upload data of the above to the designated AS200A.

In the terminal authentication step (S100), for example, when the user turns on the power of the terminal device 10, the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 has an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) or IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), which is terminal identification information assigned to the terminal device 10 in advance. Information on GUTI (Globally Terminal Identity ID) (hereinafter unified by IMSI) is notified to the MME 40 via the base station 20 (S101, S102). The MME 40 makes an inquiry to the certification equipment for confirming whether or not the IMSI is certified, and performs the certification process (S103).

Here, prior to this authentication process, the SCS 100 previously generates a resource for communicating with the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 via the SCEF 50 in the NIDD communication method. At this time, the SCEF 50 issues an External-ID (hereinafter referred to as “E-ID”) authentication request to the authentication facility, and the authentication facility sends the IMSI related to the authentication process to the SCEF 50 in response to the authentication request. return. As a result, the SCEF 50 performs a process of associating the IMSI corresponding to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 which is the authentication target of the terminal authentication step with the E-ID used for communication between the SCEF 50 and the SCS 100. Is executed and the correspondence is maintained.

In the authentication equipment, the IMSI in which the IMSI and the E-ID are associated with each other, that is, the IMSI that can be used as the terminal device 10 of the communication system is registered in the SCEF 50 by this prior processing. Therefore, the MME 40, which has received the IMSI notification from the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10, can authenticate whether or not the IMSI is the IMSI of the terminal device 10 of the communication system by inquiring to the authentication facility. ..

After completing the IMSI authentication process of the terminal device 10, the MME 40 transmits a session generation request by the NIDD communication method to the SCEF 50 (S104). As a result, the SCEF 50 executes the association processing between the IMSI and the E-ID, which has been associated in advance, with the SCS 100 (S105). As a result, the SCS 100 can communicate data with the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 via the SCEF 50.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the automatic connection process between the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 and the mobile communication network 1 is executed only by the user turning on the power to the terminal device 10, and the SCS 100 and the SCS 100 are executed. Communication by the NIDD communication method can be established with the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10.

Next, the data UL step (S200) will be described.
In non-IP communication such as NIDD, the IMSI of the terminal device 10 and the E-ID are associated with each other on a one-to-one basis, as described in step S105 of the terminal authentication step described above. Therefore, the SCS 100 has a specification that the upload data from the terminal device 10 can be transmitted to only one AS200 specified by the E-ID associated with the IMSI of the terminal device 10. Further, in non-IP communication such as NIDD, the specification is such that there is no data unit for storing destination information in the data structure of the uploaded data from the terminal device 10.

Therefore, conventionally, one terminal device 10 can transmit upload data to only one AS200, and from among a plurality of AS200A to 200D, upload data is transmitted to AS200A at a certain timing, and another. At the timing, there is a problem that the destination of the upload data cannot be specified, that is, the upload data is sent to another AS200B. In view of such a problem, the present embodiment realizes the destination designation of the uploaded data from the terminal device 10 by a simple method by using non-IP communication such as NIDD having the above-mentioned specifications.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a user data unit that is communicated between the terminal device 10 defined in 3GPP TS 24.301 Release 13 and the MME 40 using a control plane (ESM DATA TRANSPORT).
In the user data section shown in FIG. 4, the header information of the user data section "User data container IEI" and "Length of User data container contents" is stored in the first three octets 1 to 3, and the following octets are stored. User data is stored after 4. In the present embodiment, the server identification information of the designated AS200A, which is the destination of the upload data from the terminal device 10, is stored in the first octet 4 in which the user data is stored.

If the place where the server identification information is stored in the user data section is a predetermined place (a place where the SCS 100 knows that the server identification information is stored), the first place where the user data is stored. Not limited to octet 4. Further, the stored server identification information is not particularly limited as long as the SCS 100 that has received the upload data is the information for specifying the designated AS200A that is the destination of the upload data from the terminal device 10. For example, the IP of the designated AS200A. Examples include addresses, domain names, address ports, and so on.

In the data UL step (S200) shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device 10 transmits the upload data (UL data) from the mobile communication unit 12 at a predetermined data communication timing. At this time, the control unit 13 of the terminal device 10 performs a process of storing the server identification information of the designated AS200A, which is the destination of the upload data, in a predetermined location (octet 4) of the user data unit of the upload data (the process of storing the server identification information). S201). Then, the upload data transmitted from the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 is transmitted to the SCS 100 via the base station 20, the MME 40, and the SCEF 50 by the NIDD communication method (S202 to S205).

When the SCS 100 receives the upload data from the terminal device 10, it extracts the server identification information stored in the user data section of the upload data, and uploads from a plurality of AS200A to 200D based on the extracted server identification information. A process for specifying the designated AS200A, which is the destination of the data, is performed (S206). After that, the control unit 110 performs a data transmission process of transmitting the uploaded data to the specified designated AS200A (S207). As a result, the uploaded data is transmitted from the IP I / F 140 of the SCS 100 to the designated AS 200A (S208).

In the designated AS200A, a process of extracting the user data of octet 5 or later from the user data unit of the received upload data is performed (S209). As a result, the user data can be extracted separately from the server identification information stored in the user data unit, and data processing using the extracted user data can be performed.

As described above, the designated AS200A that receives the upload data does not necessarily require the server identification information stored in the user data unit of the upload data. Therefore, the SCS 100 may perform a process of deleting the server identification information from the upload data transmitted to the designated AS200A. In this case, there is a merit that the amount of upload data transmitted to the designated AS200A is reduced. On the other hand, the server identification information stored in the user data part of the upload data may be left as it is and transmitted to the designated AS200A. In this case, the designated AS200A, for example, has the received upload data as the destination. It is possible to perform a process of confirming whether or not it is a thing.

As described above, in the present embodiment, in order to store the server identification information in the user data section where the user can freely store the data, the terminal device 10 uses non-IP communication such as NIDD having the specifications described above. Upload communication up to SCS100 can be performed. Since the location in the user data unit in which the terminal device 10 stores the server identification information is known in advance by the SCS 100, the SCS 100 that has received the upload data including the user data unit is designated as the destination of the upload data. The AS200A can be specified, and the uploaded data can be appropriately transmitted to the designated AS200A.

According to the present embodiment, a program for performing the destination storage process (S201 in FIG. 3) in the terminal device 10 and a program for performing the transmission process (S206, S207 in FIG. 3) in the SCS 100 are installed respectively. Only by using the existing communication method in non-IP communication such as NIDD, it is possible to realize the destination designation of the upload data from the terminal device 10.

In this embodiment, there is only one destination specified by the server identification information stored in the user data unit of the uploaded data, but there may be two or more destinations. Two or more server identification information may be stored in the user data part of the upload data, and in this case, the SCS 100 transmits the upload data to all AS200 specified by the two or more server identification information. You may.

Further, when two or more server identification information is stored in the user data part of the uploaded data, the SCS 100 determines only a part of the server identification information among the two or more server identification information according to a predetermined selection condition. May be selected to send the uploaded data to the AS200 corresponding to the selected server identification information. For example, the time when the upload data is transmitted from the SCS 100 to the AS 200, the position (region) of the terminal device 10 that is the source of the upload data, the communication status (congestion status), and the service (IoT) of the terminal device 10 that is the source of the upload data. According to the selection conditions such as the type of service, mobile phone service, data communication service, etc.), the appropriate AS server identification information is selected, and the uploaded data is transmitted to the AS.

Further, in the present embodiment, the destination to which the SCS100 transmits the upload data is the designated AS200A specified by the server identification information stored in the user data unit of the upload data. For example, the SCS100 is a predetermined. According to the alternative condition, the process of transmitting the upload data to another AS200B may be performed instead of the designated AS200A specified by the server identification information. For example, when the designated AS200A and another AS200B are application servers that provide the same service, the SCS100 replaces the designated AS200A with the designated AS200A when the alternative condition that the designated AS200A has a higher processing load than the other AS200B is satisfied. Then, the upload data can be transmitted to another AS200B.

Next, in the present communication system, a process of transmitting download data from the AS to the terminal device 10 will be described.
FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of processing for transmitting download data from the AS200D to the terminal device 10 in the communication system of the present embodiment.
In the present embodiment, for example, when an AS (for example, a new AS200D) that provides a new service is added, the terminal control information for allowing the new AS200D to receive the upload data from the existing terminal device 10. Will be described as an example of transmitting the data to the terminal device 10 as download data. The download data is not limited to such terminal control information, and may be any data.

In the data DL (downyard) step (S300) shown in FIG. 5, the new AS200D is the first octet in which user data is stored as terminal control information for enabling reception of upload data from the existing terminal device 10. In 4, the server identification information of the new AS200D, which is the destination of the upload data from the terminal device 10, is stored (S301). The place where the server identification information is stored in the user data unit is the first place where the user data is stored if it is a predetermined place (a place where the terminal device 10 knows that the server identification information is stored). Although not limited to the octet 4, it is preferable that the location is the same as the location where the server identification information is stored in the uploaded data as in the present embodiment.

The new AS200D transmits the download data (DL data) in which the server identification information is stored in the predetermined location (octet 4) of the user data unit to the SCS100 (S302). Upon receiving this, the SCS 100 performs a process for transmitting the download data to the terminal device 10 by the control unit 110. As a result, the SCS 100 transmits the download data from the SCEF I / F 120 to the SCEF 50 to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 to which the control unit 110 refers to the storage unit 130 and is the transmission destination of the download data. (S303).

The SCEF 50 transmits the download data received from the SCS 100 toward the terminal device 10 at a predetermined data communication timing capable of data communication with the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10. As a result, the download data transmitted from the SCEF 50 is transmitted to the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10 via the MME 40 and the base station 20 by the NIDD communication method (S304 to S306).

When the download data is received by the mobile communication unit 12 of the terminal device 10, the control unit 13 extracts the server identification information stored in the user data unit of the download data, and uses other user data of the user data unit. A process of registering the extracted server identification information as the destination information of the designated upload data is performed (S307). As a result, the terminal device 10 receives not only the uploaded data destined for the server identification information (for example, the designated AS200A) already registered, but also the newly registered server identification information (new AS200D) at the predetermined data communication timing. Upload data as the destination will also be sent. As a result, the new AS200D can collect and utilize the uploaded data from the terminal device 10.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the new AS200D can collect and utilize the uploaded data from the existing terminal device 10 only by transmitting the download data to the existing terminal device 10.

Since the server identification information of the AS200, which is the source of the download data, is stored in the user data unit of the download data received by the terminal device 10, the control unit 13 of the terminal device 10 receives the downloaded data. It is possible to confirm from which AS200 the data was transmitted. Therefore, in the terminal device 10, it becomes easy to perform appropriate data processing for each AS200 of the transmission source of the received download data.

Although a communication method of LPWA communication technology other than the NIDD communication method may be used, since it is used for communication of upload data and control information for which high security is desired, NIDD communication with high security as in the present embodiment is used. It is preferable to adopt the method.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which the SCS 100 is used as a relay device has been described, but other equipment can also be used as a relay device. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, in the case of a communication system in which the SCEF 50 communicates with a plurality of AS200A to 200D, the SCEF50 may be used as a relay device. In this case, the SCEF 50 extracts the server identification information stored in the user data unit of the upload data from the terminal device 10, identifies the E-ID corresponding to the extracted server identification information, and uses the specified E-ID. Identify the corresponding AS200A. Thereby, the designated AS200A which is the destination of the upload data can be specified from the plurality of AS200A to 200D, and the upload data can be transmitted to the designated AS200A.

The processing process described in the present specification and the components of the terminal device, the relay device, the server device, and the communication system can be implemented by various means. For example, these processes and components may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.

Regarding hardware implementation, in order to realize the above steps and components in an entity (for example, various wireless communication devices, various base station devices such as eNodeB and gNode, mobile communication unit, hard disk drive device, or optical disk drive device). Means such as processing units used are one or more application-specific ICs (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmables. A gate array (FPGA), a processor, a controller, a microcontroller, a microcontroller, an electronic device, or any other electronic unit, computer, or combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. It may be implemented inside.

Also, for firmware and / or software implementation, each part used to implement the components is code for a program (eg, procedure, function, module, instruction, etc.) that performs the functions described herein. ) May be implemented. In general, any computer / processor readable medium that clearly embodies the firmware and / or software code is a means such as a processing unit used to implement the steps and components described herein. May be used to implement. For example, firmware and / or software code may be stored in memory and executed by a computer or processor, for example in a control device or storage device. The memory may be mounted inside the computer or processor, or it may be mounted outside the processor. Further, the firmware and / or software code may be, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), or an electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM). ), Flash memory, floppy (registered trademark) discs, compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), magnetic or optical data storage devices, etc. good. The code may be executed by one or more computers or processors, or the computers or processors may be made to perform functional embodiments described herein.

Further, the medium may be a non-temporary recording medium. Further, the code of the program may be read and executed by a computer, a processor, or another device or device machine, and the format is not limited to a specific format. For example, the code of the program may be any of source code, object code, and binary code, or may be a mixture of two or more of these codes.

Also, the description of the embodiments disclosed herein is provided to allow one of ordinary skill in the art to manufacture or use the present disclosure. Various amendments to this disclosure will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art and the general principles defined herein are applicable to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be recognized in the broadest range consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

1: Mobile communication network 10: Terminal device 12: Mobile communication unit 13: Control unit 20: Base station 40: MME
50: SCEF
100: SCS
110: Control unit 120: I / F for SCEF
130: Storage unit 140: IP I / F
200: AS

Claims (18)

A mobile communication network relay device that communicates with a terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol) and relays communication between the terminal device and the server device.
When receiving the upload data of the non-IP communication transmitted from the terminal device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area and the user in which the header information constituting the upload data is stored. Of the second area in which the main body of data is stored, the server identification information stored in a part of the second area of the uploaded data is acquired, and the server identification information is used from among a plurality of server devices. A specific part that identifies the corresponding server device, and
A relay device comprising a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting the upload data received from the terminal device to the server device specified by the specific unit. In the relay device according to claim 1,
The non-IP communication is a relay device characterized by low power consumption wide area communication. In the relay device according to claim 2,
The low power consumption wide area communication is a relay device characterized by being a communication compliant with NIDD (Non-IP Data Deployer). In the relay device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the relay device
The transmission process includes a process of deleting the server identification information from the upload data transmitted to the server device specified by the specific unit. In the relay device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the relay device
In the transmission process, the specific unit selects a server device for transmitting the uploaded data from two or more server devices specified by the specific unit according to a predetermined selection condition, or the specific unit performs the transmission process according to a predetermined alternative condition. A relay device including a process of selecting another server device for transmitting the uploaded data in place of the specified server device. In the relay device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the relay device
The relay device is a relay device characterized by being an SCS (Service Capacity Server). In the relay device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the relay device
The relay device is a relay device characterized by being an SCEF (Service Capacity Exposure Function). A server device that communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol).
When receiving the upload data of the non-IP communication transmitted from the terminal device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area and the user data in which the header information constituting the upload data is stored. Of the second area in which the main body of the data is stored , the user data is extracted from the second area of the uploaded data by distinguishing it from the server identification information stored in a part of the second area. A server device characterized by having an extraction unit. A server device that communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol).
When the download data of the non-IP communication is transmitted to the terminal device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area in which the header information constituting the download data is stored and the main body of the user data Of the second area to be stored, a part of the second area of the download data stores the server identification information for identifying the server device to which the upload data from the terminal device is transmitted. Department and
A server device characterized in that the storage unit includes a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting download data storing the server identification information to the terminal device. A terminal device that communicates with a relay device of a mobile communication network using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol), and communicates with a server device via the relay device.
When receiving the download data of the non-IP communication transmitted from the server device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area and the user data in which the header information constituting the download data is stored. Of the second area in which the main body of the data is stored , the user data is extracted from the second area of the download data by distinguishing it from the server identification information partially stored in the second area. A terminal device characterized by having an extraction unit. A terminal device that communicates with a relay device of a mobile communication network using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol), and communicates with a server device via the relay device.
The first area in which the header information constituting the upload data of the non-IP communication transmitted to the server device via the control plane of the mobile communication network is stored and the second area in which the main body of the user data is stored. A storage unit for storing server identification information for identifying a server device to which the upload data is transmitted is stored in a part of the second area of the upload data.
A terminal device, characterized in that the storage unit has a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting upload data storing the server identification information to the server device. Terminal devices that can be connected to mobile network base stations,
A server device that communicates with the terminal device via the mobile communication network,
A communication system including a relay device that relays communication between the terminal device and the server device.
The relay device is the relay device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
The server device is the server device according to claim 8 or 9.
The communication system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the terminal device is the terminal device. It is a program that functions the computer of the relay device of the mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol) and relays the communication between the terminal device and the server device.
When receiving the upload data of the non-IP communication transmitted from the terminal device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area and the user data in which the header information constituting the upload data is stored. Acquires the server identification information stored in a part of the second area of the upload data in the second area in which the main body of the server is stored, and corresponds to the server identification information from a plurality of server devices. A specific part that identifies the server device to be used, and
A program characterized in that the computer functions as a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting the upload data received from the terminal device to the server device specified by the specific unit. A program that functions the computer of a server device that communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol).
When receiving the upload data of the non-IP communication transmitted from the terminal device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area and the user data in which the header information constituting the upload data is stored. Of the second area in which the main body of the data is stored , the user data is extracted from the second area of the uploaded data by distinguishing it from the server identification information stored in a part of the second area. A program characterized by operating the computer as an extraction unit. A program that functions the computer of a server device that communicates with the terminal device via a relay device of a mobile communication network that communicates with the terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol).
When the download data of the non-IP communication is transmitted to the terminal device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area in which the header information constituting the download data is stored and the main body of the user data Of the second area to be stored, a part of the second area of the download data stores the server identification information for identifying the server device to which the upload data from the terminal device is transmitted. Department and
A program characterized in that the storage unit functions the computer as a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting download data storing the server identification information to the terminal device. A program that operates a computer of a terminal device that communicates with a relay device of a mobile communication network using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol) and communicates with a server device via the relay device.
When receiving the download data of the non-IP communication transmitted from the server device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area and the user data in which the header information constituting the download data is stored. Of the second area in which the main body of the data is stored , the user data is extracted from the second area of the download data by distinguishing it from the server identification information stored in a part of the second area. A program characterized in that the computer functions as an extraction unit. A program that operates a computer of a terminal device that communicates with a relay device of a mobile communication network using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol) and communicates with a server device via the relay device.
The first area in which the header information constituting the upload data of the non-IP communication transmitted to the server device via the control plane of the mobile communication network is stored and the second area in which the main body of the user data is stored. A storage unit for storing server identification information for identifying a server device to which the upload data is transmitted, and a storage unit in a part of the second area of the upload data.
A program characterized in that the storage unit functions the computer as a transmission processing unit that performs transmission processing for transmitting upload data storing the server identification information to the server device. It is a relay method that communicates with a terminal device using non-IP communication that does not use IP (Internet Protocol), and relays the communication between the terminal device and the server device via a mobile communication network.
When receiving the upload data of the non-IP communication transmitted from the terminal device via the control plane of the mobile communication network, the first area and the user data in which the header information constituting the upload data is stored. Acquires the server identification information stored in a part of the second area of the upload data in the second area in which the main body of the server is stored, and corresponds to the server identification information from a plurality of server devices. Identifying the server device to be used and
A relay method comprising performing a transmission process for transmitting the upload data received from the terminal device to the specified server device.

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