KR100311141B1 - Network and method managing location of mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a network structure and operation method for performing location management of a terminal (MT) belonging to a different mobile communication network (10 or 20) in the next generation mobile communication network, the mobile communication network 10 and the mobile communication network 20 of the present invention Communicates through the gateway VLRs 15 and 26, and the SLMF VLRs 15 and 25 are dedicated to manage only the location of the terminal MT belonging to the other mobile communication networks 10 and 20 in the mobile communication networks 10 and 20. ) Is configured. SLMF VLR (15, 25) is dedicated to manage the position of the terminal (MT) of the other mobile communication network (10, 20), and the corresponding terminal (MT) from the HLR (11, 21) of the other mobile communication network (10, 20) ) Is required, the location of this terminal (MT) to the corresponding HLR (11, 21) by transmitting the HLR (11, 21) it is necessary to continuously determine the location of his terminal belonging to the other mobile communication network (10, 20) There is no effect that can reduce the signal traffic.

Description

Mobile subscriber location registration network structure and operation method in next-generation mobile communication network {NETWORK AND METHOD MANAGING LOCATION OF MOBILE TERMINAL}

The present invention relates to a next generation mobile communication network, and more particularly, to a structure of a terminal location registration network and a method for operating a network in a next generation mobile communication network capable of effectively managing a location of a mobile terminal.

The next generation of mobile communication, which provides various multimedia services, overcomes regional limitations and enables long-distance communication, is being developed. That is, the current mobile communication network supports only mobile communication in the corresponding country, but the recently proposed International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) has been developed to support mobile communication between countries.

On the other hand, since the mobile communication network can detect the position of the terminal to communicate with the mobile terminal, the mobile communication network should always monitor the mobile position of the terminal. That is, when the terminal MT is located in the mobile network N1, as shown in FIG. 1, the VSI (Visiter Location Register) 1 of the mobile switching center that manages the mobile network N1 is connected to the terminal (N). The location of the MT) must be known. To this end, the terminal MT requests location registration to the VLR 1 in the mobile network N1 periodically or at power-on, and the VLR 1 receives a signal from the terminal MT when a location registration request is provided from the terminal MT. A registration request request message is authorized to a Home Location Register (HLR) 3 through a Signaling Transfer Point (2). Through this message, the HLR 3 recognizes that the terminal MT is located in the mobile network N1 of the VLR 1 and stores the mobile network N1 of the terminal MT. Then, the HLR 3 transmits a response message to the registration request request message of the VLR 1 to the VLR 1, and the VLR 1 stores information on the terminal MT after receiving the message.

Here, if the previous position of the terminal MT is in the mobile network N2 of the VLR 4, the HLR 3 does not need to store information about the terminal MT, so the HLR 3 sends the terminal to the VLR 4. A command is applied to erase information on the MT, and the VLR 4 erases the information on the terminal MT in response to this message.

As can be seen from the above description, since the location registration for the terminal is performed through communication between two VLRs and one HLR, there is no room for traffic overhead when the terminal moves in a small region, that is, a country. none.

However, when the terminal is free to move between countries as in IMT-2000, there is a disadvantage that an excessive message is required for the location registration of the terminal.

For example, assuming that a subscriber having Korea as an HLR moves continuously in the US or Europe with the terminal powered on, the VLRs in each base station must register each time the terminal enters the mobile network, indicating that the terminal is registered. The signaling message should be transmitted to the Korean HLR. Similarly, the HLR in Korea should send a message in response to the signaling message to the corresponding VLR, and send a message to the previous VLR to clear the information about the terminal.

This process will increase as the distance and speed of the subscribers increases, which in turn increases the signal traffic excessively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal location registration network structure and a network operating method in a next generation mobile communication network that can effectively register the location of a subscriber in the next generation mobile communication network.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network configuration for managing location information of mobile subscribers in a next generation mobile communication network, comprising: a VLR for registering and managing mobile subscribers located in a jurisdiction mobile network; An HLR communicating with the VLR through the STP and storing and managing the mobile network in which the mobile subscriber of the mobile communication network is located according to information from the VLR; A SLMF VLR communicating with the VLR via STP and storing and managing a mobile network in which a mobile subscriber subscribed to another mobile communication network is located; It has a gateway VLR which relays the other mobile communication network to the HLR so that the SLMF VLR transmits to the HLR of the other mobile communication network that the SLMF VLR manages when the mobile subscriber of the other mobile communication network is located in its mobile communication network. When the HLR needs a location of a mobile subscriber of its own mobile communication network located in another mobile communication network, the HLR queries SLMF VLR of another corresponding mobile communication network to which mobile network of the other mobile communication network it is located to acquire the information.

The present invention also relates to a mobile subscriber location management method of a next generation mobile communication network in which a SLMF VLR configured to manage the location of a mobile subscriber of another mobile communication network when a mobile subscriber belonging to another mobile communication network is located in a mobile communication network. If the mobile subscriber registration request is requested, the VLR registers the mobile subscriber of the terminal and determines whether the mobile subscriber is subscribed to its mobile network; Registering the location of the mobile subscriber with the HLR if the mobile subscriber of the terminal is subscribed to its mobile communication network; Requesting registration of the location of the mobile subscriber to the SLMF VLR of the mobile communication network if the mobile subscriber of the terminal is not subscribed to the mobile communication network; Determining whether or not the SLMF VLR stores information on a mobile subscriber requested to be registered; Updating the location information of the mobile subscriber if the information on the mobile subscriber requested to be registered is stored; If the terminal subscriber information requested for registration is not stored, the SLMF VLR creates and stores a profile for the mobile subscriber and delivers the location of the mobile subscriber to the HLR of the mobile communication network to which the mobile subscriber belongs through the gateway VLR. Making a step; When the location registration complete message is transmitted from the HLR of the mobile communication network to which the mobile subscriber belongs, the SLMF VLR has a location management for the mobile subscriber.

The present invention also relates to a mobile subscriber located in another mobile communication network in a next-generation mobile communication network in which a SLMF VLR configured to manage the location of the mobile subscriber of another mobile communication network is located when the mobile subscriber belonging to the other mobile communication network is located in his mobile communication network. A network management method for an incoming call, wherein when location information on a mobile subscriber is requested from a predetermined MSC for incoming call to a mobile subscriber of his mobile communication network located in another mobile communication network, the HLR is configured to use another mobile communication network where the called mobile subscriber is located. Requesting location information of the mobile subscriber to the SLMF VLR of the mobile station; When the mobile subscriber location is requested from the HLR of another mobile communication network, the SLMF VLR transmits mobile network information where the mobile subscriber is located to the HLR; Receiving the location information from the SLMF VLR, transmitting the location information to the MSC requesting the location of the mobile subscriber; The MSC includes establishing a call with the corresponding mobile subscriber through the MSC of the mobile network in the other mobile communication network where the mobile subscriber is located according to the location information.

1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional mobile communication network,

2 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a mobile subscriber location registration network in a next generation mobile communication network according to the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating a location registration process of a terminal subscriber in a method for operating a mobile subscriber location registration network in a next generation mobile communication network according to the present invention;

4 is a diagram illustrating a process of detecting a location of a terminal of another mobile communication network whose location is registered in a method for operating a mobile subscriber location registration network in a next generation mobile communication network according to the present invention;

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10, 20: mobile communication network 11, 21: VLR

12, 13, 22, 23: VLR 14, 24: STP

15, 25: SLMF VLR 16, 26: Gateway VLR

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a network structure according to the present invention, in which reference numeral 10 denotes an entire mobile communication network formed in, for example, Korea, and reference numeral 20 denotes an entire mobile communication network formed in the United States, for example. In this network configuration, the information about the terminal MT is stored in the HLRs 11 and 21, and the location information of the mobile network in which the terminal MT is located communicates with the VLRs 12 and 13 and 22 and 23. Are stored in the HLR 11, 21. Communication between the HLRs 11 and 21 and the VLRs 12 and 13 and 22 and 23 is performed through the STP (Signal Transfer Pointer) 14 and 24 as in the prior art.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, in addition to the VLRs (12, 13) (22, 23), the terminal special location manager (hereinafter referred to as SLMF) VLRs (15, 25) proposed by the present invention are STP (14, 24).

The SLMF VLRs 15 and 25 refer to functional objects for location management of terminals between countries (i.e., between mobile communication networks 10 and 20), and the mobile communication network 10 in the mobile communication network 20 or 10. Alternatively, when the terminal MT of 20) is located, location management is performed for the terminal MT. The function of the SLMF VLR 15 and 25 will be described later in detail.

In addition, in the present invention, the gateway VLRs 16 and 26 are connected to the STP 15 and 25, and the gateway VLRs 16 and 26 connect the interstate mobile communication networks 10 and 20. In other words, the gateway VLR (16) (26) is a physical entity that is made by different companies between countries but serves to mediate the connection between the mobile communication network capable of intercommunication, the terminal VLR (16) (26) Registration / tracking / user profile management is performed for calls between the mobile communication networks 10 and 20.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a location registration process of a terminal MT in the mobile communication network 10 and 20 having the above-described configuration.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the case in which the mobile station MT of the mobile subscriber to the mobile communication network 10 moves to the mobile communication network 20 is an example. However, the subscriber station of the mobile communication network 20 moves to the mobile communication network 10. The same is true even if the movement will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

As in the above example, when the mobile subscriber of the mobile communication network 10 moves to the mobile network N1 in the mobile communication network 20, the corresponding terminal MT is registered with the VLR 22 in the mobile network N1 currently located. The request signal is transmitted (S1).

When the registration request signal of the terminal MT is received, the VLR 22 determines whether the terminal MT is a terminal MT subscribed to in the mobile network N1 (S2), and if not, the terminal MT. Analyze the identification number of (S3). As a result of this analysis, if the terminal MT of the subscriber belonging to the mobile communication network 10 proceeds to step S5, if the terminal MT of the subscriber belonging to the mobile communication network 20 proceeds to step S6.

When proceeding to step S6, the VLR 22 performs the same procedure as in the prior art of sending the registration request request service request message to the HLR 21 via the STP 24. This has been described in detail above.

When the process proceeds to step S5, the VLR 22 transmits a registration request request service to the SLMF VLR 25, and the SLMF VLR 25 transmits information about the terminal MT that transmitted the registration request request service. Determine whether is stored.

As a result of the determination in step S7, if the information on the corresponding terminal MT is not stored, the SLMF VLR 25 recognizes that the subscriber terminal MT of the mobile communication network 10 first registers its location, Location registration for the MT, that is, generates and stores a profile for the mobile subscriber possessing the terminal MT (S8).

The SLMF VLR 25 requests the HLR 11 of the mobile communication network 10 to register the location of the terminal MT through the gateway VLRs 26 and 16 (S9). Location registration for the mobile subscriber station (MT) is information indicating that the SLMF VLR 25 is managing the location of the mobile subscriber station (MT), not the location of the mobile network (N1) where the mobile subscriber is currently located, as will be described later. Will be.

Meanwhile, the gateway VLR 26 may determine the address of the gateway VLR 16 in the mobile communication network 10 of the terminal MT through the identification number of the terminal MT requesting location registration.

The gateway VLR 16 of the mobile communication network 10 having received the location registration message through the gateway VLRs 26 and 16 transmits the message to the HLR 11, and the HLR 11 responds to the message to the terminal MT. Register the location for the mobile subscriber. Here, the location of the subscriber registered in the HLR 11 is the SLMF VLR 26 rather than the mobile network N1 where the terminal MT is located. The HLR 11 having registered the location of the subscriber transmits to the gateway VLR 16 that the location registration is completed, and the gateway VLR 16 transmits the SLMF VLR 25 of the mobile communication network 20 through the gateway VLR 26. It transmits to (S10).

In response to the location registration complete message from the HLR 11, the SLMF VLR 25 recognizes that the location registration of the HLR 11 with respect to the mobile subscriber is completed and performs location management of the terminal MT.

On the other hand, when the process proceeds to step S12, that is, when the information about the terminal MT is stored in the SLMF VLR 25 is a mobile network (N1) from the mobile network (for example, N2) is different from the terminal MT of the mobile subscriber ), And change the location of the mobile subscriber in the profile, that is, the profile of the mobile station MT from the mobile network N2 to the mobile network N1, and transfer the mobile subscriber to the VLR 23 of the previous mobile network N2. In step S13, a message for erasing information on the transmission is transmitted.

That is, when the mobile subscriber station MT stored in the SLMF VLR 25 moves to a new mobile network N1, the SLMF VLR 25 sends information about the new mobile network N1 to another mobile communication network 10. Instead of separately transmitting to the HLR 11 of the mobile network (N1) is to store only the information itself.

4 shows a current location detection process of a mobile subscriber (hereinafter referred to as mobile subscriber A) whose location is registered in the SLMF VLR 25 by the above-described process. That is, FIG. 4 is a flowchart for detecting a current position of the mobile subscriber A by calling another mobile subscriber A (hereinafter referred to as mobile subscriber B).

When the mobile subscriber B calls the mobile subscriber A, the MSC queries the HLR 11 of the mobile subscriber A for the current position of the mobile subscriber A (S41).

As shown in FIG. 3, since the information on the mobile subscriber station MT is stored in the SLMF VLR 25 of the mobile communication network 20, the HLR 11 stores the information on the HLR 11. Transmits the location request message to the SLMF VLR 25 via the gateway VLR (16), (26) (S42).

As described above, the SLMF VLR 25 stores information on which of the mobile subscribers is located in the mobile network. When the location request message from the HLR 11 is authorized, the SLMF VLR 25 stores the location information in the HLR 11. Transmit (S43).

The HLR 11 receiving the location information from the SLMF VLR 25 transmits the location information to the MSC in which the mobile subscriber B is located (S44), and the MSC transmits the location information according to the location information. A call setup request is made to the corresponding terminal through the MSC of the mobile network (S45).

As described above, in the present invention, by configuring a separate SLMF VLR for managing the location of other mobile network subscribers in mobile networks, whenever the other mobile network subscribers move, the location information needs to be transmitted to the HLR of the mobile communication only. This can drastically reduce signal traffic.

Accordingly, in the present invention, mobile subscriber location information between mobile communication networks can be effectively managed without signal traffic in the next generation mobile communication network.

Claims (3)

In the next generation mobile communication network for managing location information of a mobile subscriber, A VLR (Visitor Location Register) for registering and managing mobile subscribers located in a jurisdiction mobile network; A Home Location Register (HLR) which communicates with the VLR via a Signal Transfer Pointer (STP), and stores and manages a mobile network in which a mobile subscriber of its mobile communication network is located according to the information from the VLR; A Special Location Manager for Foreign MT (hereinafter referred to as SLMF) VLR, which communicates with the VLR via STP and stores and manages mobile network information in which mobile subscribers subscribed to other mobile communication networks are located; It has a gateway VLR relaying the other mobile communication network and the HLR, The SLMF VLR transmits to the HLR of another mobile communication network that the mobile subscriber of the other mobile communication network is managed when the mobile subscriber of the other mobile communication network is located in the mobile communication network. If necessary, the terminal location registration network structure in the next-generation mobile communication network configured to query the SLMF VLR of the other mobile communication network to which mobile network of the other mobile communication network to obtain the information. Special Location Manager for Foreign MT (SLMF) Terminal Location Register (VLR) that manages the location of a mobile subscriber of another mobile network when a mobile subscriber belonging to another mobile communication network is located in its own mobile communication network. As a mobile subscriber location management method of the configured next generation mobile communication network, If a mobile subscriber registration request is requested from a predetermined terminal, the VLR registers the mobile subscriber of the terminal and determines whether the mobile subscriber is subscribed to its mobile communication network; Registering the location of the mobile subscriber in a home location register (HLR) if the mobile subscriber of the terminal is subscribed to its mobile communication network; The VLR, if the mobile subscriber of the terminal is not subscribed to the own mobile communication network, applying for registration of the location of the mobile subscriber to the SLMF VLR of the mobile communication network; Determining, by the SLMF VLR, whether information on a mobile subscriber requested to be registered is stored; Updating, by the SLMF VLR, location information of the mobile subscriber if information on the mobile subscriber requested to be registered is stored; The SLMF VLR generates and stores a profile for the subscriber if the registration requested terminal subscriber information is not stored, and manages the location of the mobile subscriber in the HLR of the mobile communication network to which the mobile subscriber belongs through a gateway VLR. Delivering; And when the location registration completion message is transmitted from the HLR of the mobile communication network to which the mobile subscriber belongs, the SLMF VLR performs location management for the mobile subscriber. Special Location Manager for Foreign MT (SLMF) Terminal Location Register (VLR) that manages the location of a mobile subscriber of another mobile network when a mobile subscriber belonging to another mobile communication network is located in its own mobile communication network. In this configured next generation mobile communication network, a network management method for a call to a mobile subscriber located in the other mobile communication network, When the location information for the mobile subscriber is requested from a predetermined MSC for the reception of the mobile subscriber of the own mobile communication network located in the other mobile communication network, the HLR corresponds to the SLMF VLR of the other mobile communication network in which the called mobile subscriber is located. Requesting location information of the mobile subscriber; When the mobile subscriber location is requested from the HLR of the other mobile communication network, transmitting the mobile network information where the mobile subscriber is located to the HLR; Receiving the location information from the SLMF VLR, transmitting the location information to the MSC requesting the location of the mobile subscriber; And establishing, by the MSC, a call with the corresponding mobile subscriber through the MSC of the mobile network in the other mobile communication network in which the mobile subscriber is located according to the location information.