KR20040028044A - Home Networking Agent and its driving method in NGN - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A home networking agent, a method for driving the same, and a recording medium are provided to collect status information and charging information in a smooth manner. CONSTITUTION: A home networking agent comprises authentication modules(111,211) for authenticating a subscriber terminal(120) by transmitting the identification and password inputted from the subscriber terminal to an end point(210) of a soft switch; status management modules(112,212) for monitoring the status of the subscriber terminal authenticated by the authentication modules, and transmitting the status change information of the subscriber terminal to the end point of the soft switch when the power of the subscriber terminal is turned off; charging modules(113,213) for measuring the traffic downloaded to the subscriber terminal authenticated by the authentication modules and the traffic uploaded from the subscriber terminal authenticated by the authentication modules, and transmitting the measured traffic to the end point of the soft switch; and a database for storing general information regarding the subscriber terminal and status information and charging information in accordance with the control of the status management modules and charging modules.

Description

Home Networking Agent and its Driving Method in Next Generation Networks {Home Networking Agent and its driving method in NGN}

The present invention relates to Next Generation Network (NGN), and more particularly, to a home networking agent for softswitch load balancing and a method of driving the same. The invention also relates to a computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for running a home networking agent.

The Internet provides a service that anyone can use and use. As a result, the Internet has exploded in quantity and played a role in driving the information society. On the other hand, the Internet service did not make much progress. That is, the qualitative development is less than that of the quantitative development of the Internet. Next-generation network (NGN) is a platform for qualitatively developing the quantitatively growing internet, providing users with beneficial and convenient services, providing service providers with development environments for accessing network and service resources, and providing certification and billing. Provide a service platform that can act on charges.

Next Generation Network (NGN) is a network that supports the transmission of voice, video, fax, and data traffic through the same link, and is a network in which separate networks such as PSTN network, cable network, wireless network, and IP network are integrated. . Structures and network elements for next generation networks are defined for the purpose of integration and classification of functional layers. The NGN service provided by the Next Generation Network (NGN) is basically a paid service. For this purpose, the NGN service must have the ability to control the user's connection session and data session for billing and user control.

The configuration of network elements of the next-generation network for providing such NGN service is briefly shown in FIG. This includes a subscriber terminal of the home 100 connected through the network 400, and a softswitch 200 and an application server 300 connected to the network 400 and in charge of call control. Application server 300 is a server that provides a variety of services ported by the service provider to the subscriber terminal of the home 100, the soft switch 200 is a basic platform of the NGN network, which is input from the subscriber terminal of the home 100 It controls the call to control the session between the application server 300 and the subscriber terminal, and the server for the authentication and billing on behalf of the service provider. As a subscriber terminal of the home 100, various devices such as a general personal computer (PC), a telephone, a wireless telephone, a PDA, and the like may be used.

When a user accesses a next-generation network by inputting an account (ID) and a password for an NGN service using a subscriber terminal of the home 100, an access right for the NGN service is granted. When the user selects a desired service, an application program for connecting to the corresponding service is downloaded and installed in the subscriber terminal, and the subscriber terminal operates the application program to receive the NGN service. When the subscriber terminal of the indoor 100 connects to the application server 300 or another subscriber terminal using the corresponding application program, the soft switch 200 checks the service use authority of the corresponding indoor 100 subscriber terminal and connects between the terminals. To control which data sessions are allowed. When the data session is connected, the soft switch 200 charges it.

In order to control and manage subscriber stations in NGN networks, a network device capable of controlling each terminal should be installed at a point of presence (POP).

If the NGN service provides only telephone service, the subscriber terminal (telephone) is connected to a specific access gateway or telephone exchange, so there is no problem with authentication or session management. However, when the NGN service is expanded to a multimedia service, it is difficult to install various network devices in each terminal because various types of subscriber terminals and access methods are available, and softswitches manage or charge status information of each subscriber terminal and application programs. There is a problem that is difficult to collect information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention devised to solve the above problems of the prior art is to communicate with a soft switch, control a user terminal and an application, and home networking in a next-generation network capable of smoothly collecting status information and billing information. An agent, to provide a driving method thereof.

1 is a schematic system diagram of a general next generation network (NGN),

2 is a block diagram showing a soft switch and a home network according to the present invention;

3 is a block diagram of a home networking agent according to the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of driving a home networking agent according to the present invention.

※ Explanation of code about main part of drawing ※

110: home networking agent 111: authentication module

112: state management module 113: charging module

114: state management database 115: billing database

120: subscriber station 210: endpoint

211: authentication module 212: status management module

213: charging module 214: authentication database

215: state management database 216: billing database

Home networking agent in the next generation network according to the present invention for achieving the above object is connected between the endpoint of the soft switch and the subscriber terminal,

An authentication module for authenticating the subscriber station by transmitting an ID and a password inputted from the subscriber station to the endpoint of the soft switch;

Monitoring a state of a subscriber station authenticated by the authentication module and transmitting state change information of the subscriber station to an end point of the soft switch when the power of the subscriber station is turned off;

A charging module for measuring the amount of traffic downloaded to the subscriber station authenticated by the authentication module and the amount of traffic uploaded from the authenticated subscriber station, respectively, and delivering the traffic to the endpoint of the soft switch;

And a database storing general information about the subscriber station authenticated by the authentication module under the control of the status management module and the charging module, and state information and charging information.

In addition, in the method of driving a home networking agent in a next generation network according to the present invention, when the home networking agent inputs an ID and a password from a subscriber station, the ID and password of the subscriber station are set at the end of the soft switch. An authentication step of transmitting to a point to authenticate a service use right of the subscriber station;

The home networking agent, when an authentication result is input from the endpoint of the soft switch after the authentication step, an authentication result transmitting step of transmitting the authentication result to the subscriber station;

The home networking agent measuring the amount of traffic downloaded to the authenticated subscriber station and the amount of traffic uploaded from the authenticated subscriber station, respectively, and transmitting to the endpoint of the soft switch;

The home networking agent periodically monitors the status of the authenticated subscriber station, and if the subscriber station is powered off, transmitting status change information of the subscriber station to the endpoint of the soft switch. It is done.

The present invention also provides a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the home networking agent driving method as described above in a next generation network.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in more detail "home networking agent and its driving method and recording medium in the next generation network" according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a soft switch and a premises network according to the present invention. The softswitch 200 has an end point 210, which manages and controls the home networking agent 110 of the premises 100. The home network is built in the home 100, and the home network includes a home networking agent 110 and a plurality of subscriber terminals and applications 120 (hereinafter, also referred to as subscriber terminals). The home networking agent 110 controls each subscriber station 120 connected to the home network. The home networking agent 110 performs a user authentication function, a terminal status check function, and a charging information collection function.

3 is an internal configuration diagram of an endpoint and a home networking agent according to the present invention.

The endpoint 210 includes an authentication module 211 that performs actual authentication, a state management module 212 managing state information input from the home networking agent 110, and accounting information input from a home networking agent. It includes a charging module 213 for storing the authentication database 214, a state management database 215 and a charging database 216.

In addition, the home networking agent 110 communicates with the authentication module 211 of the endpoint 210 and performs an authentication proxy function. The authentication module 111 periodically checks the state of the terminal and the end. The state management module 112 for providing the state information of the terminal to the state management module 212 of the point 210 and the charging information of the terminal to collect the charging module 213 of the endpoint 210 of the terminal And a charging module 113 for providing information, and a state management database 114 and a charging database 115 for storing necessary information.

The authentication module 111 of the home networking agent 110 performs an authentication proxy function, and performs authentication while communicating with the authentication module 211 of the endpoint 210 to the subscriber station to access the NGN network. In this case, the home networking agent 110 acquires the session control right of the subscriber station 120.

When the subscriber station is powered on and connected to the network, the soft switch must register the subscriber station's network address and monitor the state of the subscriber station. The present invention performs the state monitoring of the subscriber station in the state management module 112 of the home networking agent 110, the state management module 112 of the home networking agent 110 detects when the power of the subscriber terminal is turned off and Notifies the state management module 211 of the endpoint 210. The soft switch then disables the state of the subscriber station. In this case, the subscriber station may change the network address and access the network again. In this case, the subscriber station recognizes that the network address is changed by operating from the authentication module.

The charging module 113 of the home networking agent 110 of the present invention measures the amount of traffic for each subscriber station and delivers it to the charging module 213 of the end point 210. You can charge according to the traffic volume.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of driving a home networking agent according to the present invention.

When the user inputs an ID and password (S401) to access the NGN network using the subscriber station (S401), the authentication module 111 of the home networking agent inputs the ID and password of the subscriber station 120 to the softswitch endpoint. It passes to the authentication module 211 (S402). The authentication module 211 of the softswitch endpoint then authenticates the subscriber station 120 and transmits the result to the authentication module 111 of the home networking agent. When the authentication result is input from the soft switch (S403), the authentication module 111 of the home networking agent determines whether the authentication is successful (S404). If the authentication fails in step S404 and transmits an authentication failure message to the subscriber station 120 and ends (S405). If the authentication is successful in step S404, and transmits an authentication success message to the subscriber terminal 120, and registers the information about the authenticated subscriber terminal in the state management module 112 and the charging module 113 (S406).

Then the state management module 112 stores the ID and IP address of the subscriber station in the state management database 114, the charging module 113 stores the ID of the subscriber station in the charging database 115 and records the access start time. (S407). The state management module 112 transmits the ID and IP address of the subscriber station to the state management module 212 of the soft switch endpoint, and the charging module 113 provides the subscriber to the charging module 213 of the soft switch endpoint. The ID of the terminal is transmitted (S408).

The state management module 112 of the home networking agent that registers the ID and IP address of the subscriber station periodically outputs a ping signal to the IP address of the subscriber station and manages the state. The charging module 113 is uploaded to the subscriber station. Alternatively, the traffic amount is downloaded and the traffic amount is updated in the billing database, and the state management module 112 and the billing module 113 transmit the measured state information and the billing information of the subscriber station to the soft switch (S409). .

After the status management module 112 of the home networking agent outputs a ping signal to the subscriber station and receives a response to the ping signal from the subscriber station (S410), the process returns to step S409 and the ping at step S410. If a response to the (ping) signal is not received, the corresponding subscriber station is recognized to be turned off, the corresponding subscriber station information is deleted from the state management database, and the connection end time is stored in the charging database and transmitted to the soft switch (S411). . Then, the information on the subscriber station is deleted from the state management database and the charging database (S412). When the subscriber station is disconnected, the information on the subscriber station is deleted from the state management database and the charging database of the softswitch endpoint.

While the invention has been described above based on the preferred embodiments thereof, these embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, or adjustments to the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims, and should be construed as including all such changes, modifications or adjustments.

As described above, according to the present invention, by installing a home networking agent in the subscriber's premises, operations such as authentication, status management, and billing collection, which generate a large load in the soft switch, can be distributed to the subscriber's premises. It is effective to implement NGN service efficiently.

Claims (6)

A home networking agent connected between an endpoint of a softswitch and a subscriber station to perform authentication, state management, and billing for the subscriber station, An authentication module for authenticating the subscriber station by transmitting an ID and a password inputted from the subscriber station to the endpoint of the soft switch; Monitoring the status of the subscriber station authenticated by the authentication module and transmitting the state change information of the subscriber station to the endpoint of the soft switch when the power of the subscriber station is turned off; A charging module for measuring the amount of traffic downloaded to the subscriber station authenticated by the authentication module and the amount of traffic uploaded from the authenticated subscriber station, respectively, and delivering the traffic to the endpoint of the soft switch; And a database storing general information about the subscriber station authenticated by the authentication module under the control of the state management module and the charging module, and a database storing state information and charging information. The method of claim 1, wherein the state management module outputs a ping signal to the IP address of the subscriber station, and recognizes that the subscriber station is turned off if there is no response from the subscriber station. Featuring home networking agents in next generation networks. A method of driving a home networking agent connected between an endpoint of a softswitch and a subscriber station to perform authentication, state management, and billing for the subscriber station, When the ID and password are input from the subscriber station, the home networking agent transmits the ID and password of the subscriber station to the endpoint of the soft switch, thereby authenticating the service use rights of the subscriber station. An authentication step; The home networking agent, when an authentication result is input from the endpoint of the soft switch after the authentication step, an authentication result transmitting step of transmitting the authentication result to the subscriber station; The home networking agent measuring the amount of traffic downloaded to the authenticated subscriber station and the amount of traffic uploaded from the authenticated subscriber station, respectively, and transmitting to the endpoint of the soft switch; The home networking agent periodically monitors the status of the authenticated subscriber station, and if the subscriber station is powered off, transmitting status change information of the subscriber station to the endpoint of the soft switch. A method of running a home networking agent in a next generation network. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting of the status information, In the next generation network, the home networking agent outputs a ping signal to the IP address of the subscriber station and recognizes that the subscriber station is turned off if there is no response from the subscriber station. To run your home networking agent. [4] The home networking agent of claim 3, wherein the charging information is transmitted based on the upload and download traffic amount of the authenticated subscriber station. Home networking agent, When the ID (ID) and password is input from the subscriber terminal, the authentication step of transmitting the ID (ID) and password of the subscriber terminal to the endpoint of the soft switch, to authenticate the service use rights of the subscriber terminal; An authentication result transmission step of transmitting the authentication result to the subscriber station when an authentication result is input from the endpoint of the soft switch after the authentication step; A billing information transmission step of measuring the amount of traffic downloaded to the authenticated subscriber station and the amount of traffic uploaded from the authenticated subscriber station, respectively, and transmitting the measured amount to the endpoint of the soft switch; Periodically monitoring the status of the authenticated subscriber station, and transmitting the state information of the subscriber station to the endpoint of the soft switch when the power of the subscriber station is turned off. A computer-readable recording medium that records the data.