WO2010088817A1

WO2010088817A1 - Method and device for acquiring location information of ue by andsf

Info

Publication number: WO2010088817A1
Application number: PCT/CN2009/073576
Authority: WO
Inventors: 曲爱妍; 朱春晖
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2009-02-09
Filing date: 2009-08-27
Publication date: 2010-08-12
Also published as: CN101801060B; CN101801060A

Abstract

Method for acquiring location information of a User Equipment(UE) by Access Network Discovery and Selection Function(ANDSF) and a ANDSF device are disclosed in the present invention. In the present invention, when the location information reported by a UE is empty or the reported location information can not meet the requirement of the ANDSF, the location information of the UE is obtained under a plurality of network frameworks according to the access type of the UE, so that the system mobile policy and the network information of Evolved Packet System (EPS) are sent down to the UE accurately. The accuracy and comprehensiveness of the policy sent down by the ANDSF according to the location of the UE are realized.

Description

Method and device for acquiring UE location information by ANDSF

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of mobile communications, and in particular, to a method and an ANDSF device for acquiring location information of a user equipment (User Equipment, UE for short) in an Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF).

Background technique

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Evolved Packet System (EPS) is an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network). E-UTRAN, Mobility Management Entity (MME), Serving Gateway (S-GW), Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW or PDN GW), It is composed of a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and other supporting nodes. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the EPS system and access network architecture.

As shown in Figure 1, the EPS system supports interworking with non-3GPP systems. Interworking with non-3GPP systems is implemented through the S2a/b/c interface, and the anchor between 3GPP and non-3GPP systems is P-GW. Non-3GPP systems are classified into trusted non-3GPP IP access and untrusted non-3GPP IP access. The trusted non-3GPP IP access can be directly connected to the P-GW through the S2a interface; the untrusted non-3GPP IP access needs to be connected to the P-GW through an Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG), ePDG and The interface between the P-GWs is S2b. The S2c provides user plane-related control and mobility support between the UE and the P-GW. The supported mobility management protocol is dual-stack mobile IPv6 (Moblie IPv6 Support for Dual). Stack Hosts and Routers, referred to as DSMIPv6).

In FIG. 1, the MME is responsible for control planes such as mobility management, non-access stratum signaling processing, and user mobility management context management; the S-GW is an access gateway device connected to the E-UTRAN, in the E- Forward data between UTRAN and P-GW, and is responsible for slowing paging waiting data P-GW is a border gateway between EPS and Packet Data Network (PDN), which is responsible for PDN access and forwarding data between EPS and PDN. PCRF is a policy and charging rule functional entity. It is connected to the service network protocol (Internet Protocol, IP for short) service network through the receiving interface Rx to obtain service information. In addition, it is connected to the gateway device in the network through the Gx/Gxa/Gxc interface, and is responsible for initiating the IP bearer. Establish, guarantee the quality of service (Quality of Service, QoS for short), and perform charging control.

ANDSF was proposed in the EPC of Rel-8. When the UE is registered in the home network or in the equivalent home network, if there are 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks at the same time or multiple non-3GPP access networks exist at the same time, the EPS can be provided to the UE through the ANDSF. Incoming network information, so that the UE can select a suitable access network according to its own situation. ANDSF includes two functions: data management and control functions, which can provide network discovery and selection assistance data according to operator policies. ANDSF mainly provides two kinds of information, inter-system mobility policy and access network discovery information. The inter-system mobility policy can be hierarchical, such as: a general policy without restrictions, a policy applied according to the active state of the UE (such as different policies specified in the UE active and idle states). The access network discovery information is mainly: access network type (such as WLAN, WiMAX), access network identifier (such as SSID (Service Set Identifier) in the WLAN), accessible PLMN information, and access The priority of the network, etc. Of course, the ANDSF may also limit the amount of information provided to the UE based on information such as the current location, capacity, and the like of the UE. Of course, depending on the needs of the operator, the ANDSF can provide both types of information or only one of them.

As shown in Figure 2, it is a schematic diagram of the use of ANDSF. The ANDSF is directly connected to the UE through the S14 interface. This interface uses the OMA DM protocol. The S 14 interface supports PULL and PUSH modes. The PULL mode is mainly that the UE actively applies to the network, and triggers the ANDSF to send network information to the UE. The PUSH mode is mainly triggered by the network to send data to the UE.

As shown in Figure 3, it is the working flow chart of ANDSF. The workflow is as follows:

Step 1: The UE accesses the EPC system through the 3GPP access network or the non-3GPP access network; Step 2: The UE finds the ANDSF;

Step 3: The UE sends an access network request message to the ANDSF, where the request carries UE capability information (UE Capabilities) and UE location information (UE Location); Step 4: The ANDSF sends an access network request response message to the UE according to the location information reported by the UE, where the message carries the access network information (Available Access Network Info) and the latest system mobility policy available at the current location of the UE. Inter-system Mobility Policies); Step 5: The UE makes network selection and handover decisions;

Step 6: The UE initiates an inter-system handover according to its own needs.

The EPS support UE can switch between multiple access networks according to its own situation, and how the UE obtains the network status and selection information of its own location needs to be provided by the ANDSF. For example: When the UE is registered in the home network or in the equivalent home network, if there are 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks at the same time or multiple non-3GPP access networks exist at the same time, the UE needs to know the access network of its location. Information such as access and access is required to be provided by ANDSF. Moreover, when the operator provides a new system mobility policy (changing the priority of the network, adding other non-3GPP access networks, etc.), the network is also required to actively provide this policy to the UE.

On the network side, if the UE does not report the location information of the UE to the ANDSF, the ANDSF cannot know the location information of the UE, and does not issue the corresponding policy according to the location information of the UE. And the situation is different for various networks. There are some networks (such as WiMAX, CDMA, etc.), and the UE itself can provide accurate location information; some networks (such as 3GPP, etc.) cannot provide accurate location information by itself, and can only provide cell ID information. There are some networks (such as WLAN), and the UE itself cannot know its own location information.

In addition, if the ANDSF policy is configured according to the GPS map, if the policy information of the location needs to be searched, detailed geographical location information (such as longitude, latitude, etc.) of the UE is required. At this time, it is not enough to know only the cell ID information of the UE, and the ANDSF needs to obtain the precise location information of the UE through a way.

Summary of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method and a device for acquiring the location information of the UE by the ANDSF. The present invention can obtain the location information of the UE that meets the requirements if the location information reported by the UE cannot meet the requirements of the ANDSF.

The invention discloses a method for an ANDSF to acquire UE location information, when the ANDSF receives After the UE sends an access network request message carrying the access network type information and the location information, the method includes:

A: The ANDSF determines whether the location information carried in the access network request message is empty, and if so, step B is performed; otherwise, step C is performed;

B: The ANDSF queries its own configuration information according to the access network type information carried in the access network request message, and determines whether the access network type requires detailed location information, and if yes, performs step C; otherwise, returns Initiating a network request response message to the UE;

C: The ANDSF acquires detailed location information of the UE according to the configuration information, and then returns an access network request response message to the UE.

The configuration information of the ANDSF itself includes an access network type, whether detailed location information is needed, and a network element that obtains detailed location information.

The access network request response message carries the access network information and the system mobility policy available at the location of the UE.

If the ANDSF finds that the system mobility policy changes, and/or the access network information that is available in the location of the registered UE changes, the ANDSF sends a location request message to the UE, and obtains the location request response message of the UE. The access network request response message is sent to the UE again, where the access network request response message carries the access network information and the new system mobility policy that are available to the current location of the UE.

If the access network type is the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 3GPP IP Access Network, in the step C, the ANDSF obtains detailed location information of the UE by using the following steps:

Step la: The ANDSF requests the home subscriber server HSS to request the mobility management unit MME information to which the UE currently belongs;

Step lb: The HSS returns information about the MME to which the UE currently belongs to the ANDSF;

Step lc: The ANDSF sends a location request message to the MME, requesting location information of the UE from the MME; and

Step Id: The MME returns location information of the UE to the ANDSF.

If the location server LS is deployed in the 3GPP IP access network, the step lc and the step Id further include the following steps: Step 1): The MME sends a location request message to the LS, and requests location information of the UE from the LS; and

Step 2): The LS returns location information of the UE to the MME.

If the type of the access network is a non-3GPP IP access network and the location server LS is deployed, in the step C, the ANDSF obtains the detailed location information of the UE by the following steps: Step 2a: The ANDSF Sending a location request message to the UE;

Step 2b: After receiving the message, the UE sends a location request message to the LS.

Step 2c: The LS returns current location information of the UE; and,

Step 2d: The UE responds to the ANDSF with the received location information.

The location request message sent by the ANDSF to the UE carries, but is not limited to, a location request flag, a location information request level, and a location server address.

If the type of the access network is a non-3GPP IP access network and the location server LS is deployed, in the step C, the ANDSF obtains the detailed location information of the UE by the following steps: Step 3a: The ANDSF Requesting, by the LS, location information of the UE; and, step 3b: the LS returns location information of the UE to the ANDSF.

The present invention further discloses an ANDSF device, where the device includes a control module, a configuration module, a location acquisition module, and a transmission module, where

The control module is configured to determine whether the location information carried in the received access network request message is empty, and is further configured to query the configuration in the configuration module according to the access network type information carried in the received access network request message. a list is further configured to determine whether the access network type requires detailed location information; and is further configured to acquire detailed location information of the UE by using the location obtaining module;

The configuration module is configured to store a configuration list and a system mobility policy;

The location obtaining module is configured to obtain detailed location information of the UE;

The sending module is configured to send the access network information and the system mobility policy that are available to the UE according to the location information to the UE.

The location information reported by the UE in the present invention is empty, or the reported location information cannot be satisfied. When the requirements of the ANDSF are required, the location information of the UE is obtained in a plurality of network architectures according to the access type of the UE, so that the system mobility policy and the network information of the EPC system are accurately sent to the UE, and the ANDSF is implemented according to the UE location. The accuracy and comprehensiveness of the strategy. BRIEF abstract

1 is a schematic diagram of an EPS system and an access network architecture;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the use of ANDSF;

Figure 3 is a working flow chart of the ANDSF;

Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 5 is an overall flow chart of the method of the present invention;

6 is a working flow chart of Embodiment 1 of the method according to the present invention;

7 is a working flow chart of Embodiment 2 of the method according to the present invention;

Figure 8 is a flowchart of the operation of the third embodiment of the method of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a method in which the system mobility policy of the ANDSF changes in the method of the present invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 4, it is a schematic block diagram of the ANDSF device of the present invention, which includes a control module, a configuration module, a location acquisition module, and a sending module, where

The control module is configured to determine whether the location information carried in the received access network request message is empty, and configured to query the configuration list in the configuration module according to the access network type information carried in the received access network request message; Determining whether the access network type requires detailed location information; and acquiring, by using a location acquiring module, detailed location information of the UE;

The location obtaining module is configured to obtain detailed location information of the UE. The sending module is configured to send the access network information and the system mobility policy that are available to the UE to the UE according to the location information.

As shown in FIG. 5, it is an overall flowchart of the method according to the present invention. The method includes the following steps: Step 501: The UE accesses the EPC system through a 3GPP access network or a non-3GPP access network; Step 502: The UE finds an ANDSF;

Step 503: The UE sends an access network request message to the ANDSF.

The message carries the access network type information (Access Type), the UE capability information (UE Capabilities), and the UE location information (UE Location) of the UE.

Step 504: The ANDSF determines whether the location information carried in the received access network request message is empty, and if yes, step 506 is performed; otherwise, step 505 is performed;

Step 505: The ANDSF queries its own configuration information according to the access network type information carried in the access network request message, and determines whether the access network type requires detailed location information. If yes, step 506 is performed, otherwise, the execution is performed. Step 507;

Step 506: The ANDSF acquires detailed location information of the UE according to the configuration information. The location information may be GPS location information of the UE, such as longitude and latitude information, or may be a location of a hot spot where the UE is located. Information, the above location information is different because the LS in the 3GPP system can accurately locate the longitude and latitude information of the UE, and only the information of the hotspot can be located in the WLAN system.

Step 507: The ANDSF returns an access network request response message to the UE.

The access network request response message carries the access network information and the EPC system mobility policy available at the location of the UE.

If the ANDSF finds that the operator changes the EPC system mobility policy, the ANDSF sends a location request message to the UE, and then obtains the response message of the UE, and then sends the access network request response message to the UE again. The access network request response message carries the new EPC. The system mobility policy and the access network information available to the current location of the UE. Figure 6 is a flow chart of Embodiment 1 of the method of the present invention; the specific steps of this embodiment are described as follows:

Step 601: The UE accesses the EPC system through the 3GPP access network or the non-3GPP access network. Step 602: The UE finds the ANDSF.

Step 603: The UE sends an access network request message to the ANDSF, where the request message carries the access network type information (Access Type), the UE capability information (UE Capabilities), and the UE location information (UE Location) of the UE.

Step 604: The ANDSF searches for the configuration information of the access network according to the access network type information carried in the access network request message, and finds that the detailed location information of the UE is required.

In this step, the detailed location information of the UE is required in the following cases:

1) The location information reported by the UE is empty;

2) The location information reported by the UE is only the cell number, which cannot meet the needs of the ANDSF.

Step 605: The ANDSF requests the location information of the UE from the LS.

Step 606: The LS returns the location information of the UE to the ANDSF.

Step 607: The ANDSF sends an access network request response message to the UE.

The message carries the access network information available at the location of the UE and the latest system mobility policy.

As shown in FIG. 7 , it is a flowchart of Embodiment 2 of the method of the present invention. In this embodiment, the ANDSF acquires location information of the UE by using the UE. Specifically, the method includes the following steps:

Step 701: The UE accesses the EPC system through the 3GPP access network or the non-3GPP access network. Step 702: The UE finds the ANDSF.

Step 703: The UE sends an access network request message to the ANDSF.

The request message carries the access network type information (Access Type), the UE capability information (UE Capabilities), and the UE location information (UE Location) of the UE.

Step 704: The ANDSF searches for the configuration information of the UE according to the access network type information carried in the access network request message, and finds that the detailed location information of the UE is required. The condition that the detailed location information of the UE is required in this step is the same as that in the first embodiment.

Step 705: The ANDSF sends a location request message to the UE.

The location request message carries a location request flag, a location information request level, and a location server address.

Step 706: After receiving the location request message, the UE sends a location request message to the LS. Step 707: The LS returns the current location information of the UE to the UE.

Step 708: The UE sends the location information of the user to the ANDSF through the UE location response message. Step 709: The ANDSF sends an access network request response message to the UE, where the message includes the access network information available at the location of the UE and the latest system mobility policy. .

As shown in FIG. 8, it is a flowchart of Embodiment 3 of the method of the present invention. In this embodiment, the UE accesses the EPC system through the 3GPP access network, and the configuration information of the ANDSF is configured according to the GPS, that is, when registering. Detailed location information of the UE is required. The specific steps in this embodiment are described as follows: Step 801: The UE accesses the EPC system through the 3GPP access network.

Step 802: The UE finds an ANDSF.

Step 803: The UE sends an access network request message to the ANDSF, where the request carries the access network type information (Access Type), UE capability information (UE Capabilities), and UE location information (UE Location) of the UE;

Step 804: The location information of the UE is not the content of the GPS positioning information of the UE required by the ANDSF, and the detailed location information of the UE is required.

Step 805: The ANDSF sends a request message to the HSS to request the MME information to which the UE belongs. The message includes the identity information of the UE, and may be an ISDN (International Services Digital Network) or an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identification Number). , International Mobile Subscriber ID).

Step 806: The HSS sends the information of the MME to which the UE belongs to the ANDSF, where the information may be an IP address of the MME.

Step 807: The ANDSF requests the location information of the UE from the MME, where the request information includes identity information of the UE, such as an ISDN or an IMSI. Step 808: The MME requests location information of the UE from the LS.

Step 809: The LS returns the location information of the UE to the MME.

Step 810: The MME returns the location information of the UE to the ANDSF, where the location information of the UE and the IP address of the UE may be included.

Step 811: The ANDSF sends an access network request response message to the UE.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the method of the present invention, if the UE moves to the ANDSF and the system mobility policy of the ANDSF changes, the specific steps in this embodiment are described as follows: Step 901: System movement of the ANDSF The policy is changed and is sent to the UE. Step 902: The ANDSF sends a UE location request message to the UE, where the message carries information such as a location request flag, a location information request level, and a location server address.

Step 903: The UE checks the location information request level carried by the received message. If the location information request level is the detailed location information, detailed location information is required, that is, the situation shown in this embodiment. The location information requirement level is the cell ID. If the detailed location information of the UE (such as latitude and longitude, etc.) is not needed, the UE does not need to request detailed location information from the LS, but directly returns the location information of the UE.

Step 904: The UE sends a location request message to the LS.

Step 905: The LS returns the current location information of the UE to the UE.

Step 906: The UE sends the received location information to the ANDSF by using the UE location response message. Step 907: The ANDSF sends an access network request response message to the UE again. The access network request response message carries the location where the UE is located. Access network information and new system mobility policies.

Obviously, those skilled in the art should understand that the above modules or steps of the present invention can be implemented by a general-purpose computing device, which can be concentrated on a single computing device or distributed over a network composed of multiple computing devices. Alternatively, they may be implemented by program code executable by the computing device, such that they may be stored in the storage device by the computing device, or they may be separately fabricated into individual integrated circuit modules, or they may be Multiple modules or steps are made into a single integrated circuit module. Thus, the invention is not limited to any particular hardware and software. Piece combination.

The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention, and various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Industrial applicability

When the location information reported by the UE is empty, or the reported location information cannot meet the requirements of the ANDSF, the location information of the UE is obtained under various network architectures according to the access type of the UE, thereby moving the system of the EPC system. The policy and network information are accurately sent to the UE, which realizes the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the ANDSF according to the UE location delivery policy.

Claims

Claim

A method for acquiring location information of a user equipment UE by an access network discovery and selection function unit ANDSF, when the ANDSF receives an access network request message that carries the access network type information and location information sent by the UE The method includes the following steps:

A: The ANDSF determines whether the location information carried in the access network request message is empty, and if yes, step B is performed; otherwise, step C is performed;

B: The ANDSF queries the configuration information of the ANDSF according to the access network type information carried in the access network request message, and determines whether the access network type requires detailed location information, and if yes, performs step C; otherwise, Returning an access network request response message to the UE; and, C: the ANDSF acquires detailed location information of the UE according to the configuration information of the ANDSF, and then returns an access network request response message to the UE.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information of the ANDSF includes an access network type, whether detailed location information is needed, and a network element that obtains the detailed location information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the access network request response message carries access network information and a system mobility policy that are available at a location where the UE is located.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

If the ANDSF finds that the system mobility policy changes, and/or the access network information that is available in the location of the registered UE changes, the ANDSF sends a location request message to the UE, and obtains the location request response message of the UE. The access network request response message is sent to the UE again, where the access network request response message carries the access network information and the new system mobility policy that are available at the current location of the UE.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, if the access network type is a 3rd Generation Partnership Project 3GPP IP access network, in the step C, the ANDSF obtains the UE by the following steps: Detailed location information:

Step la: The ANDSF requests, from the home subscriber server HSS, the mobility management unit MME information to which the UE currently belongs;

Step lb: The HSS returns information about the MME currently belonging to the UE to the ANDSF; Step lc: The ANDSF sends a location request message to the MME, requesting location information of the UE from the MME; and

Step Id: The MME returns location information of the UE to the ANDSF.

The method of claim 5, wherein if the location server LS is deployed in the 3GPP IP access network, the step lc and the step Id further include the following steps:

Step 1): The MME sends a location request message to the LS, and requests location information of the UE from the LS;

Step 2): The LS returns location information of the UE to the MME.

The method of claim 1, wherein, if the access network type is a non-3GPP IP access network and a location server LS is deployed, in the step C, the ANDSF obtains the Detailed location information of the UE:

Step 2a: The ANDSF sends a location request message to the UE.

Step 2c: The LS returns current location information of the UE; and,

Step 2d: The UE responds to the ANDSF with the received location information.

The method according to claim 5 or 7, wherein the location request message sent by the ANDSF to the UE includes a location request flag, a location information request level, and a location server address.

Step 3a: The ANDSF requests location information of the UE from the LS; and,

Step 3b: The LS returns location information of the UE to the ANDSF.

An access network discovery and selection function unit ANDSF device, the device comprising a control module, a configuration module, a location acquisition module, and a transmission module, where

The control module is configured to determine whether the location information carried in the received access network request message is empty, and is further configured to query the configuration module according to the access network type information carried in the received access network request message. Configuration list; also set to determine whether the access network type requires detailed Position information; and is further configured to acquire detailed location information of the user equipment UE by using the location obtaining module;

The configuration module is configured to store the configuration list and a system mobility policy;

The location obtaining module is configured to acquire detailed location information of the UE;