WO2012028071A1

WO2012028071A1 - Method and system for searching local gateway

Info

Publication number: WO2012028071A1
Application number: PCT/CN2011/078931
Authority: WO
Inventors: 王静; 宗在峰; 周娜
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2010-09-03
Filing date: 2011-08-25
Publication date: 2012-03-08
Also published as: CN102387490A; CN102387490B

Abstract

A method for searching a local gateway is provided by the present invention, including that: at the time of establishing a local access connection, a mobility management unit of the Core Network determines a Home NodeB gateway (701); the Home NodeB gateway searches a Home NodeB attached by a user, and determines the corresponding local gateway according to the Home NodeB (702). A system for searching the local gateway is also provided by the present invention. The present invention enables to search an effective local gateway for the user, little modifying for the current device, reducing unnecessary configuration and interface function extension, and being simple to implement.

Description

Method and system for querying local gateway

The present invention relates to the field of mobile communications, and more particularly to a method and system for querying a local gateway. Background technique

As the air interface rate increases and the number of data users increases, the amount of user data in the future will explode. This will inevitably impact the existing core network. The existing core network elements can only be expanded. Users provide satisfactory service. Considering that the increased data is mostly caused by Internet (Internet) services, mobile operators hope to perform local internet data offloading without changing the existing network, avoiding a large amount of data impacting the core network and meeting user needs. The concept of local access.

The introduction of home base stations (HNB, Home NodeB) extends the range of applications for local access. As the exclusive resource of some users, the home base station is deployed in private places such as homes, groups, companies or schools, mainly to provide users with higher service rates and lower the cost of using high-speed services. Insufficient coverage of distributed cellular wireless communication systems. Users can access other IP devices on the home network and IP devices in the enterprise network through the home base station. This application is also called local access because the data stream is not sent through the core network.

In summary, there are two types of local access functions defined by the standard organization: one is SIPTO, Selected IP Traffic Offload, which is applied to Internet networks or other specific IP networks; First, local IP access (LIPA) , Local IP Access ), applied to access to local network IP devices.

In order to implement the local access function, a gateway for performing data offloading, that is, a local gateway, is added to the network, as shown in FIG. The local gateway can be combined with the wireless side network element or wirelessly Near the side network element (ie, external), it can also be set up with the home base station gateway or near the home base station gateway (ie, external). For users who support local access, traditional core network access data paths and local access data paths can be established at the same time. As shown in Figure 1, for a locally accessed connection, the local access data path is from the terminal to the wireless side network element to the local gateway, and the data transmission does not pass through the core network.

(CN, Core Network). In order to achieve local access to other IP devices, the Internet or other specific IP networks of the home network, two local access connections can be established. The first local access data path directly accesses the Internet or other specific IP networks (Internet or other specific The IP connection of the network, ie the SIPTO connection). The second local access data path directly accesses other IP devices on the home network (home network IP connection, ie LIPA connection).

Figure 2 shows a system architecture diagram for performing local access. The local gateway can be set up or separated from the wireless side network element. This architecture takes the case of a home base station as an example. The uplink local access data received by the home base station is sent from the interface between the home base station and the local gateway, and the downlink local access data received by the local gateway is also sent from the interface, and the interface has a General Packet Radio Service Technology Tunneling Protocol (GTP). The -C and GTP-U protocol stacks do not have a standardized name. Local access The connection is managed by the control plane network element through the service gateway to the local gateway. The packet data gateway is used to forward core network data. The core network downlink data is sent through the home base station, the serving gateway, and the packet data gateway. The S1-MME (Mobility Management Entity), Sl-U, and S5 interfaces in the architecture are standardized interfaces, and the present invention does not describe the specific functions.

The local gateway is a mandatory unit that supports the local access function. The core network needs to select a suitable local gateway for the user to provide true local data offload and complete the traffic offloading. Therefore, the choice of the local gateway is a function that the core network device must support. Two local gateway selection methods are proposed on the standard.

The first method is to query by the i or the name system (DNS, Domain Name System), that is, to find the local gateway corresponding to the current location of the user according to the current location of the user (the base station information accessed by the user), and the method needs to base the base station and The mapping of the local gateway is configured to the DNS system. This affects the configuration complexity of existing DNS devices and requires a dynamic DNS registration mechanism to be implemented.

The second method is to report the local gateway address information through the base station. In this manner, the local gateway address information is configured on the base station. When the user accesses the base station, the base station reports the information to the core network. This method increases the configuration workload of the network management system, modifies the existing air interface protocol, and the core network element does not activate the existing DNS mode for gateway query to affect the device function. Summary of the invention

In view of this, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and system for querying a local gateway, which can query a valid local gateway for a user, have small changes to existing devices, and reduce unnecessary configuration and interface function expansion. Simple to implement.

In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows:

The present invention provides a method for querying a local gateway, the method comprising:

When the local access connection is established, the core network mobility management unit determines the home base station gateway; the home base station gateway looks up the home base station to which the user is attached, and determines the corresponding local gateway according to the home base station.

The core network mobility management unit determines the home base station gateway, and the method includes: the core network mobility management unit sends a DNS query request message to the domain name system (DNS), where the DNS query request message carries the query input parameter;

The DNS system receives the DNS query request message, and determines, according to the correspondence between the pre-configured query input parameter and the home base station gateway, the address or identifier of the home base station gateway corresponding to the query input parameter, and returns the mobility management to the core network. Unit

The core network mobility management unit determines the home base station gateway according to an address or identifier of the home base station gateway.

The core network mobility management unit determines the home base station gateway, and specifically includes: The core network mobility management unit determines, according to the corresponding relationship between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway, the address or identifier of the home base station gateway corresponding to the query input parameter;

When the mobility management unit is a mobility management entity (MME), the query input parameters include: a tracking area identifier (TAI), an evolved base station identifier (eNB ID), a base station type accessed by a user, and a local access connection. One or several of the types;

When the mobility management unit serves the S4 serving GPRS support node (SGSN) or the Gn/Gp SGSN, the query input parameters include: a route area identifier (RAI), a radio network controller identifier (RNC ID), and user access. One or more of the type of base station, and the type of local access connection.

The home base station gateway searches for a home base station to which the user is attached, specifically:

The home base station gateway determines the home base station to which the user is attached according to parameters carried in the control plane message.

When the mobility management unit is the MME, the control plane message is a create session request message, and the parameter is a universal terrestrial radio access network evolved global cell identity (ECGI) identifier; when the mobility management unit is an S4 SGSN The control plane message is a create session request message, where the parameter is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) identifier;

When the mobility management unit is a Gn/Gp SGSN, the control plane message is a PDP context request message, and the parameter is an IMSI identifier.

The home base station gateway determines the corresponding local gateway according to the home base station, and specifically includes: when the home base station and the local gateway are set up, the home base station is a local gateway; or, when the home base station and the local gateway are separately set, the The home base station gateway determines the local gateway corresponding to the home base station according to the corresponding relationship between the home base station and the local gateway configured by itself. When the mobility management unit is an MME or an S4 SGSN, the establishing a local access connection includes:

Establishing a local access data tunnel connected to the core network side between the terminal, the home base station, the home base station gateway, and the serving gateway according to the control plane message; or, between the terminal, the home base station, and the serving gateway Establishing a local access data tunnel connected to the core network side; establishing an optimized data tunnel for the local access connection between the home base station and the local gateway according to the control plane message.

When the local access is connected to the data tunnel on the core network side, the control plane message includes: creating a session request message, and creating a session response message;

When the optimized data tunnel for establishing a local access connection is established, the control plane message is a bearer setup request message.

When the mobility management unit is a Gn/Gp SGSN, the establishing a local access connection includes:

Establishing a local access data tunnel connected to the core network side between the terminal, the home base station, the home base station gateway, and the Gn/Gp SGSN according to the control plane message; or, at the terminal, the home base station, and the Establishing a data tunnel between the Gn/Gp SGSN and the local access connection on the core network side;

An optimized data tunnel for establishing a local access connection between the home base station and the local gateway is established according to the control plane message.

When the local access is connected to the data tunnel on the core network side, the control plane message includes: creating a PDP context request message, and creating a PDP context response message;

The optimized data tunnel for establishing a local access connection includes:

After receiving the bearer setup request message under the mobility management unit, the home base station gateway receives the bearer setup request message. The user plane TEID information of the local gateway is replaced with the user plane TEID information of the local gateway according to the binding relationship between the user plane tunnel end identifier (TEID) information of the local gateway and the user plane TEID information of the home base station; The bearer setup request message of the user plane TEID information of the local gateway is sent to the home base station;

The home base station establishes an optimized data tunnel for the local access connection with the local gateway according to the user plane TEID information of the local gateway, and performs user session binding according to the user plane TEID information of the local gateway.

The present invention also provides a system for querying a local gateway, the system comprising: a core network mobility management unit and a home base station gateway;

The core network mobility management unit is configured to determine the home base station gateway;

The home base station gateway is configured to look up a home base station to which the user is attached, and determine a corresponding local gateway according to the home base station.

The core network mobility management unit is further configured to determine, according to a corresponding relationship between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway, the address or identifier of the home base station gateway corresponding to the query input parameter, and according to the home base station gateway Addressing or identifying the home base station gateway; or

The system further includes a DNS subsystem, configured to determine, according to a correspondence between the pre-configured query input parameter and the home base station gateway, when the DNS query request message sent by the core network mobility management unit is received, The address or identifier of the home base station gateway corresponding to the parameter is returned to the core network mobility management unit.

The home base station gateway is further configured to determine a home base station attached to the user according to parameters carried in the control plane message.

The home base station gateway is further configured to: when the home base station and the local gateway are combined, determine that the home base station is a local gateway; and further, when the home base station and the local gateway are separately set, according to the home base station configured by itself Corresponding relationship with the local gateway, determining corresponding to the home base station Local gateway.

The core idea of the present invention for querying the local gateway is: The core network side determines a home base station gateway as a local gateway proxy, that is, the core network side considers the home base station gateway to be the local gateway to be queried, but in essence the home base station gateway is not truly local. Gateway; then, the home base station gateway queries the local gateway. In this way, the local gateway query method implemented by the home base station gateway does not need to change the configuration of the DNS system, nor does it need to extend the existing configuration and interface, which is very simple to implement. DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of data flow paths for local access and traditional core network access;

Figure 2 is a system architecture diagram for performing local access;

3 is a schematic flowchart of querying a local gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a schematic flowchart of querying a local gateway according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of querying a local gateway according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

6 is a schematic flowchart of querying a local gateway according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention;

7 is a schematic flowchart of a method for querying a local gateway according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a system for querying a local gateway according to the present invention. detailed description

The technical solutions of the present invention are further elaborated below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The core idea of the present invention for querying the local gateway is: The core network side determines a home base station gateway as a local gateway proxy, that is, the core network side considers the home base station gateway to be the local gateway to be queried, but in essence the home base station gateway is not truly local. Gateway; then, the home base station gateway queries the local gateway.

The technical solution of the present invention will be described below by way of specific embodiments.

Embodiment 1 The process of querying the local gateway in the process of establishing a local access PDN connection by the LTE network terminal is as shown in FIG. 3, and includes the following steps:

Step 301: The terminal initiates a Public Data Network (PDN) connection establishment request message, where the normal access point name (APN, Access Point Name), or a specific APN, or a special indication is used to indicate local access. request.

Here, the normal APN refers to the standard defined APN; the specific APN refers to the ideographically modified APN or the newly defined APN, which is used only for local access services in the present invention; the special indication refers to indicating the user's will (eg, Local access request) and newly defined parameters.

The MME determines whether the user is allowed to establish a local access PDN connection according to the MME. The specific APN carried in the message, or a special indication, is combined with the user subscription data to determine whether the user is allowed to establish a LIPA connection. If yes, perform the following steps, otherwise reject the user's PDN connection setup request message.

Step 303: If the MME determines that the user is allowed to establish a local access (LIPA or SIPTO) PDN connection, the DNS query mechanism is started, and a DNS query request message is sent to the DNS system, and the tracking area identifier (TAI, Tracking Area Identity) of the prior art is used. Or an evolved base station identity (eNB ID) (for the core network mobility management unit, the eNB ID identifies the home base station gateway) as a query input parameter. Optionally, in order to ensure the correctness of the local gateway selection, the MME may further determine the type of the base station accessed by the user, or the type of the local access PDN connection (LIPA or SIPTO), and use the query as a query input parameter to perform local gateway query.

Step 304: The DNS system returns the address or the identifier of the home base station gateway as the local gateway information, and returns the response to the MME through the DNS query. In this method, the correspondence between the above query input parameters (here, a single parameter or a combination of parameters) and the home base station gateway needs to be preset in the DNS device. If the corresponding relationship between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway described in step 303 and step 304 is configured on the MME, step 303 and step 304 may be omitted, that is, in step 302, when the MME determines that the user is allowed to establish a local access PDN connection, The address or the identifier of the home base station gateway (ie, local resolution) can be obtained according to the corresponding relationship between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway, and step 305 is directly executed.

Step 305: The MME may determine a home base station gateway according to the address or identifier of the home base station gateway, and use the home base station gateway as a local gateway proxy to create a local access PDN connection (LIPA or SIPTO), and send it to the serving gateway (S-GW). The create session request message carries the address or identifier of the home base station gateway obtained from the DNS system or locally resolved.

It should be noted that the home base station gateway is used as a local gateway proxy because: the home base station gateway selected here is not a true local gateway, but the core network side considers the home base station gateway to be a local gateway. Therefore, the present invention will It is called a local gateway proxy.

Step 306: The S-GW finds the home base station gateway according to the address or identifier of the home base station gateway, and forwards a create session request message to the S-GW, where the message carries the address of the S-GW, and the tunnel of the control plane and the user plane of the S-GW. The TEID (Tunnel End Point identifier) information is stored by the home base station gateway for establishing a data tunnel.

Step 307: After receiving the Create Session Request message, the home base station gateway receives an E-UTRAN (E-UTRAN Cell Global Identifier) according to the E-UTRAN (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Acces Network) carried in the message. The identification of the home base station (including the local gateway function) attached to the user, that is, the real local gateway, is completed by the local gateway.

Step 308: The home base station gateway forwards a create session request message to the home base station (including the local gateway function), where the address or identifier of the home base station gateway, and the user plane and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and the home base station (including the local gateway) are carried. Function) Save this information to establish a data tunnel. Step 309: The home base station (including the local gateway function) generates a user context according to the received create session request message, and establishes a data tunnel in which the local access PDN is connected to the core network side.

Step 310: The home base station (including the local gateway function) returns a session creation response message to the home base station gateway, where the message carries the address of the local gateway, and the user plane and control plane TEID information of the local gateway. After receiving the message, the home base station gateway records the binding relationship between the user plane TEID information of the local gateway and the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway.

Step 311: The home base station gateway returns a create session response message to the S-GW, where the message carries the address of the home base station gateway, and the user plane and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and the S-GW saves the information for local access to the PDN. The establishment of a data tunnel connected to the core network side.

Step 312: The S-GW returns a create session response message to the MME, where the message carries the address of the S-GW, the user plane and the control plane TEID information of the S-GW, and the TEID information of the user plane and the control plane of the home base station gateway, and the MME This information is saved for local access to the establishment of a data tunnel on the core network side of the PDN connection. At this point, the local access PDN connection is completed on the core network side.

The foregoing steps 305-312 are a process of establishing a local access PDN to the data tunnel of the core network based on the control plane message (mainly the user plane TEID information of the network element through which the data tunnel carried in the message), the tunnel is established in Between the terminal, the home base station, the home base station gateway, and the S-GW.

Step 313: The MME creates an air interface bearer, and initiates a bearer setup request message, where the message carries the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway and the PDN connection accept message.

Step 314: The home base station gateway replaces the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway with the user plane TEID information of the local gateway according to the binding relationship recorded in step 310.

Step 315: The home base station gateway sends a bearer setup request message to the home base station, where the message carries the user plane TEID information of the local gateway and the PDN connection accept message. Step 316: The home base station establishes an optimized data tunnel for the local access PDN connection: the tunnel is established between the home base station and the local gateway, and the user session binding is performed according to the user plane TEID information of the local gateway.

Step 317: The home base station sends a radio resource control protocol (RRC, Radio Resource Control) connection reconfiguration message to establish an air interface bearer, and sends a PDN connection accept message to the terminal.

Step 318, the subsequent steps of the PDN connection process are completed according to the prior art, which is not described in this embodiment.

Embodiment 2

This embodiment is similar to the process of the first embodiment. The difference is that the data tunnel of the local access PDN connection on the core network side is established between the terminal, the home base station and the S-GW, and the data is not forwarded by the home base station gateway. , Data reduces the number of transmission hops, convenient and fast. The main method is as follows: Step 408: When forwarding the session creation request message, the home base station gateway sends the TEID information of the control plane of the home base station gateway and the TEID information of the user plane of the S-GW to the home base station (including the local gateway). The home base station distinguishes the control plane and the user plane path according to the TEID information, sends a control plane message to the home base station gateway, and the user plane data is sent to the S-GW.

In the step 308 of the first embodiment, the creation session request message sent to the home base station (including the local gateway) carries the TEID information of the address, user plane and control plane of the home base station gateway, and the home base station directly controls the control plane. The message and the user plane data are sent to the home base station gateway; and then forwarded to the S-GW by the home base station gateway.

Step 411: The home base station gateway, in response to the create session request message, carries the TEID information of the control plane of the home base station gateway and the user plane TEID information of the local gateway in the create session response message. The S-GW distinguishes the control plane from the user plane path according to the TEID, and sends a control plane message to the home base station gateway to send the user plane data to the home base station.

In step 311 of the first embodiment, the session response message sent to the S-GW is carried. With the TEID information of the address, user plane and control plane of the home base station gateway, the S-GW directly sends the control plane message and the user plane data to the home base station gateway; and then the home base station gateway forwards to the home base station.

In summary, when the local access PDN is connected to the data tunnel on the core network side, the home base station gateway only performs the user plane tunnel identifier replacement, and does not process the control plane tunnel identifier to ensure that the control plane message is forwarded through the home base station gateway.

In this way, the user plane data is established by locally accessing the data tunnel of the PDN connected to the core network side. Thus, in this embodiment, the tunnel is established between the terminal, the home base station, and the S-GW.

Embodiment 3

The process of querying the local gateway in the process of establishing a Local Access Packet Data Protocol (PDP) connection in the UMTS network terminal is as shown in FIG. 5, and includes the following steps:

Step 501: The terminal initiates an activation PDP context request, where the normal APN, or a specific APN, or a special indication is used to indicate a local access request.

In step 502, the core network mobility management unit S4 serves the GPRS support node (SGSN) to determine whether the user is allowed to establish a local access PDP connection. The S4 SGSN determines whether the normal APN carried in the message in step 501 is combined with the user subscription data. The user is allowed to establish a SIPTO connection. The S4 SGSN determines whether to allow the user to establish a LIPA connection according to the specific APN carried in the message in step 501 or a special indication combined with the user subscription data. If yes, perform the following steps, otherwise reject the user's Activate PDP Context Request message.

Step 503: If the S4 SGSN determines that the user is allowed to establish a local access (LIPA or SIPTO) PDP connection, then the DNS query mechanism is started, a DNS query request message is sent to the DNS system, and a Routing Area Identification (RAI) or a wireless network is used. Controller Identification (RNC ID) (For the core network mobility management unit, the RNC ID identifies the home base station gateway) as a query input parameter. Optionally, in order to ensure the correctness of the local gateway selection, the S4 SGSN may further determine the type of the base station accessed by the user, or the type of the local access PDP connection (LIPA or SIPTO), and use the query as a query input parameter to perform local gateway query.

Step 504: The DNS system uses the address or the identifier of the home base station gateway as the local gateway information, and returns the response to the S4 SGSN through the DNS query. In this method, the correspondence between the above query input parameters (here, a single parameter or a combination of parameters) and the home base station gateway may be preset in the DNS device.

If the corresponding relationship between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway described in step 503 and step 504 is configured on the S4 SGSN, step 503 and step 504 may be omitted. In step 502, the S4 SGSN determines that the user is allowed to establish a local access PDP connection. Then, according to the correspondence between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway, the address or identifier of the home base station gateway (ie, local resolution) can be obtained, and step 505 is directly executed.

Step 505: The S4 SGSN may determine a home base station gateway according to the address or identifier of the home base station gateway, and create a local access PDP connection (LIPA or SIPTO) as the local gateway proxy, and send the session to the S-GW. The request message carries the home base station gateway address or identifier obtained from the DNS system or locally resolved.

Step 506: The S-GW finds the home base station gateway according to the address or identifier of the home base station gateway, and forwards a create session request message to the S-GW, where the message carries the address of the S-GW, and the control plane of the S-GW and the TEID of the user plane. Information, the home base station gateway saves this information and is used to establish a data tunnel.

Step 507: After receiving the session creation request message, the home base station gateway carries the message according to the message. The International Mobile Subscriber Identification Number (IMSI) identifies the home base station (including the local gateway function) attached to the user, that is, the real local gateway, and the local gateway query is completed.

Step 508: The home base station gateway forwards a create session request message to the home base station (including the local gateway function), where the address of the home base station gateway, and the user plane and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and the home base station (including the local gateway function) are carried. Save this information and the user establishes a data tunnel.

Step 509: The home base station (including the local gateway function) generates a user context according to the received create session request message, and establishes a data tunnel in which the local access PDP is connected to the core network side.

Step 510: The home base station (including the local gateway function) returns a session creation response message to the home base station gateway, where the message carries the address of the local gateway, and the user plane and control plane TEID information of the local gateway. After receiving the message, the home base station gateway records the binding relationship between the user plane TEID information of the local gateway and the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway.

Step 511: The home base station gateway returns a create session response message to the S-GW, where the message carries the address of the home base station gateway, and the user plane and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and the S-GW saves the information for local access PDP. The establishment of a data tunnel connected to the core network side.

Step 512: The S-GW returns a create session response message to the S4 SGSN, where the message carries the address of the S-GW, the user plane and control plane TEID information of the S-GW, and the user plane and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, S4. The SGSN stores this information for local access to the establishment of a data tunnel on the core network side of the PDP connection. At this point, the data tunnel establishment of the local access PDP connection on the core network side is completed.

The above steps 505-512 are a process of establishing a local access PDP connection data tunnel on the core network based on the control plane message (mainly the user plane TEID information of the network element through which the data tunnel carried in the message), the tunnel is established in Terminal, home base station, home base station gateway, and S-GW between.

Step 513: The S4 SGSN creates an air interface bearer, and initiates a bearer setup request message, where the message carries the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway.

Step 514: The home base station gateway replaces the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway with the user plane TEID information of the local gateway according to the binding relationship recorded in step 510.

Step 515: The home base station gateway sends a bearer setup request message to the home base station (including the local gateway function), where the message carries the user plane TEID information of the local gateway.

Step 516: The home base station (including the local gateway function) internally establishes an optimized data tunnel for the local access PDP connection: that is, the tunnel is established between the home base station and the local gateway, and the user session binding is performed according to the user plane TEID information of the local gateway.

Step 517, the subsequent steps of the PDP context activation process are completed according to the prior art, which is not described in this embodiment.

In addition, the data tunnel of the local access PDP connected to the core network in the third embodiment may also be established between the terminal, the home base station, and the S-GW, and the data is not forwarded by the home base station gateway, and the data reduces the number of transmission hops, which is convenient and fast. The specific principle is the same as that in the second embodiment, and details are not described herein again.

Embodiment 4

The process of querying the local gateway in the process of establishing a local access PDP connection by the UMTS network terminal is as shown in FIG. 6. In this example, the core network mobility management unit is a Gn/Gp SGSN, which includes the following steps:

Step 601: The terminal initiates an activation PDP context request, where the normal APN, or a specific APN, or a special indication is used to indicate a local access request.

Step 602: The core network mobility management unit Gn/Gp SGSN determines whether the user is allowed to establish a local access PDP connection: The Gn/Gp SGSN determines whether the user is allowed to establish a SIPTO connection according to the normal APN carried in the message in step 601 and the user subscription data; The Gn/Gp SGSN combines the number of user subscriptions according to the specific APN carried in the message in step 601 or a special indication. It is determined whether the user is allowed to establish a LIPA connection. The following steps are performed if allowed, otherwise the user's Activate PDP Context Request message is rejected.

Step 603: If the Gn/Gp SGSN determines that the user is allowed to establish a local access (LIPA or SIPTO) PDP connection, then initiate a DNS query mechanism, send a DNS query request message to the DNS system, and use the prior art RAI or RNC ID (ie, The home base station gateway identifier) is used as a query input parameter. Optionally, in order to ensure the correctness of the local gateway selection, the Gn/Gp SGSN may further determine the type of the base station accessed by the user, or the local access PDP connection type (LIPA or SIPTO), and use it as a query input parameter for local gateway query. .

Step 604: The DNS system uses the address or the identifier of the home base station gateway as the local gateway information, and returns the response to the Gn/Gp SGSN through the DNS query response. In this method, the correspondence between the above query input parameters (here, a single parameter or a parameter combination) and the home base station gateway may be preset in the DNS device.

If the correspondence between the query input parameter described in step 603 and step 604 and the home base station gateway is configured on the Gn/Gp SGSN, step 603 and step 604 may be omitted. In step 602, the Gn/Gp SGSN determines that the user is allowed to establish. When the PDP connection is accessed locally, the address or identifier of the home base station gateway (that is, local resolution) can be obtained according to the correspondence between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway, and step 605 is directly executed.

Step 605: The Gn/Gp SGSN may determine a home base station gateway according to the address or identifier of the home base station gateway, and use the home base station gateway as a local gateway proxy to create a local access PDP connection (LIPA or SIPTO), which is sent to the home base station gateway. The user plane and control plane TEID information carrying the Gn/Gp SGSN in the Create PDP Context Request message.

Step 606: The home base station gateway is configured according to the IMSI identifier in the PDP context request message. If the home base station (including the local gateway function) attached to the user is found, that is, the real local gateway, the local gateway query is completed.

Step 607: The home base station gateway forwards a PDP context request message to the home base station (including the local gateway function), where the message carries the address, user plane, and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and the home base station (including the local gateway function) saves the information. , the user establishes a data tunnel.

Step 608: The home base station (including the local gateway) generates a user context according to the received PDP context request message, and establishes a data tunnel for the local access PDP connection on the core network side.

Step 609: The home base station (including the local gateway) returns a PDP context response message to the home base station gateway, where the message carries the address, user plane, and control plane TEID information of the local gateway. After receiving the message, the home base station gateway records the binding relationship between the user plane TEID information of the local gateway and the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and is used for locally establishing the data tunnel establishment of the PDP connection on the core network side.

Step 610: The home base station gateway returns a create PDP context response message to the Gn/Gp SGSN, where the message carries the address, user plane, and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and the Gn/Gp SGSN saves the information, and is used for locally accessing the PDP connection. The establishment of a data tunnel on the core network side.

The above steps 605-610 are a process of establishing a local access PDP connection data tunnel on the core network based on the control plane message (mainly the user plane TEID information of the network element through which the data tunnel carried in the message), the tunnel is established in Between the terminal, the home base station, the home base station gateway, and the Gn/Gp SGSN.

Step 611: The Gn/Gp SGSN creates an air interface bearer, and initiates a bearer setup request message, where the message carries the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway.

Step 612: The home base station gateway replaces the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway with the user plane TEID information of the local gateway according to the binding relationship recorded in step 609.

Step 613: The home base station gateway sends a bearer setup request message to the home base station (including local Gateway function), the message carries the user plane TEID information of the local gateway.

Step 614: The home base station (including the local gateway function) internally establishes an optimized data tunnel for the local access PDP connection: that is, the tunnel is established between the home base station and the local gateway, and the user session binding is performed according to the user plane TEID information of the local gateway.

Step 615: Perform the subsequent steps of the PDP context activation process according to the prior art, which is not described in this embodiment.

In addition, the data tunnel of the local access PDP connection in the fourth embodiment can also be established between the terminal, the home base station, and the Gn/Gp SGSN, and the data is not forwarded through the home base station gateway, and the data reduces the number of transmission hops. It is convenient and fast, and the following process is modified as follows: In the modified step 607, the home base station gateway sends the control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway and the user plane TEID information of the Gn/Gp SGSN when creating the PDP context request message. For home base stations (including local gateways). The home base station distinguishes the control plane and the user plane path according to the TEID information, sends a control plane message to the home base station gateway, and sends the user plane data to the Gn/Gp SGSN.

In the original step 607, the PDP context request message is carried by the home base station gateway address, the user plane, and the control plane TEID information, and the home base station directly sends the control plane message and the user plane data to the home base station gateway; The home base station gateway forwards to the Gn/Gp SGSN.

In the modified step 610, the home base station gateway carries the control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway and the user plane TEID information of the home base station in the create PDP context response message sent to the Gn/Gp SGSN. The Gn/Gp SGSN distinguishes the control plane and the user plane path according to the TEID information, and sends a control plane message to the home base station gateway to transmit the user plane data to the home base station.

In the original step 610, the PDP context response message carries the address, user plane, and control plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, and the Gn/Gp SGSN directly sends the control plane message and the user plane data to the home base station gateway. ; then forwarded to the home base by the home base station gateway Station.

The above method of the present invention is also applicable to a scenario in which a home base station and a local gateway are separated. The difference is that: the home base station gateway needs to pre-configure the correspondence between the home base station and the local gateway, and the home base station gateway can find the corresponding home base station attached by the user according to the parameters in the create session request message or the PDP context request message. Local gateway to forward messages. In the case of the home base station and the local gateway, the establishment of the optimized tunnel of the local access connection is not an internal operation, but the home base station initiates a tunnel establishment to the corresponding local gateway, and the user plane TEID information of the local gateway is also required to be used. The local gateway performs user session binding.

In summary, the process of querying the local gateway by the present invention is as shown in FIG. 7, and includes:

Step 701: When establishing a local access connection, the core network mobility management unit determines the home base station gateway.

Here, the core network mobility management unit may be an MME, an S4 SGSN, or a Gn/Gp SGSN. There are two ways for the core network mobility management unit to determine the home base station gateway:

First, the core network mobility management unit determines the address or identifier of the home base station gateway corresponding to the query input parameter according to the corresponding relationship between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway; the core network mobility management unit according to the address of the home base station gateway Or identifying the home base station gateway;

First, the core network mobility management unit sends a DNS query request message to the DNS system, and the DNS query request message carries the query input parameter; the DNS system receives the DNS query request message, and according to the correspondence between the pre-configured query input parameter and the home base station gateway, Determining that the address or identifier of the home base station gateway corresponding to the query input parameter is returned to the core network mobility management unit; and the core network mobility management unit determines the home base station gateway according to the address or identifier of the home base station gateway.

The query input parameters corresponding to different core network mobility management units are also different:

When the mobility management unit is the MME, the query input parameters include: TAI, eNB ID, user One or more of the type of base station accessed, and the type of local access connection;

When the mobility management unit is an S4 SGSN, or a Gn/Gp SGSN, the query input parameters include: one or more of a RAL RNC ID, a type of base station accessed by the user, and a type of local access connection.

Step 702: The home base station gateway searches for a home base station to which the user is attached, and determines a corresponding local gateway according to the home base station.

The home base station gateway determines the home base station to which the user is attached according to the parameters carried in the control plane message, specifically:

When the mobility management unit is the MME, the control plane message is a session creation request message, and the parameter is an ECGI identifier. When the mobility management unit is the S4 SGSN, the control plane message is a session creation request message, and the parameter is an IMSI identifier; the mobility management unit is In the Gn/Gp SGSN, the control plane message is a PDP context request message, and the parameter is an IMSI identifier.

The implementation of determining the home base station to which the user is attached according to the foregoing parameters is prior art, and details are not described herein again.

When determining the corresponding local gateway according to the home base station, there are two cases:

First, when the home base station and the local gateway are combined: the home base station includes a local gateway function, that is, a local gateway;

When the home base station and the local gateway are separated, the home base station gateway determines the local gateway corresponding to the home base station according to the corresponding relationship between the home base station and the local gateway.

In addition, the control plane message transmitted in the process of querying the local gateway by the present invention is also used to establish a local access connection, specifically:

When the mobility management unit is the MME, or the S4 SGSN, establishing a local access connection includes: establishing, between the terminal, the home base station, the home base station gateway, and the serving gateway according to the control plane message (creating the session request message and creating the session response message) Local access to the data tunnel connected to the core network side; or, establish a local access connection between the terminal, the home base station, and the serving gateway A data tunnel on the core network side; an optimized data tunnel for establishing a local access connection between the home base station and the local gateway according to the control plane message (bearer setup request message).

When the mobility management unit is a Gn/Gp SGSN, establishing a local access connection includes: a control plane message (creating a PDP context request message, and creating a PDP context response message), at the terminal, the home base station, the home base station gateway, and the Gn/ Establishing a local access connection between the Gp SGSN and the data tunnel on the core network side; or establishing a local access connection between the terminal, the home base station, and the Gn/Gp SGSN on the core network side; according to the control plane message (bearer setup request) Message), an optimized data tunnel for establishing a local access connection between the home base station and the local gateway.

Specifically, the optimized data tunnel for establishing the local access connection is: after receiving the bearer setup request message sent by the mobility management unit, the home base station gateway according to the user plane TEID information of the local gateway and the user plane TEID of the home base station gateway Binding relationship of the information, replacing the user plane TEID information of the user plane with the user plane TEID information of the local gateway; and transmitting the bearer setup request message carrying the user plane TEID information of the local gateway to the home base station; the home base station according to the local gateway The user plane TEID information establishes an optimized data tunnel for the local access connection with the local gateway, and performs user session binding according to the user plane TEID information of the local gateway.

It should be noted that the data tunnel of the local access connection on the core network side may pass through the home base station gateway or may not pass through the home base station gateway. When the home base station gateway is not passed, the data is not forwarded through the home base station gateway, and the data reduces the number of transmission hops, which is convenient and quick.

In order to implement the above method, the present invention provides a system for querying a local gateway, as shown in FIG. 8 : comprising: a core network mobility management unit 10 and a home base station gateway 20;

a core network mobility management unit 10, configured to determine a home base station gateway 20;

The home base station gateway 20 is configured to find a home base station to which the user is attached, and determine a corresponding local gateway according to the home base station.

The core network mobility management unit 10 is further configured to input a parameter according to a query configured by itself. Corresponding relationship between the number and the home base station gateway, determining the home base station gateway corresponding to the query input parameter

The address or identifier of 20; and determining the home base station gateway 20 based on the address or identity of the home base station gateway 20; or

The system further includes a DNS subsystem 30, configured to determine, according to the corresponding relationship between the pre-configured query input parameter and the home base station gateway, the DNS query request message sent by the core network mobility management unit 10, and determine the corresponding to the query input parameter. The address or identity of the home base station gateway 20 is returned to the core network mobility management unit 10.

The home base station gateway 20 is further configured to determine, according to parameters carried in the control plane message, the home base station to which the user is attached.

The home base station gateway 20 is further configured to: when the home base station and the local gateway are combined, determine that the home base station is a local gateway; and when the home base station and the local gateway are separately set, according to the corresponding relationship between the home base station and the local gateway configured by the home base station, Determine the local gateway corresponding to the home base station.

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claim

A method for querying a local gateway, the method comprising:

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 1, wherein the core network mobility management unit determines the home base station gateway, and specifically includes:

The core network mobility management unit sends a DNS query request message to the domain name system (DNS), where the DNS query request message carries a query input parameter;

The core network mobility management unit determines the address or identifier of the home base station gateway corresponding to the query input parameter according to the corresponding relationship between the query input parameter and the home base station gateway configured by the core network mobility management unit;

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, when the mobility management unit is a mobility management entity (MME), the query input parameter includes: a tracking area identifier (TAI), One or more of an evolved base station identity (eNB ID), a type of base station accessed by the user, and a type of local access connection; When the mobility management unit serves the S4 serving GPRS support node (SGSN) or the Gn/Gp SGSN, the query input parameters include: a route area identifier (RAI), a radio network controller identifier (RNC ID), and user access. One or more of the type of base station, and the type of local access connection.

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 1, wherein the home base station gateway searches for a home base station to which the user is attached, which is specifically:

6. The method of querying a local gateway according to claim 5, wherein:

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 1, wherein the home base station gateway determines the corresponding local gateway according to the home base station, and specifically includes:

When the home base station and the local gateway are combined, the home base station is a local gateway; or, when the home base station and the local gateway are separated, the home base station gateway determines according to the corresponding relationship between the home base station and the local gateway configured by itself. The local gateway corresponding to the home base station.

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 1, wherein when the mobility management unit is an MME or an S4 SGSN, the establishing a local access connection comprises: according to a control plane message, at a terminal, a Establishing a local access connection to the data tunnel connected to the core network side between the home base station, the home base station gateway, and the serving gateway; or establishing a local access connection between the terminal, the home base station, and the serving gateway on the core network side Data tunnel And establishing an optimized data tunnel of the local access connection between the home base station and the local gateway according to the control plane message.

9. The method of querying a local gateway according to claim 8, wherein:

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 1, wherein when the mobility management unit is a Gn/Gp SGSN, the establishing a local access connection includes:

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 10, wherein, when the establishing a local access connection to the data tunnel on the core network side, the control plane message includes: creating a PDP context request message, and creating a PDP context Response message

The method for querying a local gateway according to claim 9 or 11, wherein the optimizing the data tunnel for establishing a local access connection comprises:

After receiving the bearer setup request message in the mobility management unit, the home base station gateway, according to the binding relationship between the user plane tunnel end identifier (TEID) information of the local gateway and the user plane TEID information of the home base station gateway, Replace the user's face TEID information with this The user plane TEID information of the local gateway; and the bearer setup request message carrying the user plane TEID information of the local gateway is sent to the home base station;

13. A system for querying a local gateway, the system comprising: a core network mobility management unit and a home base station gateway; wherein

The system for querying a local gateway according to claim 13, wherein the core network mobility management unit is further configured to determine and query an input parameter according to a correspondence between a query input parameter configured by the self and a home base station gateway. Corresponding address or identifier of the home base station gateway; and determining the home base station gateway according to the address or identifier of the home base station gateway; or

The system for querying a local gateway according to claim 13, wherein the home base station gateway is further configured to determine a home base station attached to the user according to parameters carried in the control plane message.

The system for querying a local gateway according to claim 13, wherein the home base station gateway is further configured to: when the home base station and the local gateway are combined, determine that the home base station is a local gateway; When the home base station and the local gateway are separated, the root The local gateway corresponding to the home base station is determined according to the corresponding relationship between the home base station and the local gateway configured by itself.