WO2014009439A1

WO2014009439A1 - Reporting user related information in a mobile communication network

Info

Publication number: WO2014009439A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/064625
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gottfried Punz; Stefan Schmid; Toshiyuki Tamura
Original assignee: Nec Europe Ltd.
Priority date: 2012-07-10
Filing date: 2013-07-10
Publication date: 2014-01-16

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network, preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network, with a user equipment connected to a core network of the mobile communication network via a radio access network of the mobile communication network, and wherein the mobile communication network comprises at least two communication planes including a control plane and a user plane, wherein reporting of the user related information is performed in the user plane of the mobile communication network. The present invention relates also to a system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network.

Description

REPORTING USER RELATED INFORMATION IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK

The invention relates to a method for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network, preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network, with a user equipment connected to a core network of the mobile communication network via a radio access network of the mobile communication network, and wherein the mobile communication network comprises at least two communication planes including a control plane and a user plane.

The present invention relates also to a system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network, preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network, comprising a user equipment connected to a core network of the mobile communication network via a radio access network of the mobile communication network, and wherein the mobile communication network comprises at least two communication planes including a control plane and a user plane and preferably for performing with a method according to one of the claims 1 -23. Although applicable to mobile communication networks in general the present invention will be described with regard to a 3GPP mobile communication network.

In mobile communication networks, in particular in 3GPP mobile communication networks, users often change their location, for example when travelling by car and using a mobile phone simultaneously. In detail in a 3GPP mobile network user location information indicating the location of a user can be subscribed for example by a Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF, an online charging system OCS or a so-called Proxy Call and Session Control Function P-CSCF. In Fig. 1 the principal conventional signaling flow for such event subscriptions by and via the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF for the GPS tunneling protocol GTP-based architecture is shown. A user equipment UE is connected to a base station in form of an evolved Node B 4, which is also located in the radio access network 2. The evolved Node B 4 is connected to a mobility management entity MME and a serving gateway SGW. The evolved node B 4 is connected via a S1AP connection to the mobility management entity MME and via one or more GTP-U tunnels to the serving gateway SGW. The serving gateway SGW is connected via the S5/S8 interface to the packet data network gateway PGW. The packet data network gateway PGW is connected via Gy/Gx interfaces connected to an online charging system OCS or a Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF which in turn is connected via Rx interface to a Proxy Call and Session Control Function P-CSCF. The mobility management entity MME is connected via S6a/S6d interface to a home subscription server HSS. On the GTP-C interfaces S11 , S5/S8 and S4 for interworking with the GPRS/UMTS legacy architecture various messages may be used, for example according to 3GPP TS 23.060, 3GPP TS 23.401 or 3GPP TS 23.274:

- Request for user location information ULI reporting: Create Session, Create Bearer Response, Bearer Resource Command, Modify Bearer Request, Delete

Session Request, Delete Bearer Response, Update Bearer Response and Suspend Notification

- User Location Information ULI Reporting: Change Notification Request

- Acknowledgement and switch-on/off of ULI reporting: Change Notification Response.

The base station respectively the evolved Node B 4 uses GTP-U tunnels (S1 -U interface) to the serving gateway SGW and further to the packet data network gateway PGW via the S5/S8 interface. For example for location reporting control and sending of location reports the base station 4 uses the S1AP interface to the mobility management entity MME. The mobility management entity MME then uses the GTP-C interface S1 1 between the mobility management entity MME and the serving gateway SGW and further the S5/S8 GTP-C interface between the serving gateway SGW and the packet data network gateway PGW.

In Fig. 2 a location reporting procedure on the S1 -MME interface between the base station 4 in form of an evolved Node B and the mobility management entity MME is shown. The location reporting procedure is based on TS 23.401 as well as section 8.1 1 of 3GPP TS 36.413.

The mobility management entity MME initiates location reporting by sending a location reporting control message to the evolved Node B in a first step 1. The evolved Node B then transmits a location report back to the mobility management entity MME in a second step 2. After successful receiving the location report by the mobility management entity MME the mobility management entity MME may send a location reporting cancel message in a third step 3 to the evolved node B and the location reporting procedure from the evolved Node B to the mobility management entity MME is finished.

Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram for notification of the EPS cell global identity and/or user closed subscriber group information changes. Fig. 3 is based on 3GPP TS 23.401.

When notifying an EPS cell global identity change then the evolved nodeB sends in a first step 1 a an EPS cell global identity information update to the mobility management entity MME. In case of a change in user closed subscriber group information the mobility management entity MME detects in a first step 1 b corresponding user closed subscriber group information changes.

In a second step 2 the mobility management entity MME sends a corresponding change notification based on steps 1 a and/or 1 b to the serving gateway SGW. The serving gateway SGW then reports in a third step 3 the corresponding change notification to the packet data network gateway PGW.

After successful reception of the corresponding change notification the packet data network gateway PGW sends in a fourth step 4 a corresponding change notification acknowledgement message back to the serving gateway SGW. The serving gateway SGW sends the corresponding change notification acknowledgement in a fifth step 5 back to the mobility management entity MME. During handover it is specified in subclause 8.2.1.2 of 3GPP TS 36.423 that if the location reporting information is included in a handover request message then the target evolved Node B should initiate the requested location reporting functionality according to TS 36.413. However this is - according to current X2AP specification based on 3GPP TS 36.423 subclause 9.2.21 specified only partially for cells.

Further on the diameter interfaces Gx and Rx various messages of Credit Control and Authentication/Authorization (NASREQ) applications may be exchanged, based on TS 29.217 or TS 29.214:

- For request of ULI reporting on Gx: Credit Control Answer (CCA) or Re- Authentication Request (RAR) with event = USER_LOCATION_CHANGE;

- For request of ULI reporting on Rx: Authentication/Authorization Request (AAR) with Required-Access-Info set to ACCESS_NETWORK_INFO_REPORT = USER_LOCATION) - For ULI reporting on Gx: Credit Control Request (CCR) or Re-Authentication Answer (RAA) with event = USER_LOCATION_CHANGE;

- For ULI reporting on Rx: Re-Authentication Request (RAR) with 3GPP-User- Location-lnfo.

One of the drawbacks is therefore that a more widespread use of the location reporting features leads to an overload on the corresponding control signaling interfaces. Further due to a more widespread use of highly localized services many users respectively devices frequently join and leave such location based services so that the amount of updates signaling of location reporting control, in particular starting and stopping location reporting will increase leading to a further overload on the aforementioned interfaces.

It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a method and system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network which reduce potential overload in the control signaling plane, in particular for control of location reporting.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a method and a system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network being more efficient. It is an even further objective of the present invention to provide a method and a system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network enabling low latency and minimal signaling for uplink and/or downlink signaling related to user related information reporting. It is an even further objective of the present invention to provide a method and a system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network supporting a massive usage of user location information reporting.

The aforementioned objectives are accomplished by a method of claim 1 and a system of claim 24.

In claim 1 a method for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network is defined, preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network, with a user equipment connected to a core network of the mobile communication network via a radio access network of the mobile communication network, and wherein the mobile communication network comprises at least two communication planes including a control plane and a user plane. According to claim 1 the method is characterized in that reporting of the user related information is performed in the user plane of the mobile communication network. In claim 24 a system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network is defined, preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network, comprising a user equipment connected to a core network of the mobile communication network via a radio access network of the mobile communication network, and wherein the mobile communication network comprises at least two communication planes including a control plane and a user plane and preferably for performing with a method according to one of the claims 1 -23.

According to claim 24 the system is characterized in that one or more entities, preferably in the core network, are operable to perform reporting of the user related information in the user plane of the mobile communication network.

The term "user related information" is to be understood, preferably in the description, in particular in the claims in the most general sense. In other words the present invention enables controlling of user related information reporting in the control plane/explicit signaling and reporting itself in the user plane.

According to the invention it has been recognized that by using the user plane for reporting as well as for control of reporting, the control of user related information reporting as well as the reporting itself can be provided more efficiently.

According to the invention it has been further recognized that for uplink and downlink signaling in particular with regard to user location information reporting a low latency and reduced signaling is provided.

According to the invention it has been further recognized that by shifting the reporting of user related information reporting into the user plane, overload is significantly reduced if not avoided. Further features, advantages and preferred embodiments are described in the following subclaims.

According to a preferred embodiment, control of the user related information reporting is performed in the user plane. This enables an even further reduction of the probability of overload appearance in the mobile communication network.

According to a further preferred embodiment user related information includes user location information, time zone of a user equipment of a user and/or user closed subscriber group information. This provides user related information reporting with the items "user location information" as defined in subclause 8.21 of TS 29.274, of user equipment time zone as defined in subclause 8.44 of TS 29.274 and/or of user closed subscriber group information as defined in subclause 8.75 of TS 29.274. Thus user related information reporting according to 3GPP standards can be easily implemented.

According to a further preferred embodiment an instructing message is providing from an instructing entity in the core network to a base station in the radio access network, to which the user equipment is connected, to instruct the base station to report user related information via the user plane. This enables in an easy way to initiate new reporting of user related information via the user plane.

According to a further preferred embodiment a reporting context of the instructing message is stored in the base station and user related information is inserted into one or more uplink packets, preferably a G-PDU uplink packet or packets, preferably wherein the one or more uplink packets are created for user related information reporting if no uplink packet is present. This enables a flexible handling of user related information reporting on for example an evolved node B or a radio network controller. This enables further possible future semantics, for example period for reporting or event triggering of reports.

According to a further preferred embodiment the number of uplink packets is configured locally by the base station. For example when the number of uplink packets for which one user related information reporting is to be set is locally configured then resilience against occasional location packet loss is provided. Further the more of uplink packets may be determined by an acknowledgement from a routing entity, preferably a serving gateway SGW, for received packets with a user related information report. Further it may be configured that all uplink packets carry the user related information, for example until the reporting stopped or the end time for reporting is reached.

According to a further preferred embodiment the instructing entity, preferably a mobility management entity or a Serving GPRS support node, temporarily maintains existing bearers of a session to be deleted between the user equipment and the core network. In case the user related information reporting is required and the procedure undertaken is for a session deletion the instructing entity maintains the existing, preferably EPS, bearers for short while in order to guarantee the corresponding user related information report is successfully transmitted to the packet data network gateway PGW.

According to a further preferred embodiment the instructing entity is informed of user related information reporting capability of a base station by an initial message, preferably a user equipment setup message or a base station message, preferably S1 setup request message. This enables in an easy way to inform the instructing entity of user related information reporting capability simultaneously when establishing user equipment setup or an S1 setup with the instructing entity, preferably the mobility management entity. According to a further preferred embodiment in case of a handover of the user equipment from the source base station to a target base station, wherein the source base station has user related information reporting capability and wherein the target base station does not have user related information reporting capability, user related information reporting is performed on the control plane. This enables in a flexible way to handle base stations with and without user related information reporting capability. Thus an easy implementation into existing mobile communication networks, preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network is provided. According to a further preferred embodiment the instructing entity receives information of the user related information reporting capability of the target base station via user equipment's mobility related switching message, preferably a path switch request message or a handover request acknowledge message. This enables further an easy implementation into existing 3GPP networks for example as well as an efficient way to provide the reporting capability information of user related information to the target base station in particular according to 3GPP TS 36.432 or 3GPP TS 36.413. According to a further preferred embodiment an existing instructing message to the base station is used for requesting user related information reporting. In particular an instructing entity in form of a mobility management entity or a serving GPRS support node SGSN may use an existing S1AP/RANAP message to the evolved node B or radio network controller asking for user relating information reporting. This enables an easy implementation of user related information reporting into messages towards the serving gateway SGW. In particular once the mobility management entity/serving GPRS support node SGSN receives a user related information report this information is signaled to the serving gateway SGW. According to a further preferred embodiment the instructing entity instructs a routing entity, preferably in form of a serving gateway, to perform user related information reporting on the granularity level of base stations autonomously based on the user equipment's currently connected base station. For example a mobility management entity sends a S1 1 GTP message to the serving gateway instructing the serving gateway to perform autonomous user related information reporting based on an evolved Node B basis instead on the basis of cell identification. The advantage is that no base station, in particular the evolved Node B support is needed for the user related information reporting and the instructing entity does not need to be evolved in the user related information reporting. For example the serving gateway SGW may include the evolved Node B IP-address or identification ID and/or the serving gateway SGW IP-address or the ID instead of the EPS cell global identity. These identifiers may also be mapped to appropriate EPS cell global IDs ECGIs at the serving gateway SGW transparently to the packet data network gateway PGW or the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF based on a mapping table. In particular if the mapping is performed at the serving gateway SGW the user related information report may also include the mapped EPS cell global ID ECGI. According to a further preferred embodiment the instructing entity informs the routing entity if user related information reporting is to be performed in the control plane and/or in the user plane. In 3GPP the mobility management entity/serving GPRS support node SGSN may indicate to the serving gateway SGW whether the user related information reporting towards the packet data network gateway PGW should be performed via the control plane or the user plane. In particular the instructing entity and the routing entity may reuse the existing modify bearer request/modify bearer response GTP-C messages by adding an indication for the user related information reporting function. Alternatively the dedicated new GTP-C signaling message may also applicable by initiating start/stop location reporting by the mobility management entity MME or the serving GPRS support node SGSN to the serving gateway SGW. The mobility management entity MME respectively the serving GPRS support node SGSN defines the packet data network connection or bearer, the granularity at which the reporting should be done, for example on an evolved node B, serving gateway, etc. basis, upon successful processing of the user related information reporting control message, the serving gateway SGW acknowledges the message.

According to a further preferred embodiment a current user related information is provided to the base station, the received user related information is checked against the current user related information and user related information reporting is only performed in case of a difference between the current and the received user related information. This reduces further the need for user related information reporting traffic since reporting is only performed if the current user related information differs from the stored user related information.

According to a further preferred embodiment user related information reporting context is conveyed from the source base station to the target base station in transparent containers when a handover of a user equipment is performed. In particular the container is radio access network transparent container and applies to both the S1 and X2 style of handovers preferably. Using transparent containers for conveying user related information reporting context has inter alia the advantage that the mobility management entity is not involved and thus considerable amount of signaling is saved.

According to a further preferred embodiment user related information reporting is performed independently of a bearer context and/or connection context in case that the user equipment has several bearers and/or connections. This overcomes the drawback that user related information reporting is carried out on the basis of each packet data network connection and/or bearer individually for a user equipment. This further enhances the flexibility since for example in particular an evolved Node B, a radio network controller, a mobility management entity, a serving GPRS support node SGSN, and/or a serving gateway may manage the user related information reporting context independently. For example each of those nodes may freely select the bearer context over which the reporting is performed between the base station and the routing entity respectively the base station and the instruction entity or between the instructing entity and the routing entity. Further the routing entity may manage the user related information reporting on the basis of a packet data network gateway PGW used by the user equipment, i.e. it sends the user related information report to each packet data network gateway PGW from which a user related information reporting subscription has been obtained by the routing entity, preferably the serving gateway SGW. The packet data network gateway PGW in turn forwards the report to the respective Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF that signaled interest in the user related information. One of the further advantages is, that the signaling/reporting load related to the user related information reporting is minimized, in particular no unnecessary duplicates of user related information reports are transmitted.

According to a further preferred embodiment user related information reporting context is transferred from a source routing entity to a target routing entity during idle node mobility of the user equipment and activated on the target routing entity. This enables for example that during idle node mobility preferably tracking area update procedures, the target instructing entity obtains EPS cell global identity from which the user equipment performs the tracking area update request. The instructing entity will then report this user related information to the routing entity and activate it on the target routing entity. For example the instructing entity may simply initiate the user related information reporting procedure via GTP-C channels towards the routing entity. The routing entity will the forward the user related information report either via GTP-C or user plane according to the previous user related information reporting context. Further another option is that the routing entity may perform autonomous user related information reporting after it has been instructed accordingly by the instructing entity. So the user related information reporting context can also be transferred between the source routing entity and the target routing entity as part of idle node mobility procedures with a routing entity change, preferably a serving gateway SGW change, such that when the user equipment becomes active again the target routing entity may perform user related information reporting based on the user related information reporting state/context of the source routing entity. One of the advantages is then, that the instruction entity does not need to explicitly reactivate the user related information reporting after each routing entity relocation.

According to a further preferred embodiment base station information, preferably cell identity information of the cell of the base station, and user related information context is embedded into a message between the target instructing entity and the target routing entity. This enables an easy implementation into existing 3GPP mobile communication networks.

According to a further preferred embodiment user related information is included in a GTP-U-header and/or as a new IPv4 option and/or as a new IPv6 extension header of an IP header. This enables an easy implementation of user related information reporting for PMIP based S5/S8-interface communication.

According to a further preferred embodiment the routing entity includes the user related information into a quality of service related procedure. This enables in case of PMIP based S5/S8 and user related information reporting is not performed via the user plane that the routing entity may also send the user related information reports directly to for example the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF via the Gxc-interface. In this case the user related information reporting control respectively a report subscription may also be signaled from the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF via the Gxc-interface to the routing entity.

According to a further preferred embodiment for controlling user related information reporting a corresponding extension header is included in user plane packets including information defining an action to be performed with respect to user related information reporting. This enables an easy downlink control of user related information reporting in the user plane. According to a further preferred embodiment reports of user related information are acknowledged, preferably in downlink in the user plane. Therefore an easy implementation is provided since overall semantics is maintained, i.e. current conventional C-plane reports are also acknowledged. There are several ways how to design and further develop the teaching of the present invention in an advantageous way. To this end, it is to be referred to the patent claims subordinate to patent claim 1 and to the following explanation of preferred examples of embodiments of the invention, illustrated by the figures. In connection with the explanation of the preferred examples of embodiments of the invention by the aid of the figures, generally preferred embodiments and further developments of the teaching will be explained.

In the drawings

Fig. 1 shows a conventional system for user location information subscription and reporting in a 3GPP EPS architecture;

Fig. 2 shows a conventional method of location reporting procedure on a S1 -ME interface;

Fig. 3 shows a conventional method for notification of the EPS cell global identity and/or closed subscriber group information changes; Fig. 4 shows a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; shows a system according to a second embodiment of the present invention; shows a method and a system according to a third embodiment of the present invention; shows a handover procedure of a method according to a forth embodiment of the present invention with current user location information usage; shows steps of a method according to a fifth, sixth and seventh embodiment of the present invention; shows a part of a method according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention; shows a part of method according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention; shows a part of a method according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention; and shows a part of a method according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a conventional system for user location information subscription and reporting in a 3GPP EPS architecture. In Fig. 1 a conventional user location information subscription and reporting procedure in a 3GPP EPS architecture, i.e. GTP based architecture, is shown.

In Fig. 1 the principal conventional signaling flow for such event subscriptions by and via the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF for the GPS tunneling protocol GTP-based architecture is shown. A user equipment UE is connected to a base station in form of an evolved Node B 4, which is also located in the radio access network 2. The evolved Node B 4 is connected to a mobility management entity MME and a serving gateway SGW. The evolved node B 4 is connected via a S1AP connection to the mobility management entity MME and via one or more GTP-U tunnels to the serving gateway SGW. The serving gateway SGW is connected via the S5/S8 interface to the packet data network gateway PGW. The packet data network gateway PGW is connected via Gy/Gx interfaces connected to an online charging system OCS or a Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF which in turn is connected via Rx interface to a Proxy Call and Session Control Function P-CSCF. The mobility management entity MME is connected via S6a/S6d interface to a home subscription server HSS. On the GTP-C interfaces S11 , S5/S8 and S4 for interworking with the GPRS/UMTS legacy architecture various messages may be used, for example according to 3GPP TS 23.060, 3GPP TS 23.401 or 3GPP TS 23.274:

- Request for user location information ULI reporting: Create Session, Create Bearer Response, Bearer Resource Command, Modify Bearer Request, Delete Session Request, Delete Bearer Response, Update Bearer Response and Suspend Notification

- User Location Information ULI Reporting: Change Notification Request

Fig. 2 shows a conventional method of location reporting procedure on a S1 -ME interface. In Fig. 2 a location reporting procedure on the S1 -MME interface between the base station 4 in form of an evolved Node B and the mobility management entity MME is shown. The location reporting procedure is based on TS 23.401 as well as section 8.1 1 of 3GPP TS 36.413. The mobility management entity MME initiates location reporting by sending a location reporting control message to the evolved Node B in a first step 1. The evolved Node B then transmits a location report back to the mobility management entity MME in a second step 2. After successful receiving the location report by the mobility management entity MME the mobility management entity MME may send a location reporting cancel message in a third step 3 to the evolved node B and the location reporting procedure from the evolved Node B to the mobility management entity MME is finished.

Fig. 3 shows a conventional step for notification of the EPS cell global identity and/or closed subscriber group information changes.

For request of ULI reporting on Gx: Credit Control Answer (CCA) or Authentication Request (RAR) with event = USER_LOCATION_CHANGE; - For request of ULI reporting on Rx: Authentication/Authorization Request (AAR) with Required-Access-Info set to ACCESS_NETWORK_INFO_REPORT = USER_LOCATION)

- For ULI reporting on Gx: Credit Control Request (CCR) or Re-Authentication Answer (RAA) with event = USER_LOCATION_CHANGE;

- For ULI reporting on Rx: Re-Authentication Request (RAR) with 3GPP-User- Location-Info.

Fig. 4 shows a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 4 a user related information reporting issued by a radio node 4, i.e. a radio network controller RNC or an evolved Node B is shown and the decision of reporting respectively the control is performed by a mobility management entity MME.

In detail in a first step 1 the mobility management entity MME/the serving GPRS support node SGSN downloads via the S6a/S6d interface from the home subscription server HSS per access point name APN the information "location change report required".

In a second step 2 a signaling message subject to a user related information reporting is received by the mobility management entity MME/Serving GPRS support node SGSN, for example from the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF via the packet data network gateway PGW. The mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN determines if a user related information reporting is needed or not, preferably based on both subscription data downloaded and signaling message type.

In a third step 3 if needed the mobility management entity MME/the serving GPRS support node SGSN sends a new or an enhanced existing S1AP/RANAP message to the evolved Node B/radio network controller RNC denoted with reference sign 4, asking for a user related information reporting in the user plane. After that the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN is no longer involved in the user related information reporting, except for a reconfiguration or cancelling of reporting.

In a fourth step 4 the evolved Node B/radio network controller RNC 4 stores the reporting context per user and per bearer and includes user related information from now on in the GTP-U-header of relevant uplink GTP protocol data units G- PDU. If no uplink GTP protocol data unit is to be sent then the evolved Node B/radio network controller RNC 4 creates a dedicated GTP protocol data unit G- PDU, i.e. a dummy, for the sole purpose user related information reporting. However, other semantic, i.e. possible future semantics, for example period for reporting, event triggering of reports may be supported. The number of uplink packets for which one user related information report is to be set can be locally configured to support resilience against occasional packet loss or may be determined by an acknowledgment from the serving gateway SGW for received packets with a user related information report. Alternatively all uplink packets may carry the user related information, preferably until the reporting is stopped or the end time for reporting is reached.

Once the instructing entity, here a mobility management entity MME or a serving GPRS support node SGSN determines that due to some signaling message, for example session or mobility related, user related information reporting applies a new S1AP/RANAB message or suitably enhanced existing message is used to indicate it to the base station, here in form of an evolved Node B/radio network controller RNC 4. This indication is sent per bearer. The base station, i.e. here the evolved Node B/radio network controller RNC 4 is operable to store and to manage user related information reporting context, to handle enhanced signaling for a user related information reporting, to receive and to handle user related information acknowledgements, preferably in the control plane and optionally in the user plane, to insert the user related information into uplink G-PDU and, in case no uplink packet is to be sent, to create a new dedicated G-PDU for a user related information reporting. In case the user related information reporting is required and a session between the user equipment UE and the core network 2 is dedicated for deletion then the mobility management entity MME/the serving GPRS support node SGSN maintains existing EPS bearers of the session for a short while to guarantee that the corresponding user related information report is successfully conveyed to the packet data network gateway PGW.

In case the communication on the S5/S8 interface between the serving gateway SGW and the packet data network gateway PGW is based on Proxy Mobile IP PMIP then the serving gateway SGW copies user related information elements from the one received over the S1 -U/lu-U interface into the one used in the IP tunneling message over the S5/S8 interface.

To provide the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN with the information if the base station has user related information reporting capability or not, this information may be conveyed to the mobility management entity MME for example by either an initial user equipment setup message or a S1 setup request message according to 3GPP TS 36.413. For the UMTS terrestrial radio access network, the user related information reporting capability in the radio network controller RNC is conveyed to the serving GPRS support node SGSN for example by the initial user equipment message of the lu- signaling according to 3GPP TS 25.413.

In case a target base station, here an evolved Node B/radio network controller RNC controller does not have the user related information reporting capability while a source base station has been performing user related information reporting, the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN changes the user related information reporting function back to conventional, i.e. to release-1 1 based user location information reporting. To provide the target base station, here the evolved Node B with user related information capability of the source base station this can be performed by a path switch request message for the X2 based handover according to 3GPP TS 36.423 or by a handover request acknowledge message for the S1 based handover according to 3GPP TS 36.413. Fig. 5 shows a system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 5 a user related information reporting issued by the serving gateway SGW is shown.

In a second step 2 a signaling message subject to a user related information reporting is received by the mobility management entity MME/Serving GPRS support node SGSN, for example from the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF via the packet data network gateway PGW. The mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN determines if a user related information reporting is needed or not, preferably based on both subscription data downloaded and signaling message type. In an optional third step 3a the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN reuses an existing S1AP/RANAP message to the evolved Node B/radio network controller RNC 4 asking for user related information reporting. Once the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN receives a user related information report, it signals the user related information report to the serving gateway SGW conventionally or by extending this signalling message towards the serving gateway SGW with the instruction that the serving gateway should send this user related information report by means of the user plane reporting extension for GTP/PMIP over the S5/S8 interface towards the packet data network gateway PGW.

In case the mobility management entity MME does not instruct the serving gateway SGW explicitly to perform the user related information reporting towards the packet data network gateway PGW in the user plane, the serving gateway SGW may also decide so based on configuration. Then the serving gateway SGW translate the user related information report received from the mobility management entity MME on the GTP-C control plane into a user plane report over the S5/S8 interface. In an alternative step 3b to the step 3a the mobility management entity MME/the serving GPRS support node SGSN sends an S11/S4-GTP message to the serving gateway SGW instructing the serving gateway SGW to perform autonomous user related information reporting based on an evolved node B basis/a serving GPRS support node SGSN basis for the S4-interface case or on a radio network controller RNC basis for the GPRS architecture rather than on the basis of cell IDs. This has the advantage that no evolved Node B support is needed for user related information reporting and the mobility management entity MME does not need to be involved in the user related information reporting either. The serving gateway SGW may include the IP address or identification of the evolved Node B and/or the IP address or identification of the serving gateway SGW instead of the EPS cell global identity. The aforementioned identifiers can also be mapped to appropriate EPS cell global IDs at the serving gateway SGW, preferably transparently for the packet data network gateway PGW and the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF, or can be mapped by the packet data network gateway PGW or Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF based on a mapping table. If the mapping is performed on the serving gateway SGW the user related information reporting may also included the mapped EPS cell global identity.

The mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN may also integrate to the serving gateway SGW whether the user related information reporting towards the packet data network gateway PGW should be done via the control plane or the user plane. The mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN and the serving gateway SGW reuse then the existing modify bearer request/modify bearer response GTP-C messages by adding an indication for the user related information reporting function. Alternatively a corresponding dedicated new GTP-C signalling message may also be applicable, preferably according to the following two steps: In a first step the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN initiates on the serving gateway SGW start or stop of user related information reporting. The mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN then defines the packet data network connection or bearer, i.e. the granularity at which the reporting should be done, for example on an evolved Node B basis, a serving gateway basis, etc. and the reporting on the S5/S8 interface, for example via GTP-c or GTP-U or PM IP user plane or off-path to the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF in case of proxy mobile IP PMIP. In the second step upon successful processing of the user related information reporting control message the serving gateway SGW acknowledges the user related information reporting control message.

In contrast to step 3a the serving gateway SGW SGW performs user related information reporting autonomously once it has been instructed to do so by the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN without the management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN being involved in every user related information report. In a fourth step the serving gateway SGW stores the reporting context per user and bearer and includes user related information in the header of the corresponding uplink user data. If no uplink user data is sent then the serving gateway SGW creates a dedicated GTP protocol data unit for the purpose of user related information reporting. Of course other existing and possible future semantics may be used for user related information reporting, for example period of reporting, events triggering of the reports, etc.. As in Fig. 4 the number of uplink packets for which one the user related information report is to be set can be locally configured preferably to support resilience against occasional packet lost or determined by an acknowledgement from the packet data network gateway PGW for a received packet with user related information report. Alternatively similar to Fig. 4 all uplink packets may carry the user related information, preferably until the reporting is stopped or the end time for reporting is reached. In Fig. 5 once the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN determines that due to some signalling message, for example which may be session related or mobility related, user related information reporting applies a new S1AP/RANAP message or a suitably enhanced existing message is used to indicate user related information reporting to the serving gateway SGW. This indication may be send per bearer or per session. The serving gateway SGW is operable to store and manage user related information reporting context, to handle enhanced signalling for user information related reporting, to receive and handle user related information acknowledgements in the control plane and optional in the user plane, to insert the user related information into uplink G-PDU and if no uplink packet is to be sent, to create a new dedicated G-PDU for user related information reporting, in particular user location information reporting. In case an existing session should be deleted and user related information reporting is required the serving gateway SGW may send a G-PDU for user related information reporting prior to the delete session request message to be sent to the packet data network gateway PGW. In case S5/S8 interface communication is based on GTP, the serving gateway SGW includes user related information into the header for the G- PDU. In case S5/S8 communication is based on PMIP, the serving gateway SGW includes user related information into the header of the IP tunnel. The user related information reporting capability in the serving gateway SGW may be conveyed to the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN by the GTP-C message create session response. For the handover within serving gateway change procedure and if a target serving gateway SGW does not have the user related information reporting capability while the source serving gateway SGW has been performing the user related information reporting, the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN changes the user related information reporting function back to conventional, i.e. according to release-1 1 based user location information reporting. Fig. 6 shows a method and a system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 6 user related information reporting issued by the radio access node, i.e. the radio network controller and/or the evolved Node B is shown. For user related information reporting the following steps are performed based on Fig. 6:

In a second step if needed the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN sends an S1AP/RANAP message, for example an initial context setup request message, a RAB assignment message, or a Handover Request message, to the base station in form of the evolved Node B or radio network controller RNC together with the current user related information. After that the mobility management entity MME/serving GPRS support node SGSN is no longer involved in user related information reporting except for configuration or cancelling of user related information reporting.

In a third step the base station, i.e. here the evolved Node B or the radio network controller RNC includes user related information into the GTP-U header of the uplink G-PDU. If no uplink G-PDU is to be sent then the base station creates a dedicated G-PDU for user related information reporting purposes. This reporting is then only performed either after initial GTP-U tunnel establishment or when the base station detects the difference between the stored user related information per user equipment and the one currently applicable. Other already existing semantics or possible future ones may also be used for creating packets for user related information reporting purposes, for example period of reporting, events triggering of the reports, etc. The number of uplink packets for which a user related information report is to be set can be configured locally, preferably to support resilience against occasional packet loss or determined by an acknowledgement from the serving gateway SGW for a received packet with a user related information report. Alternatively all uplink packets may carry the user related information, preferably until the reporting is stopped or the end time for reporting is reached. To provide user related information reporting capability of the base station, this reporting capability is conveyed to the instructing entity, preferably the mobility management MME, for example by either an initial user equipment setup message or an S1 setup request message according to 3GPP TS 36.413. For the UMTS terrestrial radio access network the user related information reporting capability in the radio network controller RNC is conveyed to the serving GPRS support node SGSN by an initial user equipment message of the lu signalling according to 3GPP TS 25.413. The mobility management entity MME respectively the serving GPRS support node SGSN changes the user related information reporting function to the conventional user location information reporting based on release 1 1 if a target base station does not have the user related information reporting capability while the source base station has been performing the user related information reporting.

The user related information reporting capability in the target base station may be provided by a Path Switch request message for the X2 based handover according to 3GPP TS 36.423 or a handover request acknowledge message for the S1 based handover according to 3GPP TS 36.413.

Fig. 7 shows a handover procedure of a method according to a forth embodiment of the present invention with current user location information usage. In detail Fig. 7 shows how the user related information reporting context may be transferred from a source base station, here an evolved Node B eNB1 , to a routing entity, here a serving gateway SGW to the target base station eNB7 or target routing entity during handover both for an X2 or S1 handover and/or a routing entity relocation, so that user related information reporting is continued without involvement of the instructing entity, here a mobility management entity MME. In Fig. 7 it is illustrated how the evolved node Bs use a current user related information at the example of a time zone. User equipment UE1 holds GMT+1 as current time zone prior to a handover HO from the source base station eNB1 to the target base station eNB7. The user equipment UE2 holds GMT+2 as a current time zone prior to a handover HO to the target base station eNB7 from source base station eNB5. When the first user equipment UE1 hands over to the base station eNB7, time zone GMT+2 is reported to the serving gateway SGW and the first user equipment UE1 updates its current time zone to GMT+2.

The user related information is conveyed from the source base station eNB1 to the target base station eNB7 as a part of a radio access network transparent container where the handover HO is performed. This applies for both the S1 and X2 based handover HO. The base station(s), here in form of evolved Node Bs or radio network controllers RNC is/are operable to store and manage user related information reporting context, to handle enhanced signalling for user related information reporting, to receive and handle user related information acknowledgements in the control plane and optionally in the user plane, to insert the user related information into uplink packets, preferably G-PDU and to create a new dedicated G-PDU for user related information reporting, if no uplink packet is to be sent.

In case user related information reporting is required and an existing session should be deleted then the instructing entity maintains existing bearers, preferably EPS bearers, for a short while in order to guarantee the corresponding user related information reporting is successfully conveyed to the packet data network gateway PGW. In case S5/S8 communication is based on PMIP, the serving gateway may copy and set a user related information from the one received over the SI -U/lu-U interface into the IP tunnelling message over the S5/S8 interface.

Further extensions to the user related information reporting context may be applied in the X2 APN GTP-C protocols so that during a handover and a serving gateway relocation the state is transferred from a source routing entity to a target routing entity and hence the instructing entity in form of a mobility management entity or a serving GPRS support node SGSN for example does not need to be involved.

To avoid that user related information reporting is carried out on the basis of each packet data network connection and/or bearer individually for a user equipment, per-user equipment reporting in the base station, the routing entity or the instructing entity is enabled. Both the user related information reporting subscription as well as the reporting itself support single user related information reporting context and user related information report respectively for a user equipment, in particular instead of having potentially different ones per user equipment and/or per bearer. The base station, the instructing entity and the routing entity manage the user related information reporting context independently of the packet data network connection context/bearer context. Each of these aforementioned nodes or entities may then freely select the bearer context over which the reporting, for example control plane or user plane, is performed between the base station and the routing entity, the base station and the instructing entity, or between the routing entity and the instructing entity. Furthermore the routing entity may manage the user related information reporting on the basis of the packet data network gateway PGW used by the user equipment, i.e. the routing entity, preferably a serving gateway SGW sends the user related information report to each packet data network gateway PGW from which a user related information reporting subscription has been obtained by the routing entity. The packet data network gateway PGW in turn forwards the report to the respective Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF that signalled interest in the user related information. This enables that signalling/reporting load related to the user related information reporting is minimized to a certain extent and unnecessary duplicates of user related information reports are avoided.

Fig. 8 shows steps of a method according to a fifth, sixth and seventh embodiment of the present invention

In Fig. 8 a tracking area update procedure with a serving gateway change with modifications of 3GPP TS 23.401 is shown. In general during idle mode mobility, i.e. during tracking area update procedures, a target mobility management entity obtains information of the cell, preferably EPS cell global identification, from which the user equipment performs the tracking area update request. The target mobility management entity MME will then report this (user related) information to the serving gateway SGW. This may be achieved in the following way:

For a system according to Fig. 5 the mobility management entity MME may simply initiate the user related information reporting conventionally via GTP-C towards the serving gateway SGW. The serving gateway SGW will then forward the user related information report either via GTP-C or user plane according to the previous user related information reporting context. This is further described in step 1 1 b of Fig. 8.

For a system according to Fig. 5 and a method with step 3b of Fig. 5, i.e. the serving gateway SGW performs autonomous user related information reporting after it has been instructed by the mobility management entity MME, the user related information reporting context may also be transferred between the source serving gateway SGW and the target serving gateway SGW as part of idle mode mobility procedures with an serving gateway change, such that when the user equipment UE becomes active again, the target serving gateway SGW can perform user related information based on user related information reporting state/context of the source serving gateway SGW. The source serving gateway is denoted with reference sign SGW1 in Fig. 8 whereas the target serving gateway is denoted with reference sign SGW2. The same applies for the corresponding mobility management entities MME1 and MME2, wherein MME1 denotes the source mobility management entity and MME2 denotes the target mobility management entity. The mobility management entity MME does not need to explicitly reactivate the user related information reporting after each serving gateway relocation. In this case the mobility management entity MME may either include the EPS cell global identification obtained in the tracking area update request message into the Create Session request message together with the user related information reporting context (modified step 8 in Fig. 8) or send a user related information reporting control message to configure the user related information reporting context on the target serving gateway SGW2 and also include the EPS cell global identification obtained in the tracking area update message (see step 1 1 a in Fig. 8). Therefore Fig. 8 shows extensions of the serving gateway relocation procedure for the transfer of user related information reporting context and the activation of the user related information reporting context on the target serving gateway SGW2. The other steps shown in Fig. 8 are based on 3GPP TS 23.401 , i.e. Fig. 8 shows the tracking area update procedure according to evolved UMTS terrestrial radio access network access and it is understood that the same principle applies of course to the routing area update procedure in the UMTS terrestrial radio access network or any other existing or future network. Fig. 9 shows a part of a method according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 9 an enhancement of a GTP-U extension header is shown. Such an extension header is used to carry the user related information in, preferably selected, uplink GTP-U headers if user related information reporting has been signalled conventionally. For example for the next extension header field value 0010 0001 the type of the extension header is named user related information.

Fig. 10 shows a part of method according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 10 a further possible user related information extension header is shown. The value of the field k is 0 if no other extension header follows. The meaning of CGI, SAI, RAI, TAI, ECGI, LAI, CSG ID and user equipment time zone bits and their corresponding content fields is based on the definition in 3GPP TS 29.274 (by striping off header octets) and content fields are only present if the corresponding bit is present in the octet 2. The action bit may be set to 0 in the uplink direction. Of course it has to be noted that the encodings provided for transport of user related information via GTP based S5/S8 interfaces in Fig. 9 and 10 are only examples and other encodings based on the same principles of protocol design may also be applicable.

Fig. 1 1 shows a part of a method according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 1 1 IPv4 and IPv6 packet formats are shown with options for encoding user related information marked with dashed circles.

If user related information is transported via proxy mobile IP PMIP based S5/S8 interfaces the user related information reporting in the user plane to the packet data network gateway PGW may be carried in the following two ways: One way is that the packet data network may forward the user related information reports to the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF via the Gxc interface and in the same way it is done for the GTP-based S5/S8 interface. On the left side of Fig. 1 1 a new IPv4 option is defined in the IPv4 options of outer IP header for the PMIP bearer/tunnel.

On the right side of Fig. 1 1 a second way is shown. A new IPv6 extension header of an outer IP header for a PMIP bearer/tunnel is defined. For example a router header or a hop-by-hop header for carrying the user related information is used. This is also shown in Fig. 12 in which the user related information is coded as next header in IPv6 packet format.

In case of a PMIP based S5/S8 communication and user related information reporting is not desired or not supported via the user plane the serving gateway SGW may also send the user related information reports directly to the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF via the Gxc interface. In this case the serving gateway SGW includes the user related information report in the "GW control and QoS rule provisioning" procedure. The user related information reporting control/subscription is also signalled from the Policy and Charging Rule Function PCRF via the Gxc interface to the serving gateway SGW.

For requesting for user related information reporting in the user plane in case of a GTP based S5/S8 communication an inclusion of a GTP-U extension header of the type user related information according to Fig. 9 and 10 may be performed where the action bit is set to the desired action and CGI, SAI, RAI, TAI, ECGI, LAI, CSG ID and user equipment time zone bits are set to 1 indicate for which information reporting is requested or cancelled. The action field may be set as follows: 00000000 Reserved

00000001 Start UNIF reporting

00000010 Stop UNIF reporting

0000001 1 Single UNIF report requested

For a PMIP based S5/S8 communication the same coding based on Fig. 9-1 1 may be used. It is noted that the described procedure according to Fig. 9-12 may work in parallel to the conventional event subscription mechanisms via GTP-C and S1AP.

When the reception of user related information report and downlink in the user planes are acknowledged then acknowledgement is to be performed so that the overall semantic is maintained. For example coding of action field for acknowledgement of a user related information reporting may be provided as follows:

00000100 Acknowledge UNIF report

In particular in the description, preferably in the claims the following abbreviations are used:

AAA Authentication/Authorization Answer

AAR Authentication/Authorization Request

CCA Credit Control Answer

CCR Credit Control Request

CGI Cell Global ID

CSG Closed Subscriber Group

ECGI EPS Cell Global Identity

eNodeB evolved Node B

GTP-C GPRS Tunneling Protocol (control plane)

G-PDU GTP Protocol Data Unit

GPRS General Packet Radio System

GTP-U GPRS Tunneling Protocol (user plane) HSS Home Subscription Server

LAI Location Area Identity

MME Mobility Management Entity

NAS Non-Access Stratum

OCS Online Charging System

PCRF Policy and Charging Rule Function

P-CSCF Proxy Call and Session Control Function

PGW PDN (packet Data Network) Gateway

PMIP Proxy Mobile IP

RANAP Radio Access Network Application Part

RAR Re-Authentication Request

RAA Re-Authentication Answer

RNC Radio Network Controller

SGW Serving Gateway

SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node

RAI Routing Area Identity

SAI Service Area Identity

TAI Tracking Area Identity

TAU Tracking Area Update

ULI User Location Information

UINF User related INFormation

UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunication System

In summary the present invention enables shifting of user location information reporting into the user plane, delegates reporting of user location information to a routing entity avoiding permanent instructing entity involvement and further shifting control, preferably start and/or stop of reporting of user related information into the user plane. The present invention has inter alia the following advantages: The present invention enables a reduction of signalling load, i.e. of messaging and related processing in nodes and enables a shorter path in the reporting by avoiding the instructing entity. Further advantages are for example a lower latency and less signalling for both uplink and downlink signalling related to user related information reporting, in particular user location information reporting and supports more massive usage of user related information reporting in existing 3GPP networks.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind the one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A method for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network (1 ), preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network, with a user equipment (UE) connected to a core network (3) of the mobile communication network (1 ) via a radio access network (2) of the mobile communication network, and wherein the mobile communication network (1 ) comprises at least two communication planes including a control plane and a user plane, characterized in that

reporting of the user related information is performed in the user plane of the mobile communication network (1).

2. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that control of the user related information reporting is performed in the user plane of the mobile communication network (1 ).

3. The method according to one of the claims 1 -2, characterized in that user related information includes user location information, time zone of a user equipment (UE) of a user and/or user closed subscriber group information.

4. The method according to one of the claims 1 -3, characterized in that an instructing message is provided from an instructing entity (MME) in the core network (2) to a base station (4) in the radio access network (2), to which the user equipment (UE) is connected, to instruct the base station (4) to report user related information via the user plane.

5. The method according to one of the claims 1-4, characterized in that a reporting context of the instructing message is stored in the base station (4) and user related information is inserted into one or more uplink packets, preferably a G-PDU uplink packet or packets, preferably wherein the one or more uplink packets are created for user related information reporting if no uplink packet is present.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the number of uplink packets is configured locally by the base station (4).

7. The method according to one of the claims 1-6, characterized in that the instructing entity (MME), preferably a mobility management entity or a serving GPRS support node (SGSN), temporarily maintains existing bearers of a session to be deleted between the user equipment (UE) and the core network (3).

8. The method according to one of the claims 1-7, characterized in that the instructing entity (MME) is informed of user related information reporting capability of a base station (4) by an initial message, preferably a user equipment setup message or a base station message, preferably a S1 setup request message.

9. The method according to one of the claims 1 -8 characterized in that in case of a handover of the user equipment (UE) from a source base station (eNB1 ) to a target base station (eNB7), wherein the source base station has user related information reporting capability and wherein the target base station (eNB7) does not have user related information reporting capability, user related information reporting is performed on the control plane.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the instructing entity receives information of the user related information reporting capability of the target base station (eNB7) by a user equipment's mobility related switching message, preferably a path switch request message or a handover request acknowledge message.

1 1. The method according to one of the claims 4-10, characterized in that an existing instructing message to the base station (4) is reused.

12. The method according to one of the claims 4-1 1 , characterized in that the instructing entity (MME) instructs a routing entity (SGW), preferably in form of a serving gateway, to perform user related information reporting on the granularity level of base stations autonomously, based on the user equipment's currently connected base station.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the instructing entity (MME) informs the routing entity (SGW) if user related information reporting is to be performed in the control plane and/or in the user plane.

14. The method according to one of the claims 1 -13, characterized in that user related information reporting capability of the routing entity (SGW) is conveyed to the instructing entity (MME) by the routing entity (SGW).

15. The method according to one of the claims 1 -14, characterized in that a current user related information is provided to the base station (4), the received user related information is checked against the current user related information and user related information reporting is only performed in case of a difference between the current and received user related information.

16. The method according to one of the claims 1 -15, characterized in that user related information reporting context is conveyed from the source base station (eNB1 ) to the target base station (eNB7) in transparent containers when a handover of a user equipment (UE) is performed.

17. The method according to one of the claims 1 -16, characterized in that user related information reporting is performed independently of a bearer context and/or connection context, in case that the user equipment has several bearers and/or connections.

18. The method according to one of the claims 12-17, characterized in that user related information reporting context is transferred from a source routing entity (SGW1 ) to a target routing entity (SGW2) during idle mode mobility of the user equipment (UE) and activated on the target routing entity (SGW2).

19. The method according one of the claims 12-18, characterized in that base station information, preferably cell identity information of the cell of the base station (4), and user related information context is embedded into a message between a target instructing entity (MME2) and a target routing entity (SGW2).

20. The method according to one of the claims 1 -19, characterized in that user related information is included in a GTP-U-header and/or as a new IPv4 option and/or as a new IPv6 extension header of an IP header.

21. The method according to one of the claims 1 -20, characterized in that the routing entity (SGW) includes the user related information into a quality of service related procedure.

22. The method according to one of the claims 2-21 , characterized in that for controlling user related information reporting a corresponding extension header is included in user plane packets, including information defining an action to be performed with respect to user related information reporting.

23. The method according to one of the claims 2-22, characterized in that reports of user related information are acknowledged, preferably in downlink in the user plane.

24. A system for reporting user related information in a mobile communication network (1 ), preferably a 3GPP mobile communication network, comprising a user equipment (UE) connected to a core network (3) of the mobile communication network (1 ) via a radio access network (2) of the mobile communication network (1 ), and wherein the mobile communication network (1 ) comprises at least two communication planes including a control plane and a user plane, and preferably for performing with a method according to one of the claims 1 -23, characterized in that

one or more entities (MME, SGW), preferably in the core network (3), are operable to perform reporting of the user related information in the user plane of the mobile communication network (1 ).