U.S. patent application number 13/978213 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-16 for mobile communication method, mobile management node, and serving gateway apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to NEC Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is Katsutoshi Nishida, Toshiyuki Tamura. Invention is credited to Katsutoshi Nishida, Toshiyuki Tamura.
Application Number | 20140016553 13/978213 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46457394 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140016553 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nishida; Katsutoshi ; et
al. |
January 16, 2014 |
MOBILE COMMUNICATION METHOD, MOBILE MANAGEMENT NODE, AND SERVING
GATEWAY APPARATUS
Abstract
A mobile communication method in a mobile communication system
according to the present invention in which when MME#1 is restarted
in a first state in which a PDN connection #1 including one or more
EPS bearers #1 is set among a UE, an S-GW#1, and a P-GW#1, the
first state transitions to a second state in which the PDN
connection #1 is released between the UE and the S-GW#1 and the
connection is maintained only between the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1,
the mobile communication method including the step of not
transmitting, by the MME#1, "Paging" whose destination is the UE
upon receiving "DDN" including IMSI of the UE after detecting that
re-attach processing for the mobile station has been executed in
the second state.
Inventors: |
Nishida; Katsutoshi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Tamura; Toshiyuki; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Nishida; Katsutoshi
Tamura; Toshiyuki |
Tokyo
Tokyo |
|
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
NEC Corporation
|
Family ID: |
46457394 |
Appl. No.: |
13/978213 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
November 29, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2011/077486 |
371 Date: |
September 19, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/328 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 76/27 20180201;
H04W 68/02 20130101; H04W 68/005 20130101; H04W 76/34 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/328 |
International
Class: |
H04W 68/02 20060101
H04W068/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 7, 2011 |
JP |
2011-002555 |
Claims
1. A mobile communication method in a mobile communication system
in which when a first mobile management node is restarted in a
first state in which a connection including one or more bearers is
set among a mobile station, a first serving gateway apparatus, and
a first packet data network gateway apparatus, the first state
transitions to a second state in which the connection is released
between the mobile station and the first serving gateway apparatus
and the connection is maintained only between the first serving
gateway apparatus and the first packet data network gateway
apparatus, the mobile communication method comprising: not
transmitting, by the first mobile management node, a paging signal
whose destination is the mobile station upon receiving a downlink
data notification signal including identification information of
the mobile station after detecting that re-attach processing for
the mobile station is completed in the second state.
2. The mobile communication method according to claim 1, further
comprising: notifying, by the first mobile management node, the
first serving gateway apparatus that the re-attaching processing
for the mobile station is completed when not transmitting the
paging signal whose destination is the mobile station; and
releasing, by the first serving gateway apparatus, the connection
between the first serving gateway apparatus and the first packet
data network gateway apparatus in response to the notification.
3. A mobile management node that operates as a first mobile
management node for use in a mobile communication system in which
when the first mobile management node is restarted in a first state
in which a connection including one or more bearers is set among a
mobile station, a first serving gateway apparatus, and a first
packet data network gateway apparatus, the first state transitions
to a second state in which the connection is released between the
mobile station and the first serving gateway apparatus and the
connection is maintained only between the first serving gateway
apparatus and the first packet data network gateway apparatus, the
mobile management node being configured not to transmit a paging
signal whose destination is the mobile station upon receiving a
downlink data notification signal including identification
information of the mobile station after detecting that re-attach
processing for the mobile station is completed in the second
state.
4. The mobile management node according to claim 3, wherein the
mobile management node is configured to notify the first serving
gateway apparatus that the re-attach processing for the mobile
station is completed when not transmitting the paging signal whose
destination is the mobile station.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile communication
method, a mobile management node, and a serving gateway
apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In a mobile communication system of an EPS (Evolved Packet
System) type specified in 3GPP, there is proposed an operation to
be carried out when a P-GW (Packet Data Network-Gateway, packet
data network gateway apparatus) #1 receives user data whose
destination is a UE (User Equipment) in an idle state under control
of an MME (Mobility Management Entity, mobile management node) #1,
after the MME#1 which has been suspended due to a failure or the
like is restarted.
[0003] The operation will be described below with reference to FIG.
4.
[0004] As shown in FIG. 4, when the MME#1 is restarted in step
S3001 in a state (first state) in which a PDN connection #1
including one or more EPS bearers #1 is set among the UE, an S-GW
(Serving Gateway, serving gateway apparatus) #1, and the P-GW#1,
the state transitions to a state (second state) in which the PDN
connection #1 is released between the UE and the S-GW#1 and the PDN
connection #1 is maintained only between the S-GW#1 and the
P-GW#1.
[0005] In step S3002, upon receiving user data whose destination is
the UE on the EPS bearer #1 from an external network, the P-GW#1
transmits the user data whose destination is the UE to the S-GW#1
through the EPS bearer #1 in step S3003.
[0006] In step S3004, the S-GW#1 transmits "DDN (Downlink Data
Notification, downlink notification signal)" to the MME#1, because
the PDN connection #1 is released between the UE and the
S-GW#1.
[0007] In step S3005, upon receiving the "DDN", the MME#1 transmits
"Paging" whose destination is the UE specified by "IMSI
(International Mobile Subscriber Identity)" included in the
"DDN".
[0008] In step S3006, upon receiving the "Paging" whose destination
is the UE, the UE transmits "Attach Request (attach request
signal)" to a core network so as to start re-attach processing. The
"Attach Request" is transferred to an MME#2 via a radio access
network.
[0009] In step S3007, the MME#2 performs location registration
processing for the UE with an HSS (Home Subscriber Server,
subscriber information server apparatus).
[0010] In step S3008, a PDN connection #2 including one or more EPS
bearers #2 is set among the UE, an S-GW#2, and a P-GW#2.
[0011] In step S3009, the MME#2 transmits "Attach Accept" to the
UE.
CITATION LIST
Non Patent Literature
[0012] [Non Patent Literature 1] 3GPP TR23.857
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0013] However, in the example of FIG. 4, when the P-GW#1 receives
the user data whose destination is the UE on the EPS bearer #1 from
the external network in step S3010, the following problem
occurs.
[0014] That is, in step S3011, the P-GW#1 transmits the user data
whose destination is the UE to the S-GW#1 through the EPS bearer
#1, and in step S3012, the S-GW#1 transmits, in a similar manner as
step S3004, the "DDN" in which the IMSI is set to the MME #1
because the PDN connection #1 is released between the UE and the
S-GW#1.
[0015] As a result, in step S3013, upon receiving the "DDN", the
MME#1 transmits the "Paging" whose destination is the UE specified
by the
[0016] "IMSI" included in the "DDN", thereby consuming unnecessary
radio resources while causing a communication disconnect in step
S3014.
[0017] Alternatively, when the MME#1 holds S-TMSI or the like in a
memory, the "Paging" whose destination is to the UE specified by
the S-TMSI in place of the IMSI may be transmitted. In this case,
transmission of the "Paging" in step S3013 consumes unnecessary
radio resources.
[0018] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of
the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention
is to provide a mobile communication method, a mobile management
node, and a serving gateway apparatus which are capable of avoiding
transmission of the unnecessary paging signal after the MME#1 which
has been suspended due to a failure or the like is restarted.
Solution to Problem
[0019] A first exemplary aspect of the present invention is a
mobile communication method in a mobile communication system in
which when a first mobile management node is restarted in a first
state in which a connection including one or more bearers is set
among a mobile station, a first serving gateway apparatus, and a
first packet data network gateway apparatus, the first state
transitions to a second state in which the connection is released
between the mobile station and the first serving gateway apparatus
and the connection is maintained only between the first serving
gateway apparatus and the first packet data network gateway
apparatus, the mobile communication method including the step of
not transmitting, by the first mobile management node, a paging
signal whose destination is the mobile station upon receiving a
downlink data notification signal including identification
information of the mobile station after detecting that re-attach
processing for the mobile station is completed in the second
state.
[0020] A second exemplary aspect of the present invention is a
mobile management node that operates as a first mobile management
node for use in a mobile communication system in which when the
first mobile management node is restarted in a first state in which
a connection including one or more bearers is set among a mobile
station, a first serving gateway apparatus, and a first packet data
network gateway apparatus, the first state transitions to a second
state in which the connection is released between the mobile
station and the first serving gateway apparatus and the connection
is maintained only between the first serving gateway apparatus and
the first packet data network gateway apparatus, the mobile
management node being configured not to transmit a paging signal
whose destination is the mobile station upon receiving a downlink
data notification signal including identification information of
the mobile station after detecting that re-attach processing for
the mobile station is completed in the second state.
[0021] A third exemplary aspect of the present invention is a
serving gateway apparatus that operates as a first serving gateway
apparatus in a mobile communication system in which when a first
mobile management node is restarted in a first state in which a
connection including one or more bearers is set among a mobile
station, a first serving gateway apparatus, and a first packet data
network gateway apparatus, the first state transitions to a second
state in which the connection is released between the mobile
station and the first serving gateway apparatus and the connection
is maintained only between the first serving gateway apparatus and
the first packet data network gateway apparatus, the serving
gateway apparatus being configured to release the connection upon,
in the second state, transmitting to the first mobile management
node a downlink data notification signal including identification
information of the mobile station in response to user data whose
destination is the mobile station received through the bearer and
also receiving a response signal for the downlink data notification
signal including notification information for requesting release of
the connection.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0022] As described above, according to the present invention, it
is possible to provide a mobile communication method, a mobile
management node, and a serving gateway apparatus which are capable
of avoiding transmission of an unnecessary paging signal after the
MME#1 which has been suspended due to a failure or the like is
restarted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a mobile
communication system according to a first exemplary embodiment of
the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating operation of the
mobile communication system according to the first exemplary
embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating operation of a
mobile communication system according to Modified Example 1 of the
present invention; and
[0026] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating operation of a
mobile communication system of a related art.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(Mobile Communication System According to a First Exemplary
Embodiment of the Present Invention)
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a mobile communication system
according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present
invention will be described.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile communication system
according to this exemplary embodiment includes a P-GW#1, a P-GW#2,
an S-GW#1, an S-GW#2, an MME#1, an MME#2, an E-UTRAN (Evolved
Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network), and an HSS.
[0029] Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 2, description will be made
of operation to be carried out when the P-GW#1 receives user data
whose destination is a UE in an idle state under control of the
MME#1, after the MME#1 which has been suspended due to a failure or
the like is restarted in the mobile communication system according
to this exemplary embodiment.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, when the MME#1 is restarted in step
S1001 in a state (first state) in which a PDN connection #1
including one or more EPS bearers #1 is set among the UE, the
S-GW#1, and the P-GW#1, the state transitions to a state (second
state) in which the PDN connection #1 is released between the UE
and the S-GW#1 and the PDN connection #1 is maintained only between
the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1.
[0031] Note that in this case, the S-GW#1 may be set such that only
a specific EPS bearer in the PDN connection #1 is not released
between the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1.
[0032] The EPC bearer may be set the necessity of releasing the EPS
bearer in the S-GW#1 by use of QCI (QoS Class Identifier), a
priority type "ARP (Allocation Retention Priority)", or the
like.
[0033] Upon receiving user data whose destination is the UE on an
EPS bearer #1 from an external network in step S1002, the P-GW#1
transmits the user data whose destination is the UE to the S-GW#1
through the EPS bearer #1 in step S1003.
[0034] In step S1004, the S-GW#1 transmits the "DDN" including an
IMSI of the UE and "EPS Bearer ID#1" which is identification
information of the EPS bearer #1 to the MME#1, because the PDN
connection #1 is released between the UE and the S-GW#1 (that is,
because restart of the MME#1 is detected by a GTP echo signal or
the like). Note that the "EPS Bearer ID#1" shall not necessarily be
set.
[0035] In step S1005, the MME#1 transmits "DDN Ack", which is a
response signal for "DDN", to the S-GW#1. Note that the "DDK Ack"
shall not necessarily be transmitted.
[0036] In step S1006/S1007, upon receiving the "DDN" in which the
IMSI is set, the MME#1 transmits "Paging" whose destination is the
UE specified by the "IMSI" included in the "DDN" while storing
information indicating the transmission of the "Paging".
[0037] When the MME#1 holds S-TMSI or the like in a memory, the
"Paging" whose destination is the UE specified by the S-TMSI in
place of the IMSI may be transmitted.
[0038] In this case, prior to execution of step S1008, the UE
transmits "Service Request" to the MME#1, and the MME#1 notifies
the UE of a reject signal, thereby activating step S1008 which is
described later.
[0039] In step S1008, upon receiving the "Paging" whose destination
is the UE, the UE transmits the "Attach Request" including the IMSI
of the UE to a core network so as to start re-attach processing.
The "Attach Request" is transferred to the MME#2 via a radio access
network.
[0040] In step S1009, the MME#2 transmits "Update Location Request"
to the HSS so as to start location registration processing for the
UE.
[0041] In step S1010, the HSS transmits "Cancel Location Request
(positional information deletion request signal)" to the MME#1.
[0042] In step S1011, the MME#1 detects that the UE re-attached by
having received the "Cancel Location Request".
[0043] In step S1012, the MME#1 transmits "Cancel Location Answer"
to the HSS.
[0044] In step S1013, the HSS transmits "Update Location Request"
to the MME#2.
[0045] In step S1014, a PDN connection #2 including one or more EPS
bearers #2 is set among the UE, the S-GW#2, and the P-GW#2.
[0046] In step S1015, the MME#2 transmits "Attach Accept" to the
UE.
[0047] After that, upon receiving the user data whose destination
is the UE on the EPS bearer #1 from the external network in step
S1016, the P-GW#1 transmits the user data whose destination is the
UE to the S-GW#1 through the EPS bearer #1 in step S1017.
[0048] In step S1018, the S-GW#1 transmits the "DDN" including the
IMSI of the UE to the MME#1, in a similar manner as step S1003,
because the PDN connection #1 is released between the UE and the
S-GW#1.
[0049] Here, since the MME#1 has detected that the UE specified by
the "IMSI" included in the "DDN" is already attached, the MME#1
will not transmit the "Paging" whose destination is the UE.
[0050] After that, in step S1019, the MME#1 transmits to the S-GW#1
the "DDN Ack" or "DDN Failure" including notification information
for requesting release of the PDN connection #1 of the UE held
between the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1.
[0051] Here, the MME#1 may include the "EPS Bearer ID#1" in the
"DDN Ack" or the "DDN Failure". Further, when the MME#1 holds
context information (information on the UE), such as the S-TMSI
allocated to the UE before restart, in the memory, the context
information may be deleted.
[0052] In step S1020, upon receiving the above-mentioned
"notification information", the S-GW#1 transmits "Delete Session
Request" including "Linked Beare ID#1" corresponding to the "IMSI"
of the UE to the P-GW#1 so as to release the PDN connection #1
which is set between the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1 and which
corresponds to the "EPS Bearer ID#1".
[0053] The term "Linked Beare ID#1" herein described refers to
identification information for identifying the PDN connection
#1.
[0054] In step S1021, after the PDN connection #1 is released, the
P-GW#1 transmits "Delete Session Response" to the S-GW#1.
[0055] The mobile communication system according to this exemplary
embodiment is configured such that, upon receiving the "Cancel
Location Request" for the UE, the MME#1 detects that the UE has
re-attached, and after that, even upon receiving the "DDN" in which
the IMSI is set for instructing transmission of the "Paging" whose
destination is the UE, the MME#1 will not transmit the "Paging"
whose destination is the UE. Avoiding transmission of the
unnecessary "Paging" in this way enables avoiding consumption of
unnecessary radio resources and generation of communication
disconnect.
Modified Example 1
[0056] Referring to FIG. 3, a mobile communication system according
to Modified Example 1 of the present invention will be described
below while focusing on the differences from the mobile
communication system according to the first exemplary embodiment
described above.
[0057] Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 3, description will be made
of operation to be carried out when the P-GW#1 receives user data
whose destination is the UE in the idle state under control of the
MME#1, after the MME#1 which has been suspended due to a failure or
the like is restarted in the mobile communication system according
to Modified Example 1 of the present invention.
[0058] As shown in FIG. 3, when the MME#1 is restarted in step
S2001 in a state (first state) in which the PDN connection #1
including one or more
[0059] EPS bearers #1 is set among the UE, the S-GW#1, and the
P-GW#1, the state transitions to a state (second state) in which
the PDN connection #1 is released between the UE and the S-GW#1 and
the PDN connection #1 is maintained only between the S-GW#1 and the
P-GW#1.
[0060] In step S2002, the UE transmits "Tracking Area Update
Request (location registration area update request signal)" or
"Service Request (service request signal)" to the MME#1.
[0061] Upon receiving the "Tracking Area Update Request" or the
[0062] "Service Request", the MME#1 transmits "Tracking Area Update
Reject (location registration area reject signal" or "Service
Reject (service reject signal)" to the UE because the MME#1 does
not hold the context information of the UE in step S2003.
[0063] In step S2004, upon receiving the "Tracking Area Update
Request" or the "Service Request", the UE transmits the "Attach
Request" to the MME#2.
[0064] The operations in steps S2005 to S2017 are the same as the
operations in steps S1009 to S1021 shown in FIG. 2.
[0065] Note that the present invention is not limited to the
above-described cases, but can also be applied to the case where
the UE transmits the "Attach Request" to the restarted MME#1, upon
executing the re-attach processing.
[0066] That is, in this case, as the MME#1 is aware that the UE is
re-connected, upon receiving the "DDN" in which the IMSI of the UE
is set, the MME#1 transmits to the S-GW#1 the "DDN Ack" or the "DDN
Failure" including the notification information for requesting
release of the PDN connection #1 held between the S-GW#1 and the
P-GW#1.
[0067] The aspects of the above-described exemplary embodiments may
be also expressed as follows.
[0068] A first exemplary aspect of this exemplary embodiment is a
mobile communication method in a mobile communication system in
which when the MME#1 (first mobile management node) is restarted in
the first state in which the PDN connection #1 (connection)
including one or more EPS bearers #1 (bearer) is set among the UE
(mobile station), the S-GW#1 (first serving gateway apparatus), and
the P-GW#1 (first packet data network gateway apparatus), the first
state transitions to the second state in which the PDN connection
#1 is released between the UE and the S-GW#1 and the PDN connection
#1 is maintained only between the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1, the mobile
communication method including the step of not transmitting, by the
MME#1, the "Paging (paging signal)" whose destination is the UE
upon receiving the "DDN (downlink data notification signal)"
including the IMSI of the UE (identification information of the
mobile station) after detecting that the re-attach processing for
the UE has been executed in the second state.
[0069] The first exemplary aspect of this exemplary embodiment may
further include the steps of: notifying, by the MME#1, the S-GW#1
of not transmitting the "Paging" when not transmitting the "Paging"
whose destination is the UE; and releasing, by the S-GW#1, the PDN
connection #1 (connection) between the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1 in
response to the notification.
[0070] A second exemplary aspect of this exemplary embodiment is an
MME that operates as the MME#1 in a mobile communication system in
which when the MME#1 is restarted in the first state in which the
PDN connection #1 including one or more EPS bearers #1 is set among
the UE, the S-GW#1, and the P-GW#1, the first state transitions to
the second state in which the PDN connection #1 is released between
the UE and the S-GW#1 and the PDN connection #1 is maintained only
between the
[0071] S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1, the MME being configured not to
transmit the "Paging" whose destination is the UE upon receiving
the "DDN" including the IMSI of the UE after detecting that the
re-attach processing for the UE has been executed in the second
state.
[0072] In the second exemplary aspect of this exemplary embodiment,
when the MME does not transmit the "Paging" whose destination is
the UE, the MME may be configured to notify the S-GW#1 of not
transmitting the "Paging".
[0073] A third exemplary aspect of this exemplary embodiment is an
S-GW that operates as the S-GW#1 in a mobile communication system
in which when the MME#1 is restarted in the first state in which
the PDN connection #1 including one or more EPS bearers #1 is set
among the UE, the S-GW#1, and the P-GW#1, the first state
transitions to the second state in which the PDN connection #1 is
released between the UE and the S-GW#1 and the PDN connection #1 is
maintained only between the S-GW#1 and the P-GW#1, the S-GW being
configured to release the PDN connection #1 upon, in the second
state, transmitting to the MME#1 the "DDN" including the IMSI of
the UE in response to the user data whose destination is the UE
received through the EPS bearer #1 and also receiving the "DDN Ack"
or the "DDN Failure" including the notification information for
requesting release of the PDN connection #1.
[0074] Note that the above-described operations of the MME#1,
MME#2, S-GW#1, S-GW#2, P-GW#1, P-GW#2, eNB#1, eNB#2, and UE may be
implemented by hardware, a software module executed by a processor,
or a combination thereof.
[0075] The software module may be provided in storage media of any
form such as RAM (Random Access Memory), flash memory, ROM (Read
Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM
(Electronically Erasable and Programmable ROM), register, hard
disk, removable disk, or CD-ROM.
[0076] The storage media are connected to the processor so that the
processor can read and write information from and to the storage
media. The storage media may be integrated in the processor. The
storage media and the processor may be provided in an ASIC. The
ASIC may be provided in the MME#1, MME#2, S-GW#1, S-GW#2, P-GW#1,
P-GW#2, eNB#1, eNB#2, and UE. The storage media and the processor
may be provided, as discrete components, in the MME#1, MME#2,
S-GW#1, S-GW#2, P-GW#1, P-GW#2, eNB#1, eNB#2, and UE.
[0077] Though the present invention has been described above in
detail with reference to the above-described exemplary embodiments,
it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present
invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments herein
described. The present invention can be implemented as modified and
changed modes without departing from the gist and scope of the
present invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the
description of the specification is intended for explaining the
example only and does not impose any limited meaning to the present
invention.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0078] UE MOBILE STATION [0079] eNB RADIO BASE STATION [0080]
MME#1, MME#2 MOBILE MANAGEMENT NODE [0081] S-GW#1, S-GW#2 SERVING
GATEWAY APPARATUS [0082] P-GW#1, P-GW PDN GATEWAY APPARATUS [0083]
HSS SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SERVER
* * * * *