Method and system for notifying access network location information

Abstract

A method and a system for notifying access network location information are provided. The method includes that in a PMIPv6 architecture, a Mobile Access Gateway (MAG) sends a circuit ID to a Local Mobility Anchor (LMA) by carrying the circuit ID in a proxy binding update message; and in a GTP architecture, a local GTP peer sends a circuit ID to a correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in a Create Session Request message, a Modify Bearer Request message or a Delete Session Request message. In the disclosure, an MAG can notify an LMA of access network location information of a UE in a PMIPv6 architecture, and a GTP peer can notify a correspondent GTP peer of access network location information of a UE in a GTP architecture.

Claims

1. A method for notifying access network location information, comprising: sending, by a local General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol (GTP) peer, a circuit ID to a correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in a Create Session Request message, a Modify Bearer Request message or a Delete Session Request message; and acquiring, by the correspondent GTP peer, the circuit ID carried in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message and returning, by the correspondent GTP peer, the acquired circuit ID to the local GTP peer by carrying the acquired circuit ID in a corresponding Create Session Response message, Modify Bearer Response message or Delete Session Response message, wherein the circuit ID comprises at least one of the following: a Router interface number, a Switching Hub port number, a Remote Access Server port number, a Frame Relay Data Link connection identifier, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) virtual circuit number, and a Cable Data virtual circuit number.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: after the local GTP peer sends the circuit ID to the correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message, acquiring, by the correspondent GTP peer, the circuit ID carried in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message and sending, by the correspondent GTP peer, the acquired circuit ID to a policy system and/or a charging system; and making or configuring, by the policy system, corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID, and charging, by the charging system, according to the acquired circuit ID.

3. A method for notifying access network location information, comprising: sending, by a local General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol (GTP) peer, a circuit ID to a correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in a Create Session Request message, a Modify Bearer Request message or a Delete Session Request message; and acquiring, by the correspondent GTP peer, the circuit ID carried in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message and sending, by the correspondent GTP peer, the acquired circuit ID to a policy system and/or a charging system; and making or configuring, by the policy system, corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID, and charging, by the charging system, according to the acquired circuit ID, wherein the circuit ID comprises at least one of the following: a Router interface number, a Switching Hub port number, a Remote Access Server port number, a Frame Relay Data Link connection identifier, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) virtual circuit number, and a Cable Data virtual circuit number.

4. A system for notifying access network location information, comprising a Mobile Access Gateway (MAG) and a Local Mobility Anchor (LMA) in a Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6) architecture, or comprising a local General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol (GTP) peer and an correspondent GTP peer in a GTP architecture, wherein the MAG is configured to send a circuit identifier (ID) to the LMA by carrying the circuit ID in a proxy binding update message; and the local GTP peer is configured to send a circuit ID to the correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in a Create Session Request message, a Modify Bearer Request message or a Delete Session Request message, wherein the circuit ID comprises at least one of the following: a Router interface number, a Switching Hub port number, a Remote Access Server port number, a Frame Relay Data Link connection identifier, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) virtual circuit number, and a Cable Data virtual circuit number.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the LMA is configured to acquire the circuit ID carried in the proxy binding update message and return the acquired circuit ID to the MAG by carrying the acquired circuit ID in a Proxy Binding Acknowledgement (PBA) message.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the LMA is configured to send the acquired circuit ID to a policy system which makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID and/or a charging system which charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the LMA is configured to send the acquired circuit ID to a policy system which makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID and/or a charging system which charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

8. The system according to claim 4, wherein the correspondent GTP peer is configured to return the acquired circuit ID to the local GTP peer by carrying the acquired circuit ID in a corresponding Create Session Response message, Modify Bearer Response message or Delete Session Response message.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the correspondent GTP peer is configured to send the acquired circuit ID to a policy system which makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID and/or a charging system which charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein the correspondent GTP peer is configured to send the acquired circuit ID to a policy system which makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID and/or a charging system which charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an architecture in which a terminal device is connected to an EPC via a BBF fixed network according to the conventional art;

(2) FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the connection of a UE to an EPC via a fixed network in an RG bridge mode according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the connection of a UE to an EPC via a fixed network in an RG routing mode according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) The technical solution of the disclosure is described below in detail with reference to accompanying drawings when read in conjunction with specific embodiments.

(5) A method for notifying access network location information provided in an embodiment of the disclosure mainly includes that: in a PMIPv6 architecture, an MAG sends a circuit ID to an LMA by carrying the circuit ID in a PBU message; or in a GTP architecture, a local GTP peer sends a circuit ID to a correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in a Create Session Request message, a Modify Bearer Request message or a Delete Session Request message.

(6) After the MAG sends a circuit ID to the LMA by carrying the circuit ID in the PBU message, the method may further include that: the LMA acquires the circuit ID carried in the PBU message and returns the acquired circuit ID to the MAG by carrying the acquired circuit ID in a PBA message.

(7) After the MAG sends a circuit ID to the LMA by carrying the circuit ID in the PBU message, the method may further include that: the LMA acquires the circuit ID carried in the PBU message and sends the acquired circuit ID to a policy system and/or a charging system (e.g. an Online/Offline Charging System); and the policy system makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID, and the charging system charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

(8) After the local GTP peer sends a circuit ID to the correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message, the method may further include that: the correspondent GTP peer acquires the circuit ID carried in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message and returns the acquired circuit ID to the local GTP peer by carrying the acquired circuit ID in a corresponding Create Session Response message, Modify Bearer Response message or Delete Session Response message.

(9) After the local GTP peer sends the circuit ID to the correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message, the method may further include that: the correspondent GTP peer acquires the circuit ID carried in the Create Session Request message, the Modify Bearer Request message or the Delete Session Request message and sends the acquired circuit ID to a policy system and/or a charging system; and the policy system makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID, and the charging system charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

(10) The foregoing method for notifying access network location information is described below in detail in combination with specific embodiments.

(11) As shown in FIG. 2, in an RG bridge mode, a user equipment (UE) is connected to an EPC via a fixed network, a TWAG providing the UE with the connection from a fixed network to the EPC is integrated with a Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS), an S2a interface (an interface between a reliable non-3GPP access network and a P-GW) and a PMIPv6 protocol are used between the TWAG and the P-GW. In the bridge mode, each device connected via an RG corresponds to a Circuit ID. Specific implementation steps include:

(12) Step 201: a layer-2 connection establishment flow is implemented between a UE and a reliable WLAN system, and during this process, a TWAG receives a Circuit ID which is sent by an RG and corresponding to the UE;

(13) Step 202: the UE initiates an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication and authorization flow to a 3GPP AAA server;

(14) Step 203: the TWAG is triggered by an EAP authentication and authorization message to initiate a PMIPv6 session creation flow from a P-GW, and the TWAG sends a Circuit ID to the P-GW by carrying the circuit ID in a PBU message;

(15) Step 204: after receiving the PBU message, the P-GW creates a local binding association table entry to associate and bind the Circuit ID with PMIPv6, and an IP-CAN session creation operation is carried out between the P-GW and a PCRF; during this process, the P-GW sends the Circuit ID to the PCRF (the foregoing policy system), and the PCRF makes related policy rules according to the Circuit ID;

(16) Step 205: if the System employs online charging, then the P-GW sends the circuit ID to an Online Charging System (OCS) by carrying the Circuit ID in a credit request message;

(17) Step 206: the OCS charges according to the circuit ID received and carries the Circuit ID in a credit response message returned to the P-GW for confirmation;

(18) Step 207: the P-GW updates P-GW address information for an HSS through the 3GPP AAA server;

(19) Step 208: the P-GW carries the received Circuit ID in a PBA message and returns the PBA message to the TWAG as acknowledgement; and

(20) Step 209: the UE receives an authentication and authorization success message, then the flow of establishing the connection to the EPC is completed.

(21) In the foregoing flow, the TWAG/BRAS serves as an MAG in a PMIPv6 architecture, and the P-GW serves as an LMA in a PMIPv6 architecture.

(22) As shown in FIG. 3, in an RG routing mode, a UE is connected to an EPC via a fixed network; a TWAG providing the UE with the connection from a fixed network to the EPC is integrated with a BRAS, an S2a interface (an interface between a reliable non-3GPP access network and a P-GW) and a GTP mobility management protocol are used between the TWAG and the P-GW. In the routing mode, a Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) provides a public network address for an RG, and the RG having a Network Address Translation (NAT) function assigns a private network IP address for a connected device. In the routing mode, for a network, since a Circuit ID only identifies an RG, the address and the Circuit ID assigned to the RG by the BNG can both identify the RG, while the Circuit ID reflects the location information of the RG more. Specific implementation steps are as follows:

(23) Step 301: a UE is connected to an RG, and the RG assigns a local IP address to the UE for the local authentication of a WLAN access network, and during this process, a TWAG receives a Circuit ID and/or an IP address (an IP address assigned to the RG by a BNG) from the RG;

(24) Step 302: the UE initiates an EAP authentication and Authorization flow to a 3GPP AAA server;

(25) Step 303: the TWAG is triggered by an EAP authentication and authorization message to initiate a GTP session creation flow from a P-GW, and the TWAG sends the Circuit ID and/or the IP address information of the RG to the P-GW by carrying the circuit ID and/or the IP address information of the RG in a Create Session Request message;

(26) Step 304: after receiving the Create Session Request message, the P-GW associates the circuit ID and/or the IP address information of the RG with a GTP session, and an IP-CAN session creation operation is carried out between the P-GW and a PCRF, during this process, the P-GW sends the Circuit ID and/or the IP information of the RG to the PCRF (the foregoing policy system), and the PCRF makes related policy rules according to the Circuit ID and/or the IP information of the RG;

(27) Step 305: the P-GW updates P-GW address information for an HSS through the 3GPP AAA server;

(28) Step 306: the P-GW carries the received Circuit ID and/or IP information of the RG in a Create Session Response message and returns the Create Session Response message to the TWAG as acknowledgement; and

(29) Step 307: the UE receives an authentication and authorization success message, then the flow of establishing the connection to the EPC is completed.

(30) In the foregoing flow, the TWAG/BRAS/BNG serves as an MAG in a PMIPv6 architecture, and the P-GW serves as an LMA in a PMIPv6 architecture.

(31) Corresponding to embodiments of the method for notifying access network location information provided herein, an embodiment of a system for notifying access network location information is also provided; the system includes an MAG and an LMA in a PMIPv6 architecture or includes a local GTP peer and a correspondent GTP peer in a GTP architecture, wherein in the PMIPv6 architecture, the MAG is configured to send a circuit ID to the LMA by carrying the circuit ID in a PBU message; and in the GTP architecture, the local GTP peer is configured to send a circuit ID to the correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in a Create Session Request message, a Modify Bearer Request message or a Delete Session Request message.

(32) Preferably, in the PMIPv6 architecture, the LMA is configured to acquire the circuit ID carried in the PBU message and return the acquired circuit ID to the MAG by carrying the acquired circuit ID in a PBA message.

(33) Preferably, in the PMIPv6 architecture, the LMA is configured to send the acquired circuit ID to a policy system which makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID and/or a charging system which charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

(34) Preferably, in the GTP architecture, the correspondent GTP peer is configured to return the acquired circuit ID to the local GTP peer by carrying the acquired circuit ID in a corresponding Create Session Response message, Modify Bearer Response message or Delete Session Response message.

(35) In the GTP architecture, the correspondent GTP peer is configured to send the acquired circuit ID to a policy system which makes or configures corresponding policy rules according to the acquired circuit ID and/or a charging system which charges according to the acquired circuit ID.

(36) The mentioned above is merely embodiments of the disclosure but is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure. It should be appreciated that any modification, equivalent or improvement without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure should all fall within the scope of the disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

(37) In embodiments of the disclosure, in a PMIPv6 architecture, an MAG sends a circuit ID to an LMA by carrying the circuit ID in a PBU message, and in a GTP architecture, a local GTP peer sends a circuit ID to a correspondent GTP peer by carrying the circuit ID in a Create Session Request message, a Modify Bearer Request message or a Delete Session Request message. In this way, an MAG can notify an LMA of the access network location information of a UE in a PMIPv6 architecture, and a GTP peer can notify a correspondent GTP peer of the access network location information of a UE in a GTP architecture.