The present invention generally relates to mobile communication networks
5 and systems.
Detailed descriptions of mobile communication networks and systems can
be found in the literature, such as in particular in Technical Specifications published
by standardization bodies such as for example 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership
Project).
10 In general, in a mobile system, a User Equipment (UE) has access to
various services or applications via a mobile network (also called Public Land
Mobile Network PLMN) providing communication services. A mobile network can in
particular be an IP-Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) providing communication
services including providing IP connectivity. An example of mobile network such as
15 IP-CAN is EPS (Evolved Packet System) network, specified in particular in 3GPP
TS 23.401 and 3GPP TS 23.402.
In general, a mobile network comprises a Core Network (CN) accessed by
a Radio Access Network (RAN). For example, an EPS network comprises EPC
(Evolved Packet Core) that can be accessed by different Radio Access Networks
20 (including E-UTRAN, UTRAN/GERAN). In general, a mobile network comprises
various mobile network entities including Core Network entities and Radio Access
Network entities. EPC entities include MME (Mobility Management Entity), SGW
(Serving Gateway), SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node), PDN GW (PDN
Gateway). In E-UTRAN, entities include eNB (eNodeB). Interfaces within EPS
25 network include in particular: S 1 interface between E-UTRAN and MME, S 11
interface between MME and SGW, S4 interface between SGSN and SGW, S5/S8
interface between SGW and PGW. EPS is specified in particular in 3GPP TS 23.401
for E-UTRAN access case and in 3GPP TS 23.060 for GERAN/UTRAN access
case. Examples of EPS network architectures are recalled in figure 1 taken from
30 3GPP TS 23.401 (for GTP-based S5 interface) and figure 2 taken from 3GPP TS
23.402 (for PMIP-based S5 interface).
In general, a mobile network also comprises a policy and/or charging
controller. For example, in EPS network, Policy and Charging Control (PCC)
functionality is specified in particular in 3GPP TS 23.203. PCC functions include in
particular: PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function), PCEF (Policy and Charging
Enforcement Function), Online Charging System (OCS), SPR (Subscriber Profile
Repository). Interfaces within PCC architecture include in particular: Gx interface
between PCRF and PCEF (for GTP-based S5/S8 interface), Gxc interface between
PCRF and SGW (for PMIP-based S5/S8 interface). An example of PCC architecture
is recalled in figure 3 taken from 3GPP TS 23.203. Figure 4 , also taken from 3GPP
TS 23.203, illustrates PCC architecture applied to an EPS IP-CAN (GTP-based),
where PCEF is located in PDN GW.
In such networks and systems, it is important (e.g. for charging, ...etc.) to
provide for retrieval/reporting/triggering a reporting of, user location information.
For example, in EPS, location change reporting procedures have been
specified, including procedures (specified in particular in 3GPP TS 29.212 and
3GPP TS 29.274) whereby PCRF/OCS triggers user location change reporting from
PDN GW, the user location change reporting trigger is then propagated from PDN
GW to serving Mobility Management Entity MME or SGSN (serving the User
Equipment UE), and a user location change (with User Location Information ULI) is
reported by MME (or SGSN), then propagated from MME (or SGSN) to PDN GW
and then to PCRF (or OCS).
An example of signaling flow for triggering a reporting of user location
information/user location change is recalled in figure 5 , taken from 3GPP TS 29.213.
User location change reporting trigger is performed in particular at IP-CAN session
establishment. Steps performed at IP-CAN session establishment can be illustrated
in a simplified way by steps 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 12, 14 of figure 5 (where the entity BBERF
would be replaced by Serving Gateway SGW).
There may be similar concepts in systems other than EPS (taken above as
an example).
As recognized by the inventors and as will be described with more details
later, there is a need to enhance such retrieval/reporting/triggering the reporting of
user location information. In particular there is a need to enable
retrieval/reporting/triggering the reporting of user location information, at a
granularity level other than the (currently specified) granularities at a level of an area
that will be called mobile network related area (or PLMN related area), used to
manage the mobile network.
For example, mobile network related areas used to manage an EPS
network include:
• Cells (used in GERAN and E-UTRAN cases)
• ENBs (used in E-UTRAN case)
· Service Areas SA (used in UTRAN case)
• Location Areas (LA), Routing Areas (RA), Tracking Areas (TA).
Areas such as LA/RA/TA in EPS network will also be called mobility
management areas.
Also, it is important that the signalling load generated by such procedures
in such networks is not increased.
Embodiments of the present invention in particular address such needs.
These and other objects are achieved, in one aspect, by a method for
support of retrieval and/or reporting and/or triggering the reporting of user location
information in a mobile network, wherein said user location information is retrieved
and/or reported and/or the reporting of said user location information is triggered, at
a granularity of an area referred to as administrative area defined as a set of mobile
network related areas, mobile network related areas being defined at mobile
network management level, and mobile network related areas being mapped to
administrative areas.
These and other objects are achieved, in another aspect, by a method for
enhancing the reporting, respectively /triggering the reporting of, user location
change in a mobile network, said method comprising:
- reporting, respectively triggering the reporting of, user location change of
administrative area at at least one administrative level, wherein an administrative
level is associated in said mobile network with a mapping of administrative areas
onto mobile network related areas defined for mobile network management.
These and other objects are achieved, in other aspects, by entities for
performing related step(s) of such method(s), said entities including, in particular
(though not exclusively): RAN entity such as eNB in EPS network, mobile core
network entity capable of serving a User Equipment such as Mobility Management
Entity MME or Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN or Trusted WLAN Access
Gateway TWAG in EPS network, policy and/or charging controller such as Policy
and Charging Rules Function PCRF or Online Charging System OCS in EPS
network, mobile network entity such as Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW in
EPS network, Operation And Maintenance OAM entity.
Some embodiments of apparatus and/or methods in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention are now described, by way of example only,
and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 and 2 are intended to recall examples of EPS architecture,
- Figure 3 and 4 are intended to recall examples of PCC architecture,
Figure 5 is intended to recall an example of signaling flow for triggering a
reporting of user location information/user location change,
Figure 6 is intended to illustrate in a simplified way a first example of
mapping of mobile network related areas onto administrative areas,
according to embodiments of the present invention,
Figure 7 is intended to illustrate in a simplified way a second example of
mapping of mobile network related areas onto administrative areas,
according to embodiments of the present invention,
Figure 8 is an example intended to illustrate several levels of administrative
areas, according to embodiments of the present invention,
Figure 9 is intended to illustrate a signaling mechanism for start/stop of ULI
reporting at administrative level, according to embodiments of the present
invention.
By way of example, the description below will be made for an EPS
network. It should however be understood that the present invention is not
limited to an EPS network.
Current 3GPP networks allow the PGW (PDN GW as defined in 3GPP TS
23.401) or GGSN (as defined in 3GPP TS 23.060), the PCRF (Policy and Charging
Rule Function as defined in 3GPP TS 23.203) or the OCS (On Line Charging
System as defined in 3GPP TS 32.240) to request ULI (User Location Information)
reporting from the Serving Node of the UE (MME/SGSN) to the PGW (that reports it
to the PCRF/OCS).
The ULI as currently defined in 3GPP corresponds to UE Location
Information associated with mobile network related areas (or PLMN related areas)
used to manage the PLMN.
The PCRF / OCS / PGW may define the granularity (Cell, eNB, SA, TA, LA,
RA) at which the ULI is to be reported. The reporting is done each time the UE
changes of Cell, eNB, SA, TA, LA, RA (depending on the requested granularity for
ULI reporting). This feature is defined in 3GPP TS 23.203.
Anyhow there may be (e.g. for charging or any other administrative
reasons) the need to track where the UE is but not at the level of "mobility
management" related areas but at the level of areas that will be called
administrative areas, not used to manage the PLMN but that may e.g. be defined in
the country (Province in China, State in the US, Lander in Germany, department in
France, county in UK, ...).
In current 3GPP specifications, it is only possible for the MSC/SGSN/MME
to notify the PCRF and/or the OCS by reporting UE Location Information (ULI) at
changes of cells, eNBs, Location Areas, Routing Areas, Service Areas and/or
Tracking Areas, i.e. it is not possible to notify the PCRF and/or the OCS for any
other area level.
A possible solution would be for PCRF or OCS to configure an
administrative area as a list of e.g. LAs/RAs/SAs/TAs and/or eNBs and/or cells and
to trigger ULI reporting at appropriate "mobility management" level(s), and then upon
receiving an event reporting a change of LA/TA to check whether this corresponds
to an actual change of an administrative area. But this would result in a huge
signalling load although the requirement is just to notify (and possibly to also report
the ULI) when the UE changes administrative area: when LA/RA/TA reporting is
used only for that purpose, this implies useless signaling in the network when
LA/RA/TA are within the same administrative area (especially for TA that are meant
to be smaller than LA/RA in order to associate UE(s) not subject to TA reporting with
TA lists dynamically centered around the current TA of the UE). Moreover, an
administrative area may correspond to a mix of TAs, eNBs and cells, which would
imply changing granularity reporting depending on the UE location.
There is a need for another approach to provide for
retrieval/reporting/triggering the reporting of user location information at the
granularity of an administrative area, in particular avoiding such drawbacks.
Embodiments of the present invention address these and other needs.
One or more of following aspects and/or embodiments can be provided:
Defining a new granularity for ULI reporting: the "Administrative Area",
defined as a mixed set of mobile network related areas e.g. cells, eNBs,
Service Areas, Location Areas, Routing Areas, Tracking Areas;
- Providing a mechanism for triggering the report of a change of administrative
area from the PCRF or OCS for a given UE, whereby the PCRF or the OCS
can trigger the reporting of a change of administrative area using an
"administrative area level identifier" without the need to know the mapping
between an administrative area and a set of mobile network related areas
e.g. cells, eNBs, SAs, LAs, RAs, TAs.
- Providing the possibility to trigger the reporting of several levels of
administrative areas for a given UE.
Whereby
· What the administrative areas correspond to is a matter of local configuration
between the PCRF/OCS and the MMEs and/or the SGSNs and or TWAG .
• Each administrative area is associated with an "administrative area level".
Administrative areas of the same "administrative area level" don't overlap
each others.
An example of administrative areas (at a given administrative level) and
their relationship with mobile network related areas is illustrated in a simplified way
in figure 6 .
In the example illustrated in figure 6 , administrative areas(identified by an
identifier such as "adminl", "admin2", "admin3") are defined as a set of PLMN
related areas including TAs and (in case of TA split between multiple administrative
areas, which is for example the case of TA5 in figure 6 , which is split between
administrative areas admin2 and admin3) eNBs and/or cells.
One or more of following aspects and/or embodiments can be provided:
· Per administrative level, MME/SGSN are configured with a mapping table
from PLMN related areas TAs/LAs/RAs to administrative areas (e.g. county
in UK, state in US) or to an indication that the PLMN related area is split
between multiple administrative areas. In the example of figure 6 , such
mapping table in MME is noted "MME Table: admin area per TAI", and such
indication is noted "Multiple". If the PLMN related area TA is split between
multiple administrative areas, for any cell within this PLMN related area the
MME needs to consider configuration information at cell level (actually
retrieved from the RAN itself).
In addition, several independent administrative levels can be defined in the
same PLMN, for example French Regions, Public Safety Areas, Military
Responsibility Areas, etc. And so, it is possible for PCRF/OCS to trigger location
reporting at French Region level for a UE, but at Public Safety Area level for another
UE. It would also be possible for PCRF/OCS to trigger the location report at both
French Regions and Public Safety Area level for a third UE. The constraint is that
the French Regions don't overlap each other, the Public Safety Areas don't overlap
each other, the Military Responsibility Areas don't overlap each other.
• The ENB are configured with the administrative areas of the cells they
support. Such configuration is illustrated in figure 6 by a table noted "MME
Table: admin area per ENB and cell". The eNB indicate the mapping (from
Cell-Id to administrative area) to the MME via S 1 related signaling (e.g. in S 1
SETUP REQUEST or ENB Configuration). S 1 related signaling is specified
in particular in 3GPP TS 36.413, which would then include such signaling
according to such aspects and/or embodiments of the invention.
An alternative is that the MME/SGSN is configured with administrative
areas at the cell level.
When the MME detects that a UE is in an eNB that includes one of the cells
it controls (the MME/SGSN can derive the eNB identity from the cell-ID as it is the
MSB bytes of the cell-ID), it can request the eNB to inform the MME each time the
eNB detects a change of cell. With this alternative, there is no need to configure the
eNBs with administrative areas.
• Other entities in the PLMN do not need to be bothered with the relationship
between administrative areas and PLMN related areas (e. g . LA, RA, TA,
Cell Id, ENB)
Another example of administrative areas (at a given administrative level)
and their relationship with mobile network related areas is illustrated in a simplified
way in figure 7 . In figure 7 an administrative area is called "Region".
In the example illustrated in figure 7 :
Region 1 is composed of
- TA-1
- One cell of TA-2
- One cell of TA-3
- Two cells of TA-4
Regions are configured :
- Either fully in the MME/SGSN nodes for the cells they control:
MME-x, which controls TA-1 and TA-4 is configured with Region 1 =
TA1 and cells 1 and 2 of TA-4
MME-y, which controls TA-2 and TA-3 is configured with Region 1 =
celM of TA-2 and cell 1 of TA-3
- Or in the RAN (e.g. eNB), and the RAN indicates to the MME which cells
are mapped to which administrative area
- Or in the MME/SGSN for the TAs that are completely included in the
administrative area and in the RAN for other cells of the administrative area
Figure 8 shows an example with two administrative area levels , where
administrative areas at one level are called "Region" and administrative areas at
another level are called "Public Safety Area".
One or more of following aspects and/or embodiments may be provided:
Current signaling mechanisms to start/stop ULI reporting and to report ULI are
specified in particular in 3GPP TS 29.212 and 3GPP TS 29.274, which would then
be modified to introduce signaling (messages) to start/stop ULI reporting and to
report ULI at administrative level.
Embodiments related to start/stop ULI reporting at administrative level may
include:
- Over Gx (from PCRF to PGW), the Event-Trigger AVP specified in 3GPP TS
29.212 § 5.3.7 is modified to add new event requests: one per administrative
level.
- Over the signaling interfaces (from PGW to MME/SGSN) the "Change
Reporting Action" as specified in 3GPP TS 29.274 § 8.61 is modified to
introduce Action "Start reporting" at administrative level, such as Action
"Start reporting admin-level-1" and "Start reporting admin-level-2", as
illustrated in figure 9 corresponding to Figure 8.61-1 of 3GPP TS 29.274
(representing the coding of the Change Action Reporting Action) and to
"Table 8.61-1 : Action Values" of 3GPP TS 29.274. This corresponds to
starting/stopping ULI reporting at administrative level from PGW to the
Serving Node of the UE (e.g. MME/SGSN/TWAG).
Embodiments related to ULI report at administrative level may include:
For the reporting at an administrative level, the User Location Information (ULI) as
specified in particular in 3GPP TS 29.274 § 8.21 , and the Event-Report-Indication
AVP as specified in particular in 3GPP TS 29.212 (Gx between PCRF and PGW)
are modified to add the possibility to report at an administrative area level 1 or at an
administrative area level 2 .
These administrative area level 1 or an administrative area level 2 are
defined each as a number 0 ..65535 in order to keep the information short and the
same for all countries (avoiding complex per country data structures). The mapping
of these number to an actual administrative structure in the country (Province in
China, State in the UE, Lander in Germany, department in France, county in UK, ...)
is left for local configuration in the PCRF and in the OCS and in the Serving Node
(MME / SGSN / TWAG).
In some embodiments, one or more of following steps may be provided:
- Steps 0 and 1 (performed "once") related to the operation of the network,
- step 2 related to triggering location change reporting at administrative level
for a user,
- step 3 related to detecting if a location change has occurred for the User
Equipment UE at administrative level, (then reporting this detected location
change).
Embodiments for step 0 may include:
The operator configures
a . the Serving Nodes (MME/SGSN ) with the mapping between mobility
related areas (TA, RA, LA, eNB, Service Area) and administrative
areas each being identified with an administrative area identity
b. the ENB with the administrative areas of the cells they serve. The
ENB provides this information in all MME of the MME Pool area (i.e.
area served by one or more MMEs in parallel) via S 1 signalling.
Alternatively, the MME/SGSN may be configured with administrative areas
at a mix of TA, RA, LA, SA, eNB and cell levels (no configuration at eNB level).
Embodiments for step 1 may include:
The Operator configures the SPR with the administrative area identity and
related rules (that could depend on the time of the day/day of the week / etc..)
for some users and APN (the administrative area may only apply to certain
subscriptions).
Embodiments for step 2 may include:
Triggering location reporting at administrative area for a UE, which may be
performed in the way recalled in figure 5 , except that the Profile in the SPR
contains the administrative area identity (and level) and related rules, and that
the Gx signaling issued by the PCRF contains an event trigger related to the
triggering of location change report at administrative area(s) level (together with
the value of this/these administrative level(s)). Upon reception of a request of
location change report at administrative level, the Serving Node of the UE (e.g.
MME / SGSN) reports the initial value of the administrative area(s). To do so the
Serving Node of the UE (e.g. MME or SGSN) uses the configuration information
described with the Embodiments for step 3
Embodiments for step 3 may include:
A change of administrative area can be detected in case of TA change from one
TA mapped to one administrative area, to another TA mapped to another
administrative area that is not split between multiple administrative areas. A
serving MME can make such detection, based on configuration information
(such as MME Table of figure 6) and based e.g. on signalling associated with TA
update procedure. For example, in figure 6 , a change of administrative area from
admin 2 to admin 3 is detected in case of change from TA2 to TA4.
In case of TA change, from one TA mapped to one administrative area, to
another TA mapped to another administrative area that is split between
multiple administrative areas:
- A change of administrative area can be detected in case of eNB change,
from one eNB mapped to one administrative area, to another eNB mapped
to another administrative area. A serving MME can make such detection,
based on configuration information such as MME Table of figure 6 , and
based e.g. on signalling associated with handover or mobility procedures.
For example, in figure 6 , a change of administrative area from admin 2 to
admin 3 is detected in case of change from eNB1 to eNB2.
- A change of administrative area can be detected in case of cell change
within an eNB, when the UE is in RRC connected mode, from one cell
mapped to one administrative area, to another cell mapped to another
administrative area. To enable such detection, a serving MME has to trigger
a location reporting procedure towards eNBs it supports, and that support
cells mapped to multiple administrative areas. Such location reporting
procedure is specified in particular in 3GPP TS 36. 413. The serving MME
can then make such detection, based on configuration information such as
the MME Table of figure 6 , and on such cell change reporting from eNB.
Such location reporting procedure then only needs to be used in case cells
within a mobility management area (TA) are split between multiple
administrative areas. For example, in figure 6 , a change of administrative
area from admin 2 to admin 3 is detected in case of change from Cell7 to
Cell6.
Note: the notion of administrative area can further be extended to non
3GPP coverage (e.g. WiFi), in which case
• admin area reporting allows reporting that spans over both 3GPP and Non
3GPP coverage
· in step 2 the request for location change report at administrative level
(together with the value of this administrative level) is sent by the PGW
(PCEF) to the Serving Node of the UE over WiFi (such as the TWAG,
Trusted WLAN Access Gateway defined in 3GPP TS 23.402). Upon
reception of a request of location change report at administrative level, the
TWAG reports the initial value of the administrative area(s) for the UE
• In Step3, upon detection of the mobility of the UE between 2 WiFi Access
Points AP, the TWAG checks whether the 2 AP belong to the same
administrative areas.
• To know the administrative areas associated with the AP it is serving, the
TWAG may leverage information sent by the AP in Radius signaling
associated with the UE, such as GEOCONF CIVIC coding of location
information as defined in RFC 5580 and 4776.
In one aspect, there is provided a method for support of retrieval and/or
reporting and/or triggering the reporting of user location information in a mobile
network.
Various embodiments are provided, which may be taken alone or in
combination, according to various combinations, including following embodiments.
In an embodiment, said user location information is retrieved and/or
reported and/or the reporting of said user location information is triggered, at a
granularity of an area referred to as administrative area defined as a set of mobile
network related areas, mobile network related areas being defined at mobile
network management level, and mobile network related areas being mapped to
administrative areas.
In an embodiment, an administrative area is defined as a set of mobile
network related areas including mobility management areas such as Tracking Area
TA or Routing Area RA or Location Area LA.
In an embodiment, wherein an administrative area is defined as a set of
mobile network related areas including mobility management areas such as
Tracking Area TA or Routing Area RA, and further including, in case of a mobility
management area split between multiple administrative areas, areas served by one
or more cells such as eNodeB eNB or Service Area SA, and/or individual cells.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a policy and/or charging controller, such as Policy and Charging Rules
Function PCRF or Online Charging System OCS, triggering towards a mobile
network entity such as Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW a reporting of user
change of administrative area.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW sending towards a mobile
core network entity capable of serving a User Equipment UE, such as Mobility
Management Entity MME or Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN or Trusted WLAN
Access Gateway TWAG, a request to start the reporting of a user change of
administrative area.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- an administrative area level is identified by an administrative area level
identifier in a policy and/or charging controller such as PCRF or OCS capable of
triggering a reporting of User Equipment UE change of administrative area at the
said administrative area level.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a policy and/or charging controller such as PCRF or OCS, triggering a
reporting of User Equipment UE change of administrative area at at least
one of several administrative area levels,
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
a policy and/or charging controller such as PCRF or OCS requesting the
reporting of User Equipment UE change of administrative area at
administrative area level via signalling to a mobile network entity such as
Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a policy and/or charging controller such as PCRF or OCS requesting a
reporting of User Equipment UE change of administrative area at
administrative area level via including the administrative area level
identity(ies) in the signalling to a a mobile network entity such as Packet
Data Network Gateway PDN GW.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a mobile network entity such as Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW
requesting the reporting of User Equipment UE change of administrative
area at administrative area level via including the administrative area level
identity(ies) in the signalling to a mobile core network entity capable of
serving a User Equipment UE, such as Mobility Management Entity MME or
Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN or Trusted WLAN Access Gateway
TWAG.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- an Operation And Maintenance OAM entity configuring a mobile core
network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such as Mobility Management
Entity MME, with a mapping of mobile network areas including mobility management
areas such as Tracking Area TA, to administrative areas, each being associated
with an administrative area level identifier, or to an indication that a mobility
management area is split between multiple administrative areas.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- an Operation And Maintenance OAM entity configuring a mobile core
network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such as Mobility Management
Entity MME, with a mapping of mobile network areas including areas served by one
or more cells such as eNodeB eNB, to administrative areas, each being associated
with an administrative area level identifier.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- an Operation And Maintenance OAM entity configuring a RAN entity such
as eNodeB eNB, with the administrative areas to which cells supported by the RAN
entity are mapped.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a RAN entity such as eNodeB eNB, indicating configuration information
including a mapping of cells supported by the RAN entity onto administrative areas
of different levels, to at least one mobile core network entity capable of serving a
User Equipment such as Mobility Management Entity MME, such as via S 1 related
signalling, such as via S 1 Setup Request or ENB Configuration message.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a mobile core network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such
as Mobility Management Entity MME, storing configuration information including a
mapping of mobile network areas to administrative areas, each being associated
with an administrative area level identifier.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a mobile core network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such
as Mobility Management Entity MME, detecting a user change of administrative
area, based on configuration information including a mapping of mobile network
areas to administrative areas, and on mobility related signalling.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a mobile core network entity capable of serving a User Equipment UE,
such as Mobility Management Entity MME, triggering towards a RAN entity such as
eNB, a reporting of user change of cell, in case the UE is located in a mobility
management area such as TA containing cells that are split into multiple
administrative areas.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a mobile core network entity capable of serving a User Equipment UE,
such as Mobility Management Entity MME, detecting a user change of
administrative area, based on a reporting of cell change from a RAN entity such as
eNB, in case the UE is located in a mobility management area such as TA
containing cells that are split into multiple administrative areas.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a mobile core network entity capable of serving a User Equipment UE,
such as Trusted WLAN Access Gateway TWAG, detecting the current
administrative area where the UE is located based on Radius signalling coming from
WLAN access Network (Access Point / Access Controller) currently serving the UE
In another aspect, there is provided a method for enhancing the reporting,
respectively triggering the reporting of, user location change in a mobile network.
Various embodiments are provided, which may be taken alone or in
combination, according to various combinations, including following embodiments.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- reporting, respectively triggering the reporting of, user location change of
administrative area at at least one administrative level, wherein an administrative
level is associated in said mobile network with a mapping of administrative areas
onto mobile network related areas defined for mobile network management.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a Policy and Charging Rules Function PCRF/Online Charging System
OCS sending to a Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW a request to start/stop
said reporting.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- said PCRF/OCS sending said request in an Event-Trigger AVP
associated with an administrative level identifier.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW reporting said user location
change to a Policy and Charging Rules Function PCRF/Online Charging System
OCS.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- said PDN GW sending said report in an Event-Report- Indication AVP
associated with an administrative level identifier.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW sending towards a Mobility
Management Entity MME/Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN/Trusted WLAN
Access Gateway TWAG, a request to start/stop said reporting.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- said PDN GW sending said request in an Action value, associated with an
administrative level identifier, of a Change Reporting Action Information Element.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a Mobility Management Entity MME/Serving GPRS Support Node
SGSN//Trusted WLAN Access Gateway TWAG, sending towards a Packet Data
Network Gateway PDN GW a report of said user location change.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- said MME/SGSN/TWAG sending said report in a User Location
Information ULI Information Element associated with an administrative level
identifier.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- an Operation And Maintenance OAM entity configuring a mobile core
network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such as Mobility Management
Entity MME, with a mapping of mobile network areas including mobility management
areas such as Tracking Area TA, to administrative areas, each being associated
with an administrative area level identifier, or to an indication that a mobility
management area is split between multiple administrative areas.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- a eNodeB eNB sending to at least one Mobility Management Entity MME,
respectively a Mobility Management MME receiving from a eNodeB eNB,
configuration information including a mapping of said eNB and/or of at least one cell
supported by said eNB, to an administrative area at an administrative level.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- said eNB sending, respectively said MME receiving, said configuration
information in S 1 signalling, such as in Setup Request message, or eNB
Configuration Update message.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- said eNB sending said configuration information to the MMEs of a MME
Pool Area.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- said MME storing the received configuration information.
In an embodiment, said method comprises:
- an Operation And Maintenance OAM entity configuring a mobile core
network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such as Mobility Management
Entity MME or Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN, with a mapping of mobile
network areas including areas served by one or more cells or service areas such as
eNodeB eNB, to administrative areas, each being associated with an administrative
area level identifier.
In other aspects, there are provided entities for performing related step(s)
of such method(s), said entities including, in particular (though not exclusively): RAN
entity such as eNB in EPS network, mobile core network entity capable of serving a
User Equipment such as Mobility Management Entity MME or Serving GPRS
Support Node SGSN or Trusted WLAN Access Gateway TWAG in EPS network,
policy and/or charging controller such as Policy and Charging Rules Function PCRF
or Online Charging System OCS in EPS network, mobile network entity such as
Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW in EPS network, Operation And
Maintenance OAM entity.
A person of skill in the art would readily recognize that steps of various
above-described methods can be performed by programmed computers. Herein,
some embodiments are also intended to cover program storage devices, e.g., digital
data storage media, which are machine or computer readable and encode machineexecutable
or computer-executable programs of instructions, wherein said
instructions perform some or all of the steps of said above-described methods. The
program storage devices may be, e.g., digital memories, magnetic storage media
such as a magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable
digital data storage media. The embodiments are also intended to cover computers
programmed to perform said steps of the above-described methods.

CLAIMS
1. A method for enhancing the reporting, respectively /triggering the
reporting of, user location change in a mobile network, said method comprising:
- reporting, respectively triggering the reporting of, user location change of
administrative area at at least one administrative level, wherein an administrative
level is associated in said mobile network with a mapping of administrative areas
onto mobile network related areas defined for mobile network management.
2 . A method according to claim 1, comprising:
- a Policy and Charging Rules Function PCRF/Online Charging System
OCS sending to a Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW a request to start/stop
said reporting.
3 . A method according to claim 2 , comprising:
- said PCRF/OCS sending said request in an Event-Trigger AVP
associated with an administrative level identifier.
4 . A method according to any of claims 1 to 3 , comprising:
- a Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW reporting said user location
change to a Policy and Charging Rules Function PCRF/Online Charging System
OCS.
5 . A method according to claim 4 , comprising:
- said PDN GW sending said report in an Event-Report-Indication AVP
associated with an administrative level identifier.
6 . A method according to any of claims 1 to 5 , comprising:
- a Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW sending towards a Mobility
Management Entity MME/Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN/Trusted WLAN
Access Gateway TWAG, a request to start/stop said reporting.
7 . A method according to claim 6 , comprising:
- said PDN GW sending said request in an Action value, associated with an
administrative level identifier, of a Change Reporting Action Information Element.
8 . A method according to any of claims 1 to 7 , comprising:
- a Mobility Management Entity MME/Serving GPRS Support Node
SGSN//Trusted WLAN Access Gateway TWAG, sending towards a Packet Data
Network Gateway PDN GW a report of said user location change.
9 . A method according to claim 8 , comprising:
- said MME/SGSN/TWAG sending said report in a User Location
Information ULI Information Element associated with an administrative level
identifier.
10. A method according to any of claims 1 to 9 , comprising:
- an Operation And Maintenance OAM entity configuring a mobile core
network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such as Mobility Management
Entity MME, with a mapping of mobile network areas including mobility management
areas such as Tracking Area TA, to administrative areas, each being associated
with an administrative area level identifier, or to an indication that a mobility
management area is split between multiple administrative areas.
11. A method according to any of claims 1 to 10 , comprising:
- a eNodeB eNB sending to at least one Mobility Management Entity MME,
respectively a Mobility Management MME receiving from a eNodeB eNB,
configuration information including a mapping of said eNB and/or of at least one cell
supported by said eNB, to an administrative area at an administrative level.
12. A method according to claim 11, comprising:
- said eNB sending, respectively said MME receiving, said configuration
information in S 1 signalling, such as in Setup Request message, or eNB
Configuration Update message.
13. A method according to claim 11 or 12, comprising:
- said eNB sending said configuration information to the MMEs of a MME
Pool Area.
14. A method according to any of claims 11 to 13, comprising:
- said MME storing the received configuration information.
15. A method according to any of claims 1 to 10, comprising:
- an Operation And Maintenance OAM entity configuring a mobile core
network entity capable of serving a User Equipment, such as Mobility Management
Entity MME or Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN, with a mapping of mobile
network areas including areas served by one or more cells or service areas such as
eNodeB eNB, to administrative areas, each being associated with an administrative
area level identifier.
16. A Policy and Charging Rules Function PCRF/Online Charging System
OCS, configured to perform steps of a method according to any of claims 1 to 15
related to said PCRF/OCS.
17. A Packet Data Network Gateway PDN GW of a mobile network,
configured to perform steps of a method according to any of claims 1 to 15 related to
said PDN GW.
18. A Mobility Management Entity MME/Serving GPRS Support Node
SGSN/Trusted WLAN Access Gateway TWAG, configured to perform steps of a
method according to any of claims 1 to 15 related to said MME/SGSN/TWAG.
19. An eNode eNB, configured to perform steps of a method according to
any of claims 1 to 15 related to said eNB.
20. An Operation And Maintenance OAM entity, configured to perform
steps of a method according to any of claims 1 to 15 related to said OAM entity.