Emergency session request handling in a network

• US 20050043008A1
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hurita, Tuija
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for handling a session request of a user equipment in a network comprising at least one supporting entity, in particular in a case where the user equipment is not allowed to initiate other session apart from specific session type. At least one of the supporting entities or another control entity is adapted to check whether or not the initiated session is actually continued as a session of the specific type. The session is forcibly terminated when detecting that it is not continued as such a session. A timer may be started when the user equipment attaches to the network for requesting a session, and the user equipment is detached from the network when not continuing with a session of the specific type within a defined time after attach.

Claims

1. A method for processing a session setup procedure initiated by an user equipment in a network comprising at least one supporting entity, the user equipment is allowed to initiate sessions of a first type or types and the user equipment is not allowed to initiate sessions of a second type or types, wherein the user equipment initiates a session and one of the supporting entities or another control entity checks whether or not the initiated session is actually a session of the first type, and the initiated session is terminated, if detecting that it is at least partially a session of the second type.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the session of the first type or one of the first types of sessions is an emergency session.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein an interface, preferably Go interface, is used to validate whether the session is actually a session of the first type or types.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein a control means or function, preferably P-CSCF/PCF, sends via the interface an indication whether the session is a session of the first type or types.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the indication is sent when a bearer is authorized against the session, whereas, when the session is a session of the second type or types even if indicated in the bearer parameters, that the initiated session is a session of the first type or types, an entity rejects the bearer activation, or sends to another entity an indication indicating that the session is not a session of the first type or types, the user equipment then being detached from the network.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the bearer is a PDP context.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein detaching the user equipment is requested via a server in case of detecting that the requested session is a session of the second type.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the server is a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein a serving function, preferably S-CSCF, indicates to the server that the user equipment has to be deregistered/detached from the network, the server initiating a detach procedure by sending a message to the supporting entity, such as SGSN.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the supporting entities detects whether a user equipment tries to misuse the session of the first type for a session of the second type.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the supporting entity, preferably GGSN, is adapted to check that the traffic is carried only between the user equipment and the authorized peer, and to drop all other traffic, wherein, when the supporting entity drops a packet, it deactivates the PDP context and/or controls the detach of the user equipment.

3. A method for detaching an user equipment from a network, wherein the user equipment is allowed to initiate sessions of a first type or types and the user equipment is not allowed to initiate sessions of a second type or types, wherein a time check is started when the user equipment attaches to the network for requesting a session of the first type or types, and the user equipment is detached from the network when there is no bearer active for the session within a defined time after the attach.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein a supporting entity checks whether one or more bearers are activated, and/or the session of the first type or types is confirmed, within a defined time after attach, and the supporting entity detaches the user equipment when no activation or confirmation has taken place within the defined time.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the supporting entity includes a timer set to the defined time and being started when the user equipment attaches to the network.

15. A system for processing a session setup procedure initiated by an user equipment in a network comprising at least one supporting entity, the user equipment being adapted to be allowed to initiate sessions of a first type or types and the user equipment not to be allowed to initiate sessions of a second type or types, wherein, when the user equipment initiates a session, one of the supporting entities or another control entity being adapted to check whether or not the initiated session is actually a session of the first type, the initiated session being terminated, if detecting that it is at least partially a session of the second type.

16. A system of claim 15, wherein the session of the first type or one of the first types of sessions is an emergency session.

20. A system according to claim 15, wherein an interface, preferably Go interface, is provided which is used to validate whether the session is actually a session of the first type or types.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein a control means or function, preferably P-CSCF/PCF, is adapted to send via the interface an indication whether the session is a session of the first type or types.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the indication is sent when a bearer is authorized against the session, whereas, when the session is a session of the second type or types even if indicated in the bearer parameters, that the initiated session is a session of the first type or types, an entity is adapted to reject the bearer activation, or send to another entity an indication indicating that the session is not a session of the first type or types, the user equipment then being detached from the network.

27. A system according to claim 15, wherein one of the supporting entities is arranged to detect whether a user equipment tries to misuse the session of the first type for a session of the second type.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the supporting entity, preferably GGSN, is adapted to check that the traffic is carried only between the user equipment and the authorized peer, and to drop all other traffic, wherein, when the supporting entity drops a packet, it deactivates the PDP context and/or controls the detach of the user equipment.

17. A system for detaching an user equipment from a network, wherein the user equipment is allowed to initiate sessions of a first type or types and the user equipment is not allowed to initiate sessions of a second type or types, comprising a time check means adapted to start a time check for a defined time when the user equipment attaches to the network for requesting a session of the first type or types, the system being adapted to detach the user equipment from the network when there is no bearer active for the session within the defined time after the attach.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein a supporting entity is adapted to check whether one or more bearers are activated, and/or the session of the first type or types is confirmed, within a defined time after attach, and the supporting entity is adapted to detach the user equipment when no activation or confirmation has taken place within the defined time.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein the supporting entity includes a timer set to the defined time and being started when the user equipment attaches to the network.

23. A system according to claim 17, wherein the bearer is a PDP context.

24. A system according to claim 17, wherein detaching the user equipment is requested via a server in case of detecting that the requested session is a session of the second type.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the server is a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

26. A system according to claim 24, wherein a serving function, preferably S-CSCF, is provided which indicates to the server that the user equipment has to be deregistered/detached from the network, the server initiating a detach procedure by sending a message to the supporting entity, such as SGSN.

29. A network element preferably to be used in a system or method for processing a session setup procedure initiated by an user equipment, the user equipment being adapted to be allowed to initiate sessions of a first type or types and the user equipment not to be allowed to initiate sessions of a second type or types, wherein the network element is adapted to terminate an initiated session when it is detected that the session is at least partially a session of the second type.

30. A network element of claim 29, being implemented as a SGSN.

31. A network element of claim 29, comprising a time check means adapted to start a time check for a defined time when the user equipment attaches to the network for requesting a session of the first type or types, the system being adapted to detach the user equipment from the network when there is no bearer active for the session within the defined time after the attach.

32. A network element according to claim 29, being adapted to check whether one or more bearers are activated, and/or the session of the first type or types is confirmed, within a defined time after attach, and the supporting entity is adapted to detach the user equipment when no activation or confirmation has taken place within the defined time.

33. A network element according to claim 29, including a timer set to a defined time and being started when the user equipment attaches to the network.