SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UTILIZING A TEMPORARY USER IDENTITY IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20080268842A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Herrero-Veron, Christian
• Application Number:
  US12/110,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20080268842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

A system and method for allocating an S-TMSI in a telecommunication system. The System includes a UE operating within a tracking area of a Public Land Mobile Network. A Mobility Management Entity controls allocation of the S-TMSI to the UE. The S-TMSI has a 32-bit structure with a discriminator for discriminating Circuit Switched, CS, services and Packet Switched, PS, services utilized by the UE. The discriminator utilizes the two significant bits to indicate the CS or PS services.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system for allocating an S-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, the system comprising:

a User Equipment, UE, operating within a tracking area of a Public Land Mobile Network;

a Mobility Management Entity, MME, controlling allocation of the S-TMSI to the UE;

wherein the S-TMSI has a discriminator for discriminating Circuit Switched, CS, services and Packet Switched, PS, services utilized by the UE.

2. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the S-TMSI has a 32-bit structure.

3. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 2 wherein the S-TMSI has a structure similar to a Packet Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, P-TMSI, structure.

4. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 2 wherein the discriminator is provided in two most significant bits of the 32-bit structure.

5. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the UE is capable of Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access, E-UTRA.

6. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the MME reallocates a new S-TMSI to the UE when the UE enters a second tracking area.

7. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the S-TMSI is not unique within the PLMN.

8. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the UE is capable of E-UTRA and includes a valid S-TMSI at attach, during tracking area updating and service request procedures; and

the UE sends a tracking area identity included in a list of tracking areas stored in the UE with the S-TMSI.

9. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the MME allocates the S-TMSI based on the coverage of the MME or an MME pool.

10. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the S-TMSI is not extended with Tracking Area Identity information.

11. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the S-TMSI is operable within legacy systems.

12. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the S-TMSI has significance within the tracking area identified by a list of tracking areas stored within the MME.

13. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the MME allocates the S-TMSI during attach, tracking area updating or S-TMSI reallocation.

14. The telecommunication system as recited in claim 12 wherein:

the MME allocates a list of tracking areas together with the S-TMSI by means of a S-TMSI reallocation procedure; and

the UE sends, together with the S-TMSI, a tracking area identity included in the list of tracking areas stored in the UE.

15. A method of allocating an S-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, within a telecommunication system, the method comprising the steps of:

allocating, by a Mobility Management Entity, MME, a first S-TMSI to a User Equipment, UE, wherein the S-TMSI has a discriminator for discriminating Circuit Switched, CS, services and Packet Switched, PS, services utilized by the UE; and

receiving the first S-TMSI by the UE for use within a first tracking area.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the S-TMSI has a 32-bit structure.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the discriminator is provided in two most significant bits of the 32-bit structure.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of reallocating a second S-TMSI to the UE when the UE enters a second tracking area.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein the step of reallocating a second S-TMSI includes the steps of:

sending a first message with the second S-TMSI to the UE by the MME;

upon receiving the first message by the UE, validating the second S-TMSI and invalidating the first S-TMSI;

sending a second message to the MME acknowledging the first message; and

upon receiving the second message, the MME invalidating the first S-TMSI.

20. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the MME allocates the first S-TMSI based on the coverage of the MME or an MME pool.

21. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the MME allocates the first S-TMSI during attach, tracking area updating or S-TMSI reallocation.

22. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the UE is capable of E-UTRA and includes a valid S-TMSI at attach, during tracking area updating and service request procedures.

23. A node for allocating an S-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, within a telecommunication system, the node comprising:

means for allocating the S-TMSI to a User Equipment, UE, operating within a first tracking area of a Public Land Mobile Network; and

means for determining when the UE is operating within the first tracking area;

wherein the S-TMSI has a discriminator for discriminating Circuit Switched, CS, services and Packet Switched, PS, services utilized by the UE.

24. The node as recited in claim 23 wherein the node is a Mobility Management Entity.

25. The node as recited in claim 23 wherein the S-TMSI has a 32-bit structure.

26. The node as recited in claim 25 wherein the S-TMSI has a structure similar to a Packet Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, P-TMSI, structure.

27. The node as recited in claim 25 wherein the discriminator is provided in two most significant bits of the 32-bit structure.

28. The node as recited in claim 23 wherein the node reallocates a new S-TMSI to the UE when the UE enters a second tracking area.

29. The node as recited in claim 23 wherein the node allocates the S-TMSI based on the coverage of the node.

30. The node as recited in claim 23 wherein the node allocates the S-TMSI during attach, tracking area updating or S-TMSI reallocation.

31. A User Equipment, UE, utilizing an S-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, S-TMSI, within a telecommunication system, the node comprising:

means for utilizing the S-TMSI while operating within a first tracking area of a Public Land Mobile Network; and

means for determining when the UE is operating within the first tracking area;

wherein the S-TMSI has a discriminator for discriminating Circuit Switched, CS, services and Packet Switched, PS, services utilized by the UE.

32. The UE as recited in claim 31 wherein the S-TMSI has a 32-bit structure.

33. The UE as recited in claim 32 wherein the S-TMSI has a structure similar to a Packet Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity, P-TMSI, structure.

34. The UE as recited in claim 32 wherein the discriminator is provided in two most significant bits of the 32-bit structure.

35. The UE as recited in claim 31 wherein the UE utilizes a new S-TMSI when the UE enters a second tracking area.

36. The UE as recited in claim 31 wherein the UE is capable of E-UTRA and includes a valid S-TMSI during attach, tracking area updating or S-TMSI reallocation.

37. The UE as recited in claim 36 wherein the UE sends a tracking area identity included in a list of tracking areas stored in the UE with the S-TMSI.