METHOD AND NETWORK ELEMENT FOR TRACKING BASED ON USER EQUIPMENT CAPABILITIES

• US 20110092225A1
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: LONG, Gang
• Application Number:
  US12/980,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20110092225A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and a Network Element (NE) for tracking based on User Equipment (UE) capabilities are disclosed. The method includes: the NE receives a capability support message from the UE, where the capability support message carries information on the UE capabilities; and the NE judges whether the UE capabilities meet a tracking condition according to the information carried in the capability support message, and initiates tracking of the UE if the UE capabilities meet the tracking condition. The NE for tracking based on UE capabilities includes: a first receiving module, configured to receive a capability support message sent by the UE, where the capability support message carries information on the UE capabilities; and a tracking module, configured to track the UE if the capabilities carried in the capability support message received by the first receiving module meet a tracking condition. Through the method and NE under the present invention, even if the UE capabilities are unknown, the UE with specific capabilities can be tracked according to the information reported by the UE.

Claims

1. A method for tracking based on User Equipment (UE) capabilities, comprising:

receiving, by a Network Element (NE), a capability support message from a UE, wherein the capability support message carries information on the UE capabilities;

judging, by the NE, whether the UE capabilities meet a tracking condition according to the information carried in the capability support message; and

initiating, by the NE, tracking of the UE if the UE capabilities meet the tracking condition.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the NE, the tracking condition set by an Element Management System (EMS), wherein the tracking condition comprises information about a capability that needs to be supported by the UE to be tracked.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting the tracking condition on the NE.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the tracking of the UE is initiated, the method further comprises:

sending, by the NE, a simulated locating message to the UE, and

receiving, by the NE, physical location information reported by the UE.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein after the NE receives the physical location information reported by the UE, the method further comprises:

sending, by the NE, the physical location information reported by the UE to an Element Management System (EMS).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the tracking of the UE is initiated, the method further comprises:

sending, by the NE, all or part of messages that are exchanged between the NE and the UE or specific contents in such messages to an Element Management System (EMS).

7. A Network Element (NE) for tracking based on User Equipment (UE) capabilities, comprising:

a first receiving module, configured to receive a capability support message sent by a UE, wherein the capability support message carries information on the UE capabilities; and

a tracking module, configured to track the UE if the UE capabilities carried in the capability support message received by the first receiving module meet a tracking condition.

8. The NE according to claim 7, further comprising:

a second receiving module, configured to obtain the tracking condition from an Element Management System (EMS), wherein the tracking condition comprises information about a capability that needs to be supported by the UE to be tracked.

9. The NE according to claim 7, further comprising:

a setting module, configured to set the tracking condition which comprises information about a capability that needs to be supported by the UE to be tracked.

10. The NE according to claim 7, wherein:

the NE is a Radio Network Controller (RNC) or a Mobile Switching Center (MSC).