Method and Check Node for Locking Location of User Network Device

• US 20120034932A1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Zhu, Li
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A method for locking a location of a Home NodeB (HNB) is provided, which includes: a Connectivity Session Location and Repository Function (CLF) and/or a verification node storing various location identifiers corresponding to location information; the user network device which includes a HNB or a Home evolved Home NodeB (HeNB) sending location information to the verification node after obtaining said location information; said verification node comparing received location information with the various location identifiers stored in the verification node and/or corresponding location identifiers inquired from the CLF, and determining whether to register the location information of said user network device according to a comparison and/or inquiry result. A verification node for giving support to locking a location of a user network device is further provided.

Claims

1. A method for locking a location of a user network device, this method comprising:

a Connectivity Session Location and Repository Function (CLF) and/or a verification node storing various location identifiers corresponding to location information;

when the user network device obtains the location information, sending said location information to the verification node; and

said verification node comparing received location information with the various location identifiers stored in the verification node and/or corresponding location identifiers inquired from the CLF, and determining whether to register the location information of said user network device according to a comparison and/or inquiry result;

wherein said user network device includes a Home NodeB (HNB) or a Home evolved Home NodeB (HeNB).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of storing the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information comprises:

directly storing the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information in said CLF and/or verification node;

or

storing a location identifier group in said CLF and/or verification node after binding the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information of a same location as the location identifier group.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of sending the location information to the verification node when the user network device obtains the location information comprises:

when said user network device initially obtains the location information, directly sending obtained location information to the verification node;

or

when said user network device re-obtains new location information, comparing said new location information with currently stored location information, and if both are consistent, not required to send the obtained location information to the verification node;

if both are inconsistent, sending said new location information to the verification node.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said step of said verification node comparing said received location information with the various location identifiers stored in the verification node and corresponding location identifiers inquired from the CLF, and determining whether to register the location information of said user network device according to the comparison and/or inquiry result comprises:

when both of the verification node and CLF store the location identifier of said user network device, said verification node comparing the received location information with the various location identifiers or the location identifier group stored in the verification node, and if the received location information is all able to match a corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison succeeding and determining not to register the location information of the user network device;

if the received location information is not all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison failing and sending a request for inquiring the corresponding location identifier to the CLF;

said CLF searching a database of CLF'"'"'s own, inquiring the location identifier or location identifier group corresponding to said location information, and if the corresponding location identifier or location identifier group exists in said database, then sending an inquired location identifier or location identifier group to said verification node, and said verification node re-registering new location information of said user network device according to a received location identifier or location identifier group;

if corresponding location information does not exist in said database, then sending said location information to a network management centre; and

said network management centre checking whether said location information is available, and if said location information is unavailable, refusing service access of said user network device;

if said location information is available, then registering the location identifier or location identifier group based on said location information in the database of said CLF, and sending a binding result to the verification node after binding said location information with the location identifier or the location identifier group.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of said verification node comparing said received location information with the various location identifiers stored in the verification node, and determining whether to register the location information of said user network device according to the comparison and/or inquiry result comprises:

when only the verification node stores the location identifier of said user network device, said verification node comparing the received location information with the various location identifiers or location identifier group stored in the verification node, and if the received location information is all able to match a corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison succeeding and determining not to register the location information of said user network device;

if the received location information is not all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then the comparison failing and refusing service access of said user network device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of said verification node comparing said received location information with the corresponding location identifiers inquired from the CLF, and determining whether to register the location information of said user network device according to the comparison and/or inquiry result comprises:

when only the CLF stores the location identifier of said user network device, said verification node directly sending a request for inquiring a corresponding location identifier to the CLF according to the received location information;

the CLF searching a database of CLF'"'"'s own, inquiring the location identifier or location identifier group corresponding to said location information, and if the corresponding location identifier or location identifier group exists in said database, then sending an inquired location identifier or location identifier group to said verification node, and said verification node re-registering new location information of said user network device according to a received location identifier or location identifier group;

if corresponding location information does not exist in said database, then sending said location information to a network management centre; and

said network management centre checking whether said location information is available, and if said location information is unavailable, refusing service access of said user network device;

if said location information is available, then registering the location identifier or location identifier group based on said location information in the database of said CLF, and sending a binding result to the verification node after binding said location information with the location identifier or location identifier group.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein this method further comprises:

when comparison of said verification node fails, said verification node cancelling or deleting a current location identifier or location identifier group of the user network device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein before the step of said user network device sending the location information to the verification node, this method further comprises:

said verification node learning that the location information of the user network device varies, cancelling or deleting a current location identifier or location identifier group of the user network device.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said verification node is a user network device management system and/or a user network device gateway;

said user network device management system includes a Home NodeB Management System (HMS) or a Home evolved NodeB Management System (HeMS); and

said user network device gateway includes a Home NodeB Gateway (HNB-GW) or a Home evolved NodeB Gateway (HeNB-GW).

15. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said step of sending the location information to the verification node when the user network device obtains the location information comprises:

when said user network device initially obtains the location information, directly sending obtained location information to the verification node;

or

when said user network device re-obtains new location information, comparing said new location information with currently stored location information, and if both are consistent, not required to send the obtained location information to the verification node;

if both are inconsistent, sending said new location information to the verification node.

16. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said step of said verification node comparing said received location information with the various location identifiers stored in the verification node, and determining whether to register the location information of said user network device according to the comparison and/or inquiry result comprises:

when only the verification node stores the location identifier of said user network device, said verification node comparing the received location information with the various location identifiers or location identifier group stored in the verification node, and if the received location information is all able to match a corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison succeeding and determining not to register the location information of said user network device;

if the received location information is not all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then the comparison failing and refusing service access of said user network device.

17. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said step of said verification node comparing said received location information with the corresponding location identifiers inquired from the CLF, and determining whether to register the location information of said user network device according to the comparison and/or inquiry result comprises:

when only the CLF stores the location identifier of said user network device, said verification node directly sending a request for inquiring a corresponding location identifier to the CLF according to the received location information;

the CLF searching a database of CLF'"'"'s own, inquiring the location identifier or location identifier group corresponding to said location information, and if the corresponding location identifier or location identifier group exists in said database, then sending an inquired location identifier or location identifier group to said verification node, and said verification node re-registering new location information of said user network device according to a received location identifier or location identifier group;

if corresponding location information does not exist in said database, then sending said location information to a network management centre; and

said network management centre checking whether said location information is available., and if said location information is unavailable, refusing service access of said user network device;

if said location information is available, then registering the location identifier or location identifier group based on said location information in the database of said CLF, and sending a binding result to the verification node after binding said location information with the location identifier or location identifier group.

18. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein this method further comprises:

when comparison of said verification node fails, said verification node cancelling or deleting a current location identifier or location identifier group of the user network device.

19. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said verification node is a user network device management system and/or a user network device gateway;

said user network device management system includes a Home NodeB Management System (HMS) or a Home evolved NodeB Management System (HeMS); and

said user network device gateway includes a Home NodeB Gateway (HNB-GW) or a Home evolved NodeB Gateway (HeNB-GW).

10. A verification node for giving support to locking a location of a user network device, which comprises:

a location information receiving module, which is configured to;

receive location information sent by the user network device to the verification node after the user network device obtains said location information; and

a comparing module, which is configured to;

compare said location information received by said location information receiving module with various location identifiers corresponding to said location information stored in the comparing module and/or corresponding location identifiers inquired from a Connectivity Session Location and Repository Function (CLF) which stores the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information, and determine whether to register the location information of said user network device according to a comparison and/or inquiry result;

wherein said user network device includes a Home NodeB (HNB) or a Home evolved Home NodeB (HeNB).

11. The verification node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said comparing module is configured to store the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information in a following way:

directly storing the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information in said comparing module;

or

storing a location identifier group in said comparing module after binding the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information of a same location as the location identifier group.

12. The verification node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said comparing module is configured to compare said location information received by said location information receiving module with the various location identifier corresponding to said location information stored in the comparing module and/or the corresponding location identifiers inquired from a Connectivity Session Location and Repository Function (CLF) which stores the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information, and determine whether to register the location information of said user network device according to the comparison and/or inquiry result in a following way:

when both of the verification node and the CLF store the location identifier of said user network device, said comparing module comparing received location information with the various location identifiers or location identifier group stored in the verification node, and if the received location information is all able to match a corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison succeeding and determining not to register the location information of the user network device;

if the received location information is not all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison failing and sending a request for inquiring the corresponding location identifier to the CLF;

or

when only the verification node stores the location identifier of said user network device, said comparing module comparing the received location information with the various location identifiers or the location identifier group stored in the verification node, and if the received location information is all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then the comparison succeeding and determining not to register the location information of said user network device;

if the received location information is not all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then the comparison failing and refusing service access of said user network device;

or

when only the CLF stores the location identifier of said user network device, said comparing module directly sending the request for inquiring the corresponding location identifier to the CLF according to the received location information so that said CLF searches a database of CLF'"'"'s own, and inquires the location identifier or location identifier group corresponding to said location information, and if the corresponding location identifier or location identifier group exists in said database, then sending an inquired location identifier or location identifier group to said verification node, and said verification node re-registering new location information of said user network device according to a received location identifier or location identifier group;

if corresponding location information does not exist in said database, then sending said location information to a network management centre; and

said network management centre checking whether said location information is available, and if said location information is unavailable, refusing the service access of said user network device;

if said location information is available, then registering the location identifier or location identifier group based on said location information in the database of said CLF, and sending a binding result to the verification node after binding said location information with the location identifier or location identifier group.

13. The verification node as claimed in claim 12, wherein

said comparing module is further configured to:

cancel or delete a current location identifier or location identifier group of the user network device when the comparison of said verification node fails.

14. The verification node as claimed in claim 12, wherein

said comparing module is further configured to:

cancel or delete a current location identifier or location identifier group of the user network device when said verification node learns that the location information of the user network device varies.

20. The verification node as claimed in claim 11, wherein said comparing module is configured to compare said location information received by said location information receiving module with the various location identifier corresponding to said location information stored in the comparing module and/or the corresponding location identifiers inquired from a Connectivity Session Location and Repository Function (CLF) which stores the various location identifiers corresponding to the location information, and determine whether to register the location information of said user network device according to the comparison and/or inquiry result in a following way:

when both of the verification node and the CLF store the location identifier of said user network device, said comparing module comparing received location information with the various location identifiers or location identifier group stored in the verification node, and if the received location information is all able to match a corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison succeeding and determining not to register the location information of the user network device;

if the received location information is not all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then comparison failing and sending a request for inquiring the corresponding location identifier to the CLF;

or

when only the verification node stores the location identifier of said user network device, said comparing module comparing the received location information with the various location identifiers or the location identifier group stored in the verification node, and if the received location information is all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then the comparison succeeding and determining not to register the location information of said user network device;

if the received location information is not all able to match the corresponding location identifier in said verification node, then the comparison failing and refusing service access of said user network device;

or

when only the CLF stores the location identifier of said user network device, said comparing module directly sending the request for inquiring the corresponding location identifier to the CLF according to the received location information so that said CLF searches a database of CLF'"'"'s own, and inquires the location identifier or location identifier group corresponding to said location information, and if the corresponding location identifier or location identifier group exists in said database, then sending an inquired location identifier or location identifier group to said verification node, and said verification node re-registering new location information of said user network device according to a received location identifier or location identifier group;

if corresponding location information does not exist in said database, then sending said location information to a network management centre; and

said network management centre checking whether said location information is available, and if said location information is unavailable, refusing the service access of said user network device;

if said location information is available, then registering the location identifier or location identifier group based on said location information in the database of said CLF, and sending a binding result to the verification node after binding said location information with the location identifier or location identifier group.