Method and arrangement for controlling subscriber registrations in a mobile communication system

• US 6,324,399 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Salmivalli, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US09/068,722
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/432, 455/426, 455/453, 455/435, 455/518, 455/519, 455/456
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of controlling subscriber registrations in a mobile communication system where subscriber data concerning visiting subscribers is temporarily stored in a visitor location register. The mobile subscribers are divided into subscriber groups, and subscriber registration quotas, i.e. a limited percentage of the total registration capacity is allocated to each of the subscriber groups by the operator. The visitor location register is arranged to count the number of registered subscribers in each group, and to reject further registrations in the subscriber group if the subscriber registration quota allocated to the respective subscriber group is occupied.

Claims

1. A method of controlling subscriber registrations in a mobile communication system where subscriber data concerning visiting subscribers is temporarily stored in a visitor location register, the method comprising:

dividing the mobile subscribers into subscriber groups,

setting subscriber group-specific subscriber registration quotas,

counting a number of subscribers registered in the visitor location register per each subscriber group, and

allowing or rejecting the registration of a mobile subscriber in the visitor location register according to the subscriber registration quota and the number of currently registered mobile subscribers of the respective subscriber group which the respective mobile subscriber belongs to.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

rejecting the registration of a mobile station in the visitor location register when the subscriber registration quota of the subscriber group to which the mobile subscriber belongs is occupied, and

allowing the registration of the mobile station in the visitor location register when the subscriber registration quota of the subscriber group to which the mobile subscriber belongs is unoccupied.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

counting the subscribers of the subscriber group registered in the visitor location register further comprising

increasing the number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber when the mobile subscriber is registered, and

decreasing the number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber when the subscriber data of the mobile subscriber is deleted from the visitor location register.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

comparing the counted number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber with a preset maximum value,

rejecting the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number matches with said maximum value, and

allowing the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number does not match with said maximum value.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the counted number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber with a preset maximum value,

rejecting the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number matches with said maximum value, and

allowing the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number does not match with said maximum value.

6. A method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising sending the mobile station a message indicating the reason for the rejection in response to the step of rejecting the registration.

7. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising compiling statistics on the rejected registrations.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

counting the subscribers of the subscriber group registered in the visitor location register further comprising

increasing the number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber when the mobile subscriber is registered, and

decreasing the number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber when the subscriber data of the mobile subscriber is deleted from the visitor location register.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the counted number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber with a preset maximum value,

rejecting the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number matches with said maximum value, and

allowing the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number does not match with said maximum value.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

comparing the counted number of registered subscribers of the subscriber group of the mobile subscriber with a preset maximum value,

rejecting the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number matches with said maximum value, and

allowing the registration of the mobile subscriber in the visitor location register when said counted number does not match with said maximum value.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

sending the mobile station a message indicating the reason for the rejection in response to the step of rejecting the registration.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising compiling statistics on the rejected registrations.

13. A method of controlling location updating in a mobile communication system where subscriber data concerning visiting subscribers is temporarily stored in a visitor location register said method comprising

sending a location updating request when the mobile subscriber has moved to the area of a new visitor location register the method further comprising:

dividing the mobile subscribers into subscriber groups,

setting subscriber group-specific subscriber registration quotas,

counting the number of subscribers registered in the visitor location register per each subscriber group,

rejecting the location updating of a mobile subscriber in the new visitor location register when the subscriber registration quota of the subscriber group to which the mobile subscriber belongs is occupied according to the counted number of registrations, and

allowing the location updating of a mobile subscriber in the new visitor location register when the subscriber registration quota of the subscriber group to which the mobile subscriber belongs is unoccupied according to the counted number of registrations.

14. An arrangement for controlling subscriber registrations in a mobile communication system comprising at least one visitor location register for temporary storage of subscriber data concerning mobile subscribers visiting the area of the register, said arrangement comprising:

mobile subscribers being arranged into subscriber groups,

means for counting the number of subscribers registered in the visitor location register per each subscriber group, and

means for limiting the number of mobile subscribers to be registered in the visitor location register on the basis of the counting results of the counting means.

15. A subscriber database as claimed in claim 14 wherein the subscriber database is a visitor location register.

16. An arrangement as claimed in claim 14, wherein the counting means further comprises subscriber group-specific counters adapted to

increment the result of the counting by one when a mobile subscriber belonging to the respective subscriber group is allowed to register, and

decrement the result of the counting by one when the registration of a mobile subscriber belonging to the respective subscriber group is deleted from the visitor location register.

17. An arrangement as claimed in claim 14, wherein the arrangement is located in the visitor location register.

18. A subscriber database for temporary storage of subscriber data concerning mobile subscribers visiting the area of the register in a mobile communication system, said database comprising:

mobile subscribers being arranged into subscriber groups,

means for counting the number of subscribers registered in the visitor location resister per each subscriber group,

means for limiting the number of mobile subscribers to be registered in the visitor location register on the basis of the counting results of the counting means, the counting means comprising subscriber group-specific counters adapted to

increment the result of the counting by one when a mobile subscriber belonging to the respective subscriber group is allowed to register, and

decrement the result of the counting by one when the registration of a mobile subscriber belonging to the respective subscriber group is deleted from the visitor location register,

compare the counting result of the counting means with a preset maximum value associated with the respective subscriber group,

reject further registrations of mobile subscribers belonging to said respective subscriber group in the visitor location register when the counting result and the preset maximum value match, and

allow further registration of the mobile subscribers belonging to said respective subscriber group in the visitor location register when the counting result and the preset maximum value do not match.

19. An arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the arrangement is located in the visitor location register.