Method and devices for improved location updating in a mobile communication system

• US 6,850,760 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: De Nicolas, Arturo Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JOSEPH D
• Application Number:
  US09/808,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/558, 455/454, 455/557, 455/462, 455/463, 455/465, 4554321-4323, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/456.1, 455/437, 455/438, 455/411, 455/419, 455/434, 455/435, 455/426, 455/423, 455/432, 455/453, 455/560, 455/439
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

A method for a location update in a mobile communication system with a home location register (HLR) and visitor location registers (VLR) is described. The visitor location registers (VLR) serve different parts of the area covered by the communication system and the home location register holds a data record assigned to a user, the data record comprising parameters for the establishment of connections with the user and an identification of the visitor location register presently serving the user. Parameters from the record can be copied from the home location register to the visitor location register serving the user. In the method it is detected that a user has entered the area served by a visitor location register and a location update message (18) is sent which indicates the identity of the visitor location register to the home location register and stored in the data record for the user. When the establishment of a connection with the user is requested, parameters from the data record in the home location register are sent to the serving visitor location register during the establishment of the connection. Location registers and programs embodying the invention are also described.

Claims

1. Method for a location update in a mobile communication system which includes a home location register (HL) and visitor location registers (VL), wherein the visitor location registers serve different parts of an area covered by the communication system and wherein the home location register holds a data record assigned to a user, the data record including parameters for establishment of connections with the user and an identification of the visitor location register presently serving the user, wherein parameters from the record can be copied from the home location register to the visitor location register serving the user, the method comprising the following steps:

detecting that a user has entered the area served by a visitor location register,

sending a location update message which indicates the identity of the visitor location register to the home location register,

storing the identity of the visitor location register in the data record for the user in said home location register,

receiving a request to establish a communication connection with the user, and

sending said parameters from the data record in the home location register (HL) to the serving visitor location register in response to receiving said request for communication connection.

2. Method according to claim 1, including deciding whether parameters from the data record are requested and the location update message received from said visitor location register further comprises an indicator according to the decision.

3. Method according to claim 1 including the step of the visitor location register (VL) discarding parameters from the data record which are sent by the home location register in reply to the location update message.

4. Method according to claim 3, including the step wherein the visitor location register (VL) performs a decision whether parameters sent in reply to the location update message are stored.

5. Method according to claim 2, including the step wherein at least one decision is performed according to the processing load and/or the traffic profile in the visitor location register.

6. Method according to claim 3, including the step of confirming that the visitor location register (VL) receives discarded parameters to the home location register.

7. Method according to claim 1, including the step wherein parameters from the data record in the home location register (HL) are sent in reply to a message from the visitor location register (VL) to send parameters.

8. Method according to claim 1, including the step wherein parameters from the data record in the home location register are sent in reply to a further location update message.

9. Method according to claim 1, including the step of deciding whether parameters from the data record in the home location register are requested before a connection is established.

10. Method according to claim 1, including the step wherein parameters from the data record in the home location register are sent with a message from the home location register to provide a roaming number for the user.

11. A visitor location register for serving an area in a mobile communication system, comprising:

a memory, an interface to receive messages from user equipment located in the area served;

an interface for accessing a home location register with a data record assigned to the user equipment and a processing system to detect from received messages that user equipment has entered the area served, to send a location update message to said home location register, the location update message indicating the detected user equipment and the visitor location register, and to store parameters from the data record for connections between the system and the user equipment in the memory, further wherein said processing system is configured to receive the transmission of parameters from the data record in the home location register wherein said transmission of parameters is initiated in response to a request for establishment of a connection with the user equipment.

12. A visitor location register according to claim 11, including a unit which performs a decision whether the transfer of parameters from the data record initiated when the connection is requested.

13. A visitor location register according to claim 11, further comprising a unit for performing a decision whether parameters from the data record are requested with the location update message and the visitor location register sets an indicator in the message according to the decision.

14. A visitor location register according to claim 11, wherein the visitor location register is configured to discard parameters from the data record which are sent by the home location register in reply to a location update message.

15. A visitor location register according to claim 14, including a unit which performs a decision whether parameters received in reply to a location update message are stored.

16. A visitor location register according to claim 13, wherein at least one decision is performed according to the processing load and/or the traffic profile of the visitor location register.

17. A visitor location register according to claim 14, wherein the visitor location register confirms the reception of discarded parameters to the home location register.

18. A home location register for a mobile communication system which uses visitor location registers serving parts of an area covered by the communication system, the home location register comprising a memory for holding at least one data record assigned to a user, said one data record comprising parameters for the establishment of connections of the system with a user and an identification of the visitor location register presently serving the user, wherein the home location register includes a processing system and an interface to copy parameters from a record of the user to the serving visitor location register and to receive location update messages indicating an identity of the serving visitor location register, wherein said processing system is configured to check location-update messages for an indicator to ascertain whether parameters from the record are requested and returned in reply to said location update-message according to the indicator and wherein said parameters are provided to the visitor location register in response to a request for communication connection with said user.

19. A home location register according to claim 18, wherein the home location register stores whether a visitor location register is provided with parameters from the data record and includes parameters in a message to the visitor location register to provide a roaming number for the user if the parameters were not provided before.

20. Program unit on a data carrier or loadable into a home location register for a mobile communication system which has visitor location registers serving parts of the area covered by the communication system, said home location register holding at least one data record assigned to a user, said data record comprising parameters for connections of the system with the user and an identification of the visitor location register presently serving the user, wherein parameters from the record can be copied from the home location register (HL) to the serving visitor location register and location update messages from a visitor location register indicate an identity of the serving visitor location register, wherein the program unit initiates the return of said parameters to said visitor location register in response to a request for establishing a communication connection with said user.