Mobile management method for mobile communications, and switch and home location register used in mobile communications system

• US 7,010,297 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yokota, Fumihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/310,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20030119502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/440, 455/432, 455/435, 455/458, 455/426, 455/566, 455/456, 455/435.1, 455/432.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

When location registration is requested from a mobile terminal to a second subscriber profile management means of a switch, the second subscriber profile management means carries out a location registration procedure with respect to a first subscriber profile management means of a home location register. A subscriber profile of the mobile terminal is not transmitted from the first subscriber profile management means to the second subscriber profile management means. Accordingly, the amount of transmission of subscriber profiles from the home location register to the switch is reduced, which prevents the traffic from increasing.

Claims

1. A mobile management method for a mobile communications system that comprises a home location register having a first subscriber profile management means for managing location information of a mobile terminal and a subscriber profile of this mobile terminal, and a switch having a second subscriber profile management means for managing the location information and the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal located in an area controlled by the switch, the mobile management method comprising the steps of:

carrying out location registration in the first subscriber profile management means, without transmitting the subscriber profile from the first subscriber profile management means to the second subscriber profile management means across the system, upon occurrence of a location registration request from the mobile terminal; and

transmitting the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal from the first subscriber profile management means to the second subscriber profile management means upon occurrence of service activation by the mobile terminal or a network as a trigger.

2. The mobile management method according to claim 1, wherein when the second subscriber profile means receives the location registration request from the mobile termnal, the second subscriber profile management means provides an instruction to the first subscriber profile management means so as not to transmit the subscriber profile when carrying out the location registration to the first subscriber profile management means.

3. The mobile management method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communications system includes two or more second subscriber profile management means, and each of the second subscriber profile management means causes the first subscriber profile management means not to transmit the subscriber profile independently.

4. The mobile management method according to claim 1, wherein the first subscriber profile management means determines not to transmit the subscriber profile to the second subscriber management means when the second subscriber profile management means carries out location registration to the first subscriber profile management means.

5. The mobile management method according to claim 1, wherein utilization of a service with respect to the mobile terminal triggers the first subscriber profile management means to transmit the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal to the second subscriber profile management means.

6. The mobile management method according to claim 5, wherein the service is activated by the mobile terminal, and the service activation by the mobile terminal triggers the first subscriber profile management means to transmit the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal to the second subscriber profile management means.

7. The mobile management method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

monitoring in the second subscriber profile management means whether or not the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal has been transmitted to the second subscriber profile management means.

8. The mobile management method according to claim 5, wherein the service is activated by a network toward the mobile terminal, and the service activation by the network triggers the first subscriber profile management means to transmit the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal to the second subscriber profile management means.

9. The mobile management method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

monitoring in the first subscriber profile management means whether or not the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal has been transmitted to the second subscriber profile management means.

10. The mobile management method according to claim 1, wherein the location registration is carried out in the first subscriber profile management means, without transmitting the subscriber profile from the first subscriber management means to the second subscriber management means, based on a non-transmission flag contained in the location registration request.

11. A subscriber profile transmission method for transmitting a subscriber profile of a mobile terminal from a home location register to a switch, comprising the steps of:

in response to a location registration request from the mobile terminal, transmitting an instruction from the switch to the home location register not to transmit the subscriber profile to the switch; and

upon receiving a service request from the mobile terminal or a network at the switch, causing the home location register to transmit the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal to the switch.

12. The subscriber profile transmission method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not the switch has the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal when receiving the service request; and

if the switch does not have the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal, causing the home location register to transmit the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal to the switch.

13. A switch used in a mobile communications system, the mobile communications system including the switch and a home location register having a first subscriber profile management means for managing location information of a mobile terminal and a subscriber profile of the mobile terminal, the switch comprising:

a second subscriber profile management means for managing the location information and the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal located in an area controlled by the switch; and

an instruction means for instructing the first subscriber profile management means not to transmit a subscriber profile of the mobile terminal to the switch when receiving a location registration request from the mobile terminal and to carry out location registration at the first subscriber profile management means, while instructing the first subscriber profile management means to transmit the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal to the switch upon receiving a service recluest from the mobile terminal or a network.

14. The switch according to claim 13, further comprising a first transmission means for causing the first subscriber profile management means to transmit the subscriber profile to the switch upon service activation by the mobile terminal.

15. A home location register used in a mobile communications system that comprises the home location register and a switch having a second subscriber profile management means for managing location information of a mobile terminal located in an area controlled by the switch and a subscriber profile of the mobile terminal, the home location register comprising:

a first subscriber profile management means for managing the location information and the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal; and

a determination means for determining not to transmit the subscriber profile to the second subscriber profile management means across system until there is a trigger of service activation from the mobile terminal or a network, when location registration is carried out by the second subscriber profile management means with respect to the first subscriber profile management means.

16. The home location register according to claim 15, further comprising a second transmission means for transmitting the subscriber profile of the mobile terminal, to which a service is activated by the network, to the second subscriber profile management means upon the service activation by the network.

17. A switch used in a mobile communications system and managing a subscriber profile of a mobile terminal, comprising:

a service processing unit configured to receive a service request from the mobile terminal;

a subscriber profile management means for managing the subscriber profile that is transmitted from a home location register to the switch based on the service request; and

an instruction unit configured to, in response to a location registration reciuest from the mobile terminal, to transmit an instruction to the home location register not to transmit the subscriber profile to the switch.

18. The switch according to claim 17, wherein the subscriber profile management means manages the subscriber profile transmitted from the home location register based on a determination means for determining whether or not to transmit the subscriber profile when receiving the service request.

19. The switch according to claim 17, further comprising a first administration means for monitoring whether the subscriber profile has been transmitted from the home location register.

20. The switch according to claim 19, further comprising a second administration means for monitoring whether the subscriber profile has been transmitted to the switch.