Communication network system and mobile terminal

• US 7,937,084 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2005
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
• Inventors: Kuroda, Masahiro, Okubo, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US11/886,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20090124255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,241 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426.1, 455/456, 370/350, 370/467, 709/220, 709/242, 707/715
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An identification-information extracting unit extracts first identification information of a location registration area of a wireless communication system. A storage unit stores correspondence information concerning a relationship between the first identification information and second identification information of a location registration area managed by a communication network system. A location-registration requesting unit transmits location-registration request information for requesting a location registering device to perform a new location registration when the second identification information is updated by a movement of a mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A communication network system comprising:

a plurality of heterogeneous wireless communication systems;

a mobile terminal that communicates with the wireless communication systems; and

a location registering device that registers a location of the mobile terminal, wherein

the mobile terminal includes

an identification-information extracting unit that extracts first identification information specific to a location registration area of each of the wireless communication systems from information received from each of the wireless communication systems,

a first storage unit that stores therein correspondence information concerning a correspondence relationship between the first identification information and second identification information of a location registration area managed by the communication network system, and

a location-registration requesting unit that extracts the second identification information corresponding to the first identification information based on the first identification information extracted by the identification-information extracting unit and the correspondence information stored in the first storage unit, and transmits location-registration request information for requesting the location registering device to perform a new location registration when the second identification information is updated by a movement of the mobile terminal.

2. The communication network system according to claim 1, wherein

the location registering device includes a second storage unit that stores therein the correspondence information,

the mobile terminal further includes a correspondence-information obtaining unit that requests the location registering device for the correspondence information to obtain the correspondence information, and

the first storage unit stores therein the correspondence information obtained by the correspondence-information obtaining unit.

3. The communication network system according to claim 2, wherein upon receiving instruction information from the location registering device to obtain new correspondence information, the correspondence-information obtaining unit requests the location registering device for the correspondence information to obtain the new correspondence information.

4. The communication network system according to claim 2, wherein when the correspondence information stored in the first storage unit does not contain the first identification information received from each of the wireless communication systems, the correspondence-information obtaining unit requests the location registering device for the correspondence information to obtain new correspondence information.

5. The communication network system according to claim 2, wherein

the location registering device further includes a terminal managing unit that manages terminal setting information concerning a setting of a communication for each mobile terminal, and

upon receiving a request for the correspondence information from a mobile terminal, the terminal managing unit generates new correspondence information for each mobile terminal based on the terminal setting information, and transmits the new correspondence information to the mobile terminal from which the request for the correspondence information is received.

6. The communication network system according to claim 5, wherein the terminal managing unit manages the terminal setting information based on number and type of wireless interfaces of the wireless communication systems.

7. The communication network system according to claim 2, wherein

the location registering device further includes a load managing unit that manages load status information concerning a load status for each of the wireless communication systems, and

upon receiving a request for the correspondence information from a mobile terminal, the load managing unit generates new correspondence information for each mobile terminal based on the load status information, and transmits the new correspondence information to the mobile terminal from which the request for the correspondence information is received.

8. The communication network system according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence information is such that when a first service area of a first wireless communication system includes a second service area of a second wireless communication system, the second identification information of the second wireless communication system is same as the second identification information of the first wireless communication system.

9. The communication network system according to claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal further includes

a speed measuring unit that measures a speed of movement of the mobile terminal, and

a selecting unit that selects a wireless communication system based on a result of measurement by the speed measuring unit.

10. The communication network system according to claim 9, wherein when the speed of movement is faster than a predetermined speed, the selecting unit selects a wireless communication system having a broad service area from among the wireless communication systems.

11. The communication network system according to claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal further includes a selecting unit that selects a wireless communication system based on a status of a band required by an application that in a waiting mode.

12. The communication network system according to claim 11, wherein when the application in the waiting mode requires the band, the selecting unit selects a wireless communication system having a broadband from among the wireless communication systems.

13. A mobile terminal that communicates with a plurality of heterogeneous wireless communication systems, and that moves while performing a location registration within a communication network system having the wireless communication systems, the mobile terminal comprising:

an identification-information extracting unit that extracts first identification information specific to a location registration area of each of the wireless communication systems from information received from each of the wireless communication systems;

a first storage unit that stores therein correspondence information concerning a correspondence relationship between the first identification information and second identification information of a location registration area managed by the communication network system; and

a location-registration requesting unit that extracts the second identification information corresponding to the first identification information based on the first identification information extracted by the identification-information extracting unit and the correspondence information stored in the first storage unit, and transmits location-registration request information for requesting the location registering device to perform a new location registration when the second identification information is updated by a movement of the mobile terminal.

14. A method of registering a location of a mobile terminal in a wireless communication system including a mobile terminal, a base station, and a controller that performs a location registering process of registering the location of the mobile terminal that communicates with the base station, the method comprising:

first notifying including the base station notifying area identification information unique to a location registration area corresponding to the base station to the mobile terminal;

receiving including the mobile terminal notified at the first notifying;

comparing including the mobile terminal comparing the area identification information received at the receiving and registration-area identification information registered in the mobile terminal with each other;

second notifying including the mobile terminal notifying the area identification information and mobile-terminal identification information unique to the mobile terminal to the controller via the base station on whether the area identification information is register as the registration-area identification information as a result of comparison at the comparing;

third notifying including the controller notifying second area identification information associated with the area identification information to the mobile terminal corresponding to the mobile-terminal identification information based on the area identification information and the mobile-terminal identification information notified at the second notifying; and

registering including the mobile terminal registering the second area identification information notified at the third notifying as the registration-area identification information of the mobile terminal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a service target area of the wireless communication system includes a plurality of location registration areas.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second area identification information includes a plurality of pieces of area identification information corresponding to a plurality of location registration areas.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein when the area identification information received by the mobile terminal is not registered in the mobile terminal as the registration-area identification information, the second notifying includes the mobile terminal notifying the area identification information and the mobile-terminal identification information to the controller.

18. A wireless communication system including a mobile terminal, a base station, and a controller that performs a location registering process of registering the location of the mobile terminal that communicates with the base station;

wherein

the base station notifies area identification information unique to a location registration area corresponding to the base station to the mobile terminal,

the mobile terminal receives the area identification information notified by the base station, compares received area identification information with registration-area identification information registered in the mobile terminal, and notifies the area identification information and mobile-terminal identification information unique to the mobile terminal to the controller via the base station based on whether the area identification information is registered as the registration-area identification information as a result of comparison,

the controller notifies a second area identification information associated with the area identification information to the mobile terminal corresponding to the mobile-terminal identification information based on the area identification information and the mobile-terminal identification information notified by the mobile terminal, and

the mobile terminal registers the second area identification information notified by the controller as the registration-area identification information of the mobile terminal.

19. A mobile terminal in a wireless communication system that includes a mobile terminal, a base station, and a controller that performs a location registering process of registering the location of the mobile terminal that communicates with the base station, wherein

the mobile terminal receives area identification information unique to a location registration area corresponding to the base station from the base station, compares received area identification information with registration-area identification information registered in the mobile terminal, notifies the area identification information and mobile-terminal identification information unique to the mobile terminal to the controller via the base station based on whether the area identification information is registered as the registration-area identification information as a result of comparison, and registers second area identification information associated with the area identification information notified by the controller based on the notified area identification information and mobile-terminal identification information as the registration-area identification information of the mobile terminal.

20. A location registration method employed in a radio communication system having a controller registering a location of a mobile terminal communicating with a base station, the location registration method comprising:

an information step of, at the base station, informing the mobile terminal of a location registration identifier specific to an area corresponding thereto;

a determination step of, at the mobile terminal, receiving the location registration identifier and determining whether the received location registration identifier is present in a first identification information list, which stores therein the location registration identifier in advance;

a first transmission step of, at the mobile terminal, transmitting a location-registration request message to the controller by way of the base station, when determining that the received location registration identifier is not present in the first identification information list at the determination step;

a second transmission step of, at the controller, transmitting a second identification information list to the mobile terminal as a location-registration response message; and

an update step of, at the mobile terminal, storing the second identification information transmitted from the controller.

21. The location registration method according to claim 20, wherein the second identification information list is updated by the controller based on the location-registration request message.

22. The location registration method according to claim 20, wherein the second identification information list is added to the location-registration response message and transmitted to the mobile terminal.

23. The location registration method according to claim 20, wherein

the first identification information list is deleted when the second identification information list is stored in the mobile terminal.

24. The location registration method according to claim 20, wherein

the controller is a paging agent.