Method for assigning a unique identifier to a mobility management entity and for implementing a mobility management entity in a core network of an SAE/LTE communication system as well as a mobility management entity

• US 8,526,954 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Holding GmbH (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Holding GmbH (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Kulakov, Alexei, Lu, Yang, Wild, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US12/804,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-444, 455/450
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for assigning unique identifiers to a mobility management entity in a core network of an SAE/LTE communication system as well as a method for implementing a mobility management entity in a core network of an SAE/LTE communication system. Further, the invention relates to a mobility management entity of a core network of an SAE/LTE communication system.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a unique identifier to a mobility management entity in a core network of a System Architecture Evolution/Long Term Evolution communication system that is characterized by the following steps:

a1) providing at least one first identifier to a mobility management entity,

b1) transmitting the at least one first identifier which has been received by the mobility management entity from the mobility management entity to a selection of other mobility management entities and/or transmitting of identifiers which are assigned to a selection of other mobility management entities to the mobility management entity,

c1) comparing the other identifiers of the selection of the other mobility management entities with the at least one first identifier of the mobility management entity in order to establish the uniqueness of the at least one first identifier,

d1) assigning the at least one first identifier to the mobility management entity once the uniqueness of the at least one first identifier is established.

2. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the at least one first identifier is provided by a configuration database via a data connection.

3. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the at least one first identifier and/or the other identifiers are transmitted via interfaces.

4. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the selection of other mobility management entities involves the direct neighbors of mobility management entity.

5. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the comparison of other identifiers with the at least one first identifier is conducted in the mobility management entity and/or in a mobility management entity from the selection of other mobility management entities.

6. The method according to claim 5, further characterized in that in step b1) the mobility management entity transmits the provided at least one first identifier to the other mobility management entities of the core network together with the query of whether the at least one identifier is assigned to these units, and that in step c1), based on the response messages from the other mobility management entities, the mobility management entity examines whether the identifiers coincide.

7. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that once a determination is made that the at least one identifier that is provided is assigned to one of the other mobility management entities, the mobility management entity communicates this to the configuration database and the configuration database provides an at least one other first identifier to the mobility management entity, and that steps b1) to d1) are repeated.

8. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that in step a1), the configuration database provides a selection of first identifiers to the mobility management entity, that the mobility management entity stores this selection of first identifiers, that the mobility management entity acquires a first identifier from the selection of first identifiers, and that steps b1) to d1) are repeated.

9. The method according to claim 8, further characterized in that, once a determination is made that the first identifier that is provided is assigned to one of the other mobility management entities, the mobility management entity acquires another first identifier from the stored selection of first identifiers, and that steps b1) to d1) are repeated.

10. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that the mobility management entity stores the response messages of the other mobility management entities and that once a determination is made that the at least one first identifier that is provided is assigned to one of the other mobility management entities, the mobility management entity acquires another first identifier from the stored selection of first identifiers, and based on the stored response messages of the other mobility management entities, examines whether the other first identifier is assigned to another mobility management entity.

11. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that after the assignment of the acquired first identifier, the mobility management entity communicates to the configuration database which first identifier is assigned to the mobility management entity.

12. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that the configuration database provides to the mobility management entity a globally unique mobility management entity identifier number as at least one first identifier or a plurality of globally unique mobility management entity identifier numbers as a selection of identifiers.

13. The method according to claim 12, further characterized in that a globally unique mobility management entity identifier number comprises the following components:

a public land-based mobile network identifier, which has a country code as well as an identifier of a network operator,

and a mobility management entity identifier, which has a mobility management entity group identifier as well as a mobility management entity code.

14. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that the configuration database is part of an operations and maintenance unit on a computer unit.

15. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that the data connection is provided between the configuration database and the mobility management entity via interfaces.

16. A method for implementing a mobility management entity in a core network of a System Architecture Evolution/Long Term Evolution communication system that is characterized by the following steps:

f) a new mobility management entity is added to the core network and connected to other mobility management entities of the core network via interfaces;

g) a unique identifier is assigned to the newly added mobility management entity by means of a method according to claim 1.

17. A mobility management entity of a core network of a System Architecture Evolution/Long Term Evolution communication system, with at least one interface to other mobility management entities of the core network and with an interface to a configuration database which is adapted to construct a connection and to transmit data to the configuration database, is hereby characterized in that the mobility management entity has means for conducting a method according to one claim 1.

18. The mobility management entity according to claim 17, further characterized in that a receiver is provided which is adapted to receive at least one first identifier or a selection of first identifiers, which are provided by the configuration database, that an acquisition device is provided which is adapted to acquire a first identifier, that a transmitting and receiving device is provided which is adapted to transmit the acquired first identifier and/or to transmit queries to other mobility management entities of the core network and to receive other identifiers and/or response messages from other mobility management entities via interfaces, that an evaluating device is provided which is adapted to compare the identifiers of all mobility management entities and that means are provided which are adapted to assign the acquired first identifier.

19. The mobility management entity according to claim 17, further characterized in that the mobility management entity comprises a memory unit which is adapted to store the selection of first identifiers that is provided and/or the response messages of the mobility management entities.