Method and system for implementing data routing of roaming user

• US 8,891,443 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2009
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hu, Weihua
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US12/613,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20100046438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/432.1, 455/414.3, 455/445, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/422.1, 370/395.52, 370/409, 370/395.3, 370/433, 370/432.1, 370/414.3, 370/445, 370/435.1, 370/435.2, 370/435.3, 370/422.1, 370/328
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4588 containing mobile subscriber information, e.g. home subscriber server [HSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A method and system for implementing data routing of a roaming user are disclosed. The method comprises: configuring a roaming protocol between the home network and the roaming network; during the registering process of the user in the roaming network, performing an interactive negotiation between the home network and the roaming network, so as to determine one of the home network and the roaming network to allocate IP address according to the roaming protocol between the home network and the roaming network; and establishing the IP access bearer based on the IP address. A corresponding system is also provided. The routing of the roaming user data plane could be optimized under the control of the home network operator, and the IP address of the default IP bearer for the roaming user could be allocated by the roaming network as much as possible, while guaranteeing of the home network operator'"'"'s interest and dominant position, so as to optimize the routing of the data plane for the roaming user, improve the performance of the data service and bring a better service experience to the roaming user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a request message from a mobility management entity (MME), wherein the request message comprises a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier (ID) of a roaming network where a user equipment (UE) is currently located;

determining, by the HSS, whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a default IP bearer of the UE according to the PLMN ID and a roaming strategy corresponding to the PLMN ID and an identifier of the UE, wherein the roaming strategy indicates whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE; and

sending, by the HSS, a response message to the MME, wherein the response message comprises an information element that indicates whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate an IP address to a default IP bearer of the UE.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a value of the information element is a first value, the roaming network is allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE, and wherein when the value of the information element is a second value, the roaming network is not allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE.

3. The method according to the claim 1, wherein the request message further comprises a first service list that indicates at least one service supported by the roaming network and needed to be borne by the default IP bearer of the UE in the roaming network.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the response message further comprises a second service list that indicates at least one service borne by the IP address allocated to the default IP bearer of the UE in the roaming network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request message is a registration updating request message and the response message is a registration confirmation message.

6. A home subscriber server (HSS), comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a request message from a mobility management entity (MME), wherein the request message comprises a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier (ID) of a roaming network where a user equipment (UE) currently is located;

a processing unit configured to determine whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate an IP address to a default IP bearer of the UE according to the PLMN ID and a roaming strategy corresponding to the PLMN ID and an identifier of the UE, wherein the roaming strategy indicates whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE; and

a sending unit configured to send a response message to the MME, wherein the response message comprises an information element that indicates whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate an IP address to a default IP bearer of the UE.

7. The HSS according to claim 6, wherein when a value of the information element is a first value, the roaming network is allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE, and wherein when the value of the information element is a second value, the roaming network is not allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE.

8. The HSS according to the claim 6, wherein the request message further comprises a first service list that indicates at least one service supported by the roaming network and needed to be borne by the default IP bearer of the UE in the roaming network.

9. The HSS according to claim 8, wherein the response message further comprises a second service list that indicates at least one services borne by the IP address allocated to the default IP bearer of the UE in the roaming network.

10. The HSS according to claim 6, wherein the request message is a registration updating request message and the response message is a registration confirmation message.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request message from a mobility management entity (MME), wherein the request message comprises a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier (ID) of a roaming network where a user equipment (UE) currently is located;

a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to determine whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a default IP bearer of the UE according to the PLMN ID and a roaming strategy corresponding to the PLMN ID and an identifier of the UE, wherein the roaming strategy indicates whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE; and

a transmitter configured to send a response message to the MME, wherein the response message comprises an information element that indicates whether the roaming network is allowed to allocate an IP address to a default IP bearer of the UE.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when a value of the information element is a first value, the roaming network is allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE, and wherein when the value of the information element is a second value, the roaming network is not allowed to allocate the IP address to the default IP bearer of the UE.

13. The apparatus according to the claim 11, wherein the request message further comprises a first service list that indicates at least one service supported by the roaming network and needed to be borne by the default IP bearer of the UE in the roaming network.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the response message further comprises a second service list that indicates at least one service borne by the IP address allocated to the default IP bearer of the UE in the roaming network.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the request message is a registration updating request message and the response message is a registration confirmation message.