Core network apparatus, radio base station, mobile terminal, mobile communication system, and operation control method

• US 9,451,621 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nishina, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Qun
• Application Number:
  US14/232,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20140200019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/835 Time or frequency of notifications, e.g. Advice of Charge [AoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/53 based on regulatory allocation policies

Abstract

A core network apparatus (1) in a mobile communication system, includes a control unit (101) that, when a resource utilization rate of the own apparatus falls below a predetermined threshold, makes a transition to an MME utilization promotion state and transmits, to a radio base station (2), an MME promotion start message (111) for encouraging a terminal (3) to perform a communication. When the network utilization rate is low, it is possible to improve the utilization rate by transmitting the MME promotion start message, which is a utilization promotion message.

Claims

1. A core network apparatus in a mobile communication system, comprising:

a unit configured to, when a resource utilization rate of the core network apparatus falls below a predetermined threshold, make a transition to a core network utilization promotion state and transmit, to a radio base station, a utilization promotion message for encouraging a mobile terminal to perform a communication; and

a unit configured to, when the resource utilization rate of the core network apparatus exceeds the predetermined threshold, make a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state and transmit a utilization promotion stop message to the radio base station, wherein

either when the radio base station receives the utilization promotion stop message transmitted from the core network apparatus, the core network apparatus having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to the core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network apparatus exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, the radio base station makes a transition from a radio base station utilization promotion state to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stops transmitting a radio base station utilization promotion message,

and the mobile terminal, if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, makes a transition from a terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

2. The core network apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the unit incorporates core network determination information into the utilization promotion message, the core network determination information being used to determine whether to accept a connection request received from the mobile terminal through the radio base station, the mobile terminal having made a transition to a terminal utilization promotion state in response to receiving the utilization promotion message through the radio base station, and transmits the resulting message, further comprising

a determination unit configured to determine, when the core network apparatus in the core network utilization promotion state receives a connection request from the mobile terminal in the terminal utilization promotion state through the radio base station, whether to accept the connection request on the basis of the core network determination information in the connection request.

3. An operation control method for a core network apparatus in a mobile communication system, comprising:

when a resource utilization rate of the core network apparatus falls below a predetermined threshold, making a transition to a core network utilization promotion state and transmitting, to a radio base station, a utilization promotion message for encouraging a mobile terminal to perform a communication,

when the resource utilization rate of the core network apparatus exceeds the predetermined threshold, making a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state and transmitting a utilization promotion stop message to the radio base station,

either when the radio base station receives the utilization promotion stop message transmitted from the core network apparatus, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network apparatus exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, the radio base station making a transition from a radio base station utilization promotion state to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stopping transmitting a radio base station utilization promotion message, and

if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, a radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, the mobile terminal making a transition from a terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

4. A radio base station in a mobile communication system, comprising a unit configured to, if a resource utilization rate of the radio base station falls below a predetermined threshold when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion message transmitted from a core network, the core network having made a transition to a core network utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the core network falls below a predetermined threshold, the core network utilization promotion message being intended to encourage a mobile terminal to perform a communication, make a transition to a radio base station utilization promotion state and transmit, to the mobile terminal, a radio base station utilization promotion message for encouraging the mobile terminal to perform a communication,

wherein the unit, either when a core network utilization promotion stop message transmitted by the core network is received, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, makes a transition from the radio base station utilization to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stops transmitting the radio base station utilization promotion message,

and the mobile terminal, if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, makes a transition from a terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

5. An operation control method for a radio base station in a mobile communication system, comprising:

if a resource utilization rate of the radio base station falls below a predetermined threshold when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion message transmitted from a core network, the core network having made a transition to a core network utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the core network falls below a predetermined threshold, the core network utilization promotion message being intended to encourage a mobile terminal to perform a communication, making a transition to a radio base station utilization promotion state and transmitting, to the mobile terminal, a radio base station utilization promotion message for encouraging the mobile terminal to perform a communication, and

either when a core network utilization promotion stop message transmitted by the core network is received, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, making a transition from the radio base station utilization to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stopping transmitting the radio base station utilization promotion message,

if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again by the mobile terminal over a predetermined period, making a transition in the mobile terminal from a terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

6. A mobile terminal in a mobile communication system, comprising

a unit configured to, when the mobile terminal receives a radio base station utilization promotion message transmitted from a radio base station, the radio base station having made a transition to a radio base station utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the radio base station falls below a predetermined threshold when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion message transmitted from a core network, the core network having made a transition to a core network utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the core network falls below a predetermined threshold, the core network utilization promotion message being intended to encourage the mobile terminal to perform a communication, make a transition to a terminal utilization promotion state and display a message encouraging a user to perform a communication using the mobile terminal,

either when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion stop message transmitted from the core network, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, the radio base station makes a transition from the radio base station utilization promotion state to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stops transmitting the radio base station utilization promotion message,

wherein the unit, if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, makes a transition from the terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

7. A mobile terminal in a mobile communication system, comprising a unit configured to, when the mobile terminal receives a radio base station utilization promotion message transmitted from a radio base station, the radio base station having made a transition to a radio base station utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the radio base station falls below a predetermined threshold when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion message transmitted from a core network, the core network having made a transition to a core network utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the core network falls below a predetermined threshold, the core network utilization promotion message being intended to encourage the mobile terminal to perform a communication, the radio base station utilization promotion message being intended to encourage the mobile terminal to perform a communication, make a transition to a terminal utilization promotion state and make a connection request to the radio base station in order to transmit predetermined data held by the mobile terminal to a predetermined destination or in order to receive predetermined data from a predetermined source,

either when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion stop message transmitted from the core network, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, the radio base station makes a transition from the radio base station utilization promotion state to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stops transmitting the radio base station utilization promotion message,

wherein the unit, if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, makes a transition from the terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

8. An operation control method for a mobile terminal in a mobile communication system, when the mobile terminal receives a radio base station utilization promotion message transmitted from a radio base station, the radio base station having made a transition to a radio base station utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the radio base station falls below a predetermined threshold when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion message transmitted from a core network, the core network having made a transition to a core network utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the core network falls below a predetermined threshold, the core network utilization promotion message being intended to encourage the mobile terminal to perform a communication, making a transition to a terminal utilization promotion state and displaying a message encouraging a user to perform a communication using the mobile terminal,

either when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion stop message transmitted from the core network, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, the radio base station makes a transition from the radio base station utilization promotion state to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stops transmitting the radio base station utilization promotion message,

if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, making a transition from the terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

9. An operation control method for a mobile terminal in a mobile communication system, when the mobile terminal receives a radio base station utilization promotion message transmitted from a radio base station, the radio base station having made a transition to a radio base station utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the radio base station falls below a predetermined threshold when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion message transmitted from a core network, the core network having made a transition to a core network utilization promotion state when a resource utilization rate of the core network falls below a predetermined threshold, the core network utilization promotion message being intended to encourage the mobile terminal to perform a communication, the radio base station utilization promotion message being intended to encourage the mobile terminal to perform a communication, making a transition to a terminal utilization promotion state and making a connection request to the radio base station in order to transmit predetermined data held by the mobile terminal to a predetermined destination or in order to receive predetermined data from a predetermined source,

either when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion stop message transmitted from the core network, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, the radio base station makes a transition from the radio base station utilization promotion state to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stops transmitting the radio base station utilization promotion message,

if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, making a transition from the terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.

10. A mobile communication system comprising:

a core network;

a radio base station; and

a mobile terminal, wherein

the core network comprises;

a unit configured to, when a resource utilization rate of the core network falls below a predetermined threshold, make a transition to a core network utilization promotion state and transmit, to the radio base station, a core network utilization promotion message for encouraging the mobile terminal to perform a communication, and

a unit configured to, when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, make a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state and transmit a core network utilization promotion stop message to the radio base station,

wherein, either when the radio base station receives a core network utilization promotion stop message transmitted from the core network, the core network having made a transition from the core network utilization promotion state to a core network non-utilization promotion state when the resource utilization rate of the core network exceeds the predetermined threshold, or when the resource utilization rate of the radio base station exceeds the predetermined threshold, the radio base station makes a transition from the radio base station utilization promotion state to a radio base station non-utilization promotion state and stops transmitting a radio base station utilization promotion message, and

the mobile terminal, if, after receiving the radio base station utilization promotion message, the radio base station utilization promotion message is not received again over a predetermined period, makes a transition from a terminal utilization promotion state to a terminal non-utilization promotion state.