Method, apparatus, and system for processing network sharing

• US 9,967,733 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• 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: Zhang, Yanping, Zhu, Fenqin, Yu, Yijun
• Primary Examiner(s): Sams, Matthew C
• Application Number:
  US14/542,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20150072678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 455433, 4554351, 455406, 455407, 4554042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/065 involving selection of the user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for sharing a core network, where the method includes: first, determining, by a mobility management network element, that a user equipment does not support network sharing; and then, sending, by the mobility management network element, a location update request message to a mobile switching center or visitor location register MSC/VLR, where the location update request message includes indication information that the user equipment does not support network sharing, or the location update request message includes a location area identity LAI including a common public land mobile network identifier common PLMN ID, or the location update request message includes an LAI including a common PLMN ID and includes a circuit switched domain public land mobile network identifier CS domain PLMN ID. The present invention is applicable to the field of communications systems.

Claims

1. A method for processing network sharing, the method comprising:

receiving, by a mobility management network element, an access request sent by a user equipment;

determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing;

selecting, by the mobility management network element, a circuit switched domain public land mobile network identifier (CS domain PLMN ID) to provide a service for the user equipment, wherein selecting, by the mobility management network element, the CS domain PLMN ID comprises;

sending, by the mobility management network element, a message to a prior mobility management element of the user equipment to obtain the CS domain PLMN ID;

when the user equipment does not support network sharing, sending, by the mobility management network element, a location update request message to a mobile switching center or visitor location register (MSC/VLR), wherein the location update request message comprises;

a location area identity (LAI) comprising a common public land mobile network identifier (PLMN ID), and

the CS domain PLMN ID selected by the mobility management network element; and

sending, by the mobility management network element, an access accept message to the user equipment, wherein the access accept message includes the LAI comprising the common PLMN ID to be used by the user equipment for accessing the MSC/VLR.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing comprises:

obtaining, by the mobility management network element, capability information indicating whether the user equipment supports network sharing; and

according to the capability information, determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a target radio access technology (RAT).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of the target RAT comprises:

determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a GSM EDGE radio access network (GERAN), wherein the target RAT is the GERAN, and the GERAN network supports network sharing;

or

determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), wherein the target RAT is the UTRAN, and the UTRAN network supports network sharing.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing comprises:

obtaining, by the mobility management network element, capability information indicating whether the user equipment supports network sharing; and

according to the capability information, determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a target radio access technology (RAT).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of the RAT comprises:

determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a GSM EDGE radio access network (GERAN), wherein the RAT is the GERAN, and the GERAN network supports network sharing;

or

determining, by the mobility management network element, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), wherein the RAT is the UTRAN, and the UTRAN network supports network sharing.

6. A mobility management network element apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a transmitter;

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a user equipment supports network sharing in response to the apparatus receiving an access request message from the user equipment; and

the transmitter is configured to;

select a circuit switched domain public land mobile network identifier (CS domain PLMN ID) to provide a service for the user equipment, wherein the CS domain PLMN ID is obtained from a prior mobility management network element of the user equipment;

when the user equipment does not support network sharing, send a location update request message to a mobile switching center or visitor location register MSC/VLR, wherein the location update request message comprises a location area identity (LAI) including a common public land mobile network identifier (PLMN ID) and comprises the selected CS domain PLMN ID, and

send an access accept message to the user equipment, wherein the access accept message includes the LAI comprising the common PLMN ID to be used by the user equipment for accessing the MSC/VLR.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to obtain capability information indicating whether the user equipment supports network sharing, and determine, according to the capability information, whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a target radio access technology (RAT).

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a GSM EDGE radio access network (GERAN), wherein the target RAT is the GERAN, and the GERAN network supports network sharing;

or

determine whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), wherein the target RAT is the UTRAN, and the UTRAN network supports network sharing.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium, which stores program code for execution by an apparatus in a communication system, wherein the program code comprises instructions for performing a method for processing network sharing, and wherein the method comprises:

receiving an access request sent by a user equipment;

determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing;

selecting a circuit switched domain public land mobile network identifier (CS domain PLMN ID) to provide a service for the user equipment, wherein the CS domain PLMN ID is obtained from a prior mobility management element of the user equipment;

when the user equipment does not support network sharing, sending a location update request message to a mobile switching center or visitor location register (MSC/VLR), wherein the location update request message comprises;

a location area identity (LAI) comprising a common public land mobile network identifier (PLMN ID); and

the CS domain PLMN ID selected by the apparatus.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing comprises:

obtaining capability information indicating whether the user equipment supports network sharing; and

according to the capability information, determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a target radio access technology (RAT).

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing comprises:

obtaining capability information indicating whether the user equipment supports network sharing; and

according to the capability information, determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a target radio access technology (RAT).

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of the target RAT comprises:

determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a GSM EDGE radio access network (GERAN), wherein the target RAT is the GERAN, and the GERAN network supports network sharing;

or

determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), wherein the target RAT is the UTRAN, and the UTRAN network supports network sharing.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of the target RAT comprises:

determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a GSM EDGE radio access network (GERAN), wherein the RAT is the GERAN, and the GERAN network supports network sharing;

or

determining whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), wherein the RAT is the UTRAN, and the UTRAN network supports network sharing.

14. A communication system, comprising a mobility management network element and a mobile switching center or visitor location register (MSC/VLR), wherein:

the mobility management network element is configured to;

receive an access request from a user equipment,

determine whether the user equipment supports network sharing,

select a circuit switched domain public land mobile network identifier (CS domain PLMN ID) to provide a service for the user equipment,

send a message to a prior mobility management element of the user equipment to obtain the CS domain PLMN ID,

when the user equipment does not support network sharing, send a location update request message to the MSC/VLR, wherein the location update request message comprises a location area identity (LAI) including a common public land mobile network identifier (PLMN ID) and comprises the selected CS domain PLMN ID, and

send an access accept message to the user equipment, wherein the access accept message includes the LAI comprising the common PLMN ID to be used by the user equipment for accessing the MSC/VLR; and

the MSC/VLR is configured to;

receive the location update request message from the mobility management network element, and

select a circuit switched domain public land mobile network identifier which is the same as the circuit switched domain public land mobile network identifier included in the location update request message.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the mobility management network element is further configured to:

obtain capability information indicating whether the user equipment supports network sharing; and

according to the capability information, determine whether the user equipment supports network sharing of a target radio access technology (RAT).