KR102244539B1 - Method and apparatus for acquiring location information of user equipment based on radio unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units of the present invention includes a process of monitoring whether a radio unit change handover has occurred to a communication terminal, and when the radio unit change handover occurs, the radio unit is sent to the communication terminal. A process of commanding execution of a change handover, and a process of generating a route change message including terminal location information in units of radio units for the communication terminal when the radio unit change handover is received from the communication terminal. And, transmitting the generated route change message to the user plane node.

Description

A method and apparatus for acquiring terminal location information based on a radio unit unit {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING LOCATION INFORMATION OF USER EQUIPMENT BASED ON RADIO UNIT}

The present invention relates to a technique for obtaining location information of a communication terminal for mobile communication, and more particularly, to a communication terminal in a VoLTE (Voice of LTE) network including an E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network). The present invention relates to a radio unit-based terminal location information acquisition method and apparatus suitable for accurately obtaining location information.

As is well known, 3GPP Release 8 describes an Evolved Packet Core (EPC), which is a network architecture, as one of mobile communication systems, and the EPC is a network for 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems. It is a set of nodes.

This EPC evolves the core network of the existing 3GPP system architecture to support E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network), an evolved radio access network (RAN), and also improve the efficiency of the packet network. It has an efficient network structure that simplifies network nodes to increase. A wireless communication system including EPC and E-UTRAN may be referred to as an EPS (Evolved Packet System), and it can be seen that this is the LTE mobile communication system currently in service in Korea.

Meanwhile, in the early stages of building an LTE mobile communication system, a mixed communication environment with a legacy network such as a WCDMA mobile communication system appears.In this communication environment, while accessing the LTE network, WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) networks, etc. A dual mode mobile communication terminal device (communication terminal) capable of accessing the same legacy network may be operated. In addition, in the early stages of the LTE mobile communication service, a WCDMA mobile communication system was used to provide a voice call service to a dual mode mobile communication terminal device, and an LTE mobile communication system was used to provide a data communication service.

Unlike the above, VoLTE service enables data communication as well as voice calls to be realized through an LTE mobile communication system. This VoLTE service is also called HD (High Definition) voice service. According to the VoLTE service, it is possible to provide a clearer HD-level voice call service than before during a voice call, and users can see the same screen as the other party in real time during a call. While giving, you can share content such as maps, music, news, and photos.

In such an LTE mobile communication system, location information of a communication terminal is managed in units of eNodeBs that function as a base station device for mobility management of a communication terminal. That is, the location of the communication terminal is managed through signaling between the eNodeB and the Mobility Management Entity (MME) functioning as a mobility management node, and the location information of the managed communication terminal is SGW for use as a billing policy or a location-based service. It is being transmitted to PGW (PDN Gateway) through (Serving Gateway).

However, the above-described conventional method of managing the location information of the communication terminal on a base station basis counts as data usage billing in an area other than the area where the communication terminal is actually located when charging for data communication according to a prescribed charging policy. Inconsistency in billing areas frequently occurs, and this inconsistency in billing areas is a factor causing service complaints of terminal users.

In addition, since the conventional method manages and services the location information of the communication terminal on a base station basis, in case the communication terminal is a low-cost terminal without a GPS chip, it has no choice but to apply it to a location-based service that requires high-accuracy location information .

Republic of Korea Patent Application Publication No. 10-2013-0068445, published date June 26, 2013.

The present invention generates terminal location information in units of radio units when a radio ubiquit change handover of a communication terminal occurs during data communication in a plurality of radio units managed by a base station, and the generated terminal in units of radio units We propose a new terminal location information acquisition technique that can transmit location information to a user plane node through a mobility management node.

In addition, the present invention is to propose a new terminal location information acquisition method capable of providing a relatively high accuracy location-based service to a low-cost terminal without a GPS chip.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to those mentioned above, and another problem to be solved that is not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description. .

According to an aspect of the present invention, a process of monitoring whether a radio unit change handover occurs to a communication terminal, and when the radio unit change handover occurs, execution of the radio unit change handover to the communication terminal A process of commanding and, when the completion of the radio unit change handover is received from the communication terminal, a process of generating a route change message including terminal location information in units of radio units for the communication terminal, and the generated It provides a method of acquiring terminal location information in units of radio units, including a process of transmitting a route change message to a user plane node.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a handover monitoring unit that monitors whether a radio unit change handover occurs for a communication terminal, and the radio unit to the communication terminal when the radio unit change handover occurs. A handover execution unit that commands execution of a change handover, and when the completion of the radio unit change handover is received, generates a path change message including terminal location information in units of radio units for the communication terminal, thereby generating a user plane. It provides an apparatus for obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units including a terminal location management unit that transmits to a node.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a process of checking whether a radio unit change handover occurs in a plurality of radio units managed by a base station, and a corresponding communication terminal when the radio unit change handover occurs. A process of executing a radio unit change handover for a radio unit, and a process in which the base station generates a route change message including terminal location information in units of radio units and transmits it to a mobility management node when the radio unit change handover is completed; The mobility management node generates a bearer modification message for a bearer modification request based on the path change message and transmits it to a user plane node, and the user plane node transmits the terminal location in units of the radio unit from the bearer modification message. It provides a method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units, including the process of extracting information and updating the terminal location information DB.

In the present invention, when a radio unit change handover occurs in a communication terminal during data communication in a plurality of radio units managed by a base station, a radio unit-unit terminal location information is generated, and the generated radio unit unit By transmitting the terminal location information to the user plane node through the mobility management node and updating the terminal location information DB, it is possible to increase the consistency between the actual data use area and the billing area.

In addition, since the present invention manages and services the location information of a communication terminal in units of a radio unit, even in the case of a low-cost terminal without a GPS chip, a relatively high accuracy location-based service can be provided.

1 is a network configuration diagram of a mobile communication service system suitable for applying a method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units according to the present invention;
2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units according to the present invention;
3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of acquiring terminal location information in units of radio units when a radio unit change handover occurs according to the present invention.

First, the advantages and features of the present invention, and a method of achieving them will become apparent with reference to embodiments to be described later in detail together with the accompanying drawings. Here, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in a variety of different forms, and only these embodiments are intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention, and are common in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. It is provided by way of example in order for those skilled in the art to clearly understand the scope of the invention, so the technical scope of the invention should be defined by the claims.

In addition, in the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to the intention or custom of users or operators. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the technical idea described throughout the present specification.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a network configuration diagram of a mobile communication service system suitable for applying the method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a mobile communication service system includes a radio unit group 102 consisting of a plurality of radio units 102/1 102/n, a base station (eNodeB) 104, a mobility management node (e.g., MME: Mobility Management Entity) 106, a signal processing node (e.g., SGW: Serving Gateway) 108, a packet processing node (e.g., PGW: PDN Gateway) 110 and a policy management node (e.g., PCRF: Policy & Charging Rule Function) (112) and the like. Here, eNodeB (104), MME (106), SGW (108), PGW (110) and PCRF (112) may be defined as an LTE mobile communication network, SGW (108) and PGW (110) are separate It can be defined as a user plane node or an integrated user plane node.

Referring to FIG. 1, each radio unit (RU) (102/1102/n) in the radio group 102 that is provided with mobile communication-related services by a base station (eNodeB) 104 is its own service A communication terminal (UE: User Equipment) in the area can provide a packet-based voice service, a packet-based video service, and a packet-based data communication service. Each of these radio units is, for example, for mobile communication installed in a building, etc. It may mean an antenna, a repeater for mobile communication, or the like. Here, the communication terminal may mean, for example, an LTE subscriber terminal, a VoLTE subscriber terminal supporting HD voice, and the like.

Next, the base station (eNodeB) 104 exemplarily shows only one eNodeB for convenience of description and enhancement of understanding, but communication services for hundreds to thousands of eNodeBs (e.g., voice service, video Various multimedia services including services and additional information services) can be managed (controlled) by the mobility management node 106, and dozens of eNodeBs form one TA (Tracking Area) area (or group). Can be managed as.

In addition, the base station 104 is an equipment that supports next-generation technologies and services such as LTE (or VoLTE) and can be defined (named) as a base station, base station equipment, or base station device, and radio bearer control, radio admission control A radio resource management function such as (radio admission control), connection mobility control, and dynamic resource allocation to a communication terminal may be provided. Here, the base station 104 may be defined as, for example, a digital unit (DU).

In addition, the base station 104 compresses the IP header and decrypts the user data stream, routes the user plane data to the signal processing node (SGW) 108, schedules and transmits paging messages, and broadcasts. Functions such as scheduling and transmission of broadcast information, measurement for mobility and scheduling, and setting of measurement reports can be provided.

Moreover, the base station 104 is a radio unit (RU) change handover (e.g., intra handover) while a communication terminal entering the service area of any radio unit in the radio unit group 102 uses data communication. ), checks (monitors) whether or not occurs, and includes terminal location information in units of radio units that have been changed when a radio unit change handover for a certain communication terminal is executed, e.g., ECGI (E-UTRAN Cell Global Id) information A function such as generating a path switch request (PSR) message and transmitting the message to the mobility management node 106 may be provided. For this purpose, a configuration as shown in FIG. 2 may be included. Here, the radio unit change handover (intra handover) means a handover that occurs between a plurality of radio units belonging to the radio unit group 102 service-managed by the base station 104.

2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units according to the present invention, and may include a handover monitoring unit 202, a handover execution unit 204, a terminal location management unit 206, and the like. .

Referring to FIG. 2, the handover monitoring unit 202 monitors whether or not a radio unit handover (intra handover) occurs for a communication terminal executing (using) data communication within a service area of a corresponding radio unit. , By measuring the signal strength between the communication terminal and neighboring radio units adjacent to the communication terminal, it monitors (decisions) whether to execute the radio unit change handover for the communication terminal, and the radio unit change hand through monitoring. When it is determined that over has occurred, a function such as generating a control signal (execution command) for executing a radio unit change handover and transmitting it to the handover execution unit 204 may be provided.

Next, the handover execution unit 204 transmits a handover execution control signal from the handover monitoring unit 202, that is, when it is determined that it is necessary to execute a radio unit change handover for the corresponding communication terminal, the corresponding communication terminal A function of instructing the execution of the radio unit change handover to be performed, and notifying the terminal location management unit 206 of the completion of the radio unit change handover from the corresponding communication terminal may be provided.

Then, the terminal location management unit 206 is notified of the completion of the radio unit change handover execution (handover completion) from the handover execution unit 204, the terminal location information in units of radio units, e.g., ECGI (E-UTRAN Cell A function such as generating a route change message (PSR) message including Global Id) information and transmitting the generated route change message to the mobility management node 106 may be provided.

Again, referring to FIG. 1, the mobility management node (MME) 106 manages the mobility of a communication terminal (terminal device) through signal control between the base station 104 and the signal processing node (SGW) 108, etc. This may mean a mobility management node that performs session management, idle subscriber management, paging, and subscriber authentication functions. That is, the MME 106 transmits a control signal when there is an association request or a radio bearer setup request from a terminal or other network node, such as a signal processing node (SGW) 108 or a packet processing node (PGW) 110. It can take charge of various functions of the control plane, such as processing, and receives subscriber profile information, authentication, and location-related data from a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), which is not shown, so that the EPS bearer or IP tunnel (IP tunnel) and mobility management.

Here, the HSS includes a database (data base) including subscriber information of a wireless communication system for a legacy network (eg, WCDMA mobile communication system) and/or LTE (or VoLTE) mobile communication system not shown. This refers to a subscriber information node (or subscriber server node), and may store subscriber profile information, authentication and location-related data, and the like. Here, the HSS may be defined (collectively) as a Home Location Register (HLR).

Further, the mobility management node 106 modifies a bearer for requesting bearer modification when a path change message including ECGI information (terminal location information in units of radio units) is received from the base station 104 according to the present invention. (MBR: Modify Bearer Record) message is generated, for example, a bearer modification (MBR) message including ECGI information is generated and transmitted (transmitted) to the signal processing node 108, and the bearer modification message is sent from the signal processing node 108. When a responded bearer modification (MBR) response message (i.e., a bearer modification response message including ECGI information) is received, a corresponding path change (PSR) Ack message (i.e., a path change Ack including ECGI information) is received. A message) may be generated and transmitted to the base station 104 and the like may be provided.

Next, the signal processing node (SGW) 108 performs packet processing to be described later.

Session control that processes payload traffic according to a preset session based on a communication policy in the network provided from the policy management node (PCRF) 112 through the node (PGW) 110, etc. It can mean a user plane node that performs the eNodeB 104 and interworkes with the S1-U interface, supports hand-off, etc. in the LTE mobile communication system and 3GPP, and a packet processing node It is possible to perform functions such as setting 110 and an EPS bearer (Evolved Packet System bearer) and transmitting a packet data unit (PDU) using tunneling, and ECGI information from the mobility management node 106 according to the present invention. When a bearer modification message including a is received, it is transmitted to the packet processing node 110, and a bearer modification response message (i.e., bearer including ECGI information) in response to the bearer modification message from the packet processing node 110 When a modification response message) is received, a function such as forwarding it to the mobility management node 106 may be provided.

In addition, the packet processing node 110 is a user plane node that allocates an IP of a terminal device according to a communication and billing policy provided from the policy management node 112 and performs session control in connection with an external Internet network and a non-3GPP network. For packet service, the signal processing node 108 and the external network and routing information are maintained, tunneling and IP routing functions are provided, and the PDU can be delivered to the signal processing node 108 and the external network. In addition, a function of transmitting policy priority information provided from the policy management node 112 to the signal processing node 108 may be provided.

Here, the policy management node (PCRF) 112 provides a communication policy and a billing policy in the communication network through the provision of dynamic QoS and billing rules according to a service data flow. It may mean a communication and billing policy management node that performs functions such as management and execution.

In addition, the packet processing node 110 extracts the terminal location information of the changed radio unit from the bearer modification message transmitted from the signal processing node 108, and converts the extracted terminal location information of the radio unit into the terminal location information DB ( (Not shown), and generating a bearer modification response message corresponding to the update to the terminal location information DB, that is, a bearer modification response message including ECGI information, and transmitting it to the signal processing node 108 can be provided. have.

Moreover, the packet processing node 110 applies (utilizes) the terminal location information in units of radio units, updated in the terminal location information DB, to a billing policy, applies (utilizes) it to a local-specific location-based service, or It can be applied (used) to the service.

Here, the region-specific location-based service means, for example, one or a plurality of digital units (DU) in charge of communication services for a specific area (eg, Seoul, Incheon, northern Gyeonggi, southern Gyeonggi, Gangwon-do, Jeju-do, etc.) It may mean a service that selectively provides a location-based service only to communication terminals in the service area in charge.

In addition, the service access point-specific location-based service means that, for example, a communication terminal is a specific service access point (e.g., a store selling goods or a mart, a service

It may refer to a service in which a corresponding communication terminal can download discount coupons, free or paid service coupons, etc. that can be used at the service access point when near a sales store, mart, movie theater, etc.).

Next, a series of processes of acquiring terminal location information in units of radio units when a radio unit change handover occurs according to the present invention using the mobile communication service system having the above-described configuration will be described in detail.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of acquiring terminal location information in units of radio units when a radio unit change handover occurs according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the handover monitoring unit 202 of the base station 104 shown in FIG. 2 performs radio unit change handover for a communication terminal executing (using) data communication within a service area of the corresponding radio unit. The occurrence is monitored to determine whether or not a radio unit change handover occurs. When it is determined that a handover has occurred, a radio unit change handover execution control signal (execution command) is generated to the handover execution unit 204. Deliver.

In response, the handover execution unit 204 commands a radio unit change handover to the communication terminal so that the communication terminal can perform a radio unit handover, and then executes a radio unit change handover from the communication terminal. When completion is received, this is notified to the terminal location management unit 206. That is, the communication terminal executes a radio unit change handover according to an instruction from the handover execution unit 204, and notifies the handover execution unit 204 when the handover is completed (step 302). ).

In addition, the terminal location management unit 206 includes terminal location information in units of radio units, e.g., ECGI (E-UTRAN Cell Global Id) information, when the completion of the radio unit change handover is transmitted from the handover execution unit 204 An alert change (PSR) message is generated and transmitted to the mobility management node 106 (step 304).

Next, in the mobility management node 106, when a path change message including ECGI information (terminal location information in units of radio units) is received from the terminal location management unit 206 of the base station 104, bearer modification for a bearer modification request is received. A message (e.g., a bearer modification message including ECGI information) is generated and transmitted to the signal processing node 108 (step 306), and in response thereto, the signal processing node 108 receives the received from the mobility management node E 106. A bearer modification message including ECGI information is transmitted to the packet processing node 110 (step 308).

As a result, the packet processing node 110 extracts the terminal location information of the changed radio unit from the bearer modification message transmitted from the signal processing node 108 and updates the terminal location information DB (not shown) (step 310), At the same time, a bearer modification response message corresponding to the update to the terminal location information DB (eg, a bearer modification response message including ECGI information) is generated and transmitted to the signal processing node 108 (step 312).

In response, the signal processing node 108 transmits a bearer modification response message including the ECGI information received from the packet processing node 110 to the mobility management node 106 (step 314), and the mobility management node 106 In step 316, a path change (PSR) Ack message corresponding to the bearer modification response message, that is, a path change (PSR) Ack message including ECGI information, is generated and transmitted to the base station 104 (step 316). By performing the same series of processes, when a radio unit change handover occurs, the terminal location information of the changed radio unit is transmitted to the user plane node, so that the terminal location information of the radio unit can be used for billing policy or location-based service policy. do. Here, the terminal location information in units of radio units updated in the terminal location information DB may be selectively used for a billing policy, a location-based service specialized in a region, a location-based service specialized in a service access point, and the like.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains, various substitutions, modifications and changes, etc., within the scope not departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. It will be easy to see that this is possible. That is, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but to explain the technical idea, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments.

Accordingly, the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the claims to be described later, and all technical thoughts within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when a radio unit change handover between radio units occurs during data communication, the base station generates the terminal location information of the changed radio unit and transmits it to the user plane node through the mobility management node. , The user plane node updates the terminal location information DB with the changed terminal location information in units of radio units. Accordingly, according to the present invention, not only can the coincidence between an actual data use area and a billing area be improved, but also a relatively high-accuracy location-based service can be provided to low-cost terminals without a GPS chip.

The present invention including such a technical configuration can be applied to a VoLTE (or LTE) mobile communication network, thereby increasing the reliability of VoLTE or LTE services and extending the application of location-based services.

102: radio unit group 102/1 102/n: radio unit (RU)
104: base station 106: mobility management node
108: signal processing node 110: packet processing node
112: policy management node 202: handover monitoring unit
204: handover execution unit 206: terminal location management unit

Claims (9)

A method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units performed by an apparatus for obtaining terminal location information, the method comprising:
A process of monitoring whether a radio unit change handover occurs in a plurality of radio units managed by a single base station for a communication terminal, and
When the radio unit change handover occurs, the process of instructing the communication terminal to execute the radio unit change handover;
When the completion of the radio unit change handover is received from the communication terminal, generating a route change message including terminal location information for the communication terminal in units of radio units; and
Transmitting the generated route change message to the user plane node
Including,
The monitoring process,
When the communication terminal is executing packet-based data communication within the plurality of radio units, a method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units monitors whether or not the radio unit change handover occurs. delete The method of claim 1,
The terminal location information in units of the radio unit,
Including E-UTRAN Cell Global Id (ECGI) information
A method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units. The method of claim 1,
The terminal location information in units of the radio unit,
Applicable to the billing policy
A method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units. The method of claim 1,
The terminal location information in units of the radio unit,
Applied to regional-specific location-based services
A method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units. In the apparatus for obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units,
A handover monitoring unit that monitors whether a radio unit change handover occurs in a plurality of radio units managed by a single base station for a communication terminal;
A handover execution unit for instructing the communication terminal to execute the radio unit change handover when the radio unit change handover occurs;
When the completion of the radio unit change handover is received, a terminal location management unit that generates a route change message including terminal location information in units of radio units for the communication terminal and transmits it to the user plane node.
Including,
The handover monitoring unit,
When the communication terminal is executing packet-based data communication within the plurality of radio units, the apparatus for obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units monitors whether or not the radio unit change handover has occurred. delete The method of claim 6,
The occurrence of the radio unit change handover,
Monitored through signal strength measurement between the communication terminal and the neighboring radio unit
Device for obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units. A process of checking whether a radio unit change handover occurs in a plurality of radio units managed by a single base station, and
A process of executing a radio unit change handover for a corresponding communication terminal when the radio unit change handover occurs,
When the radio unit change handover is completed, the base station generates a path change message including terminal location information in units of radio units and transmits it to a mobility management node;
The mobility management node generates a bearer modification message for a bearer modification request based on the path change message and transmits it to a user plane node;
The process of the user plane node extracting the terminal location information in units of the radio unit from the bearer modification message and updating the terminal location information DB
Including,
The process of checking whether the radio unit change handover has occurred,
When the communication terminal is executing packet-based data communication within the plurality of radio units, a method of obtaining terminal location information in units of radio units monitors whether or not the radio unit change handover occurs.

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