HK1078709A - Method and apparatus for mobile based access point name (apn) selection - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for mobile-based access point name selection

Technical Field

The present invention relates to wireless communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for allowing access to Access Point Names (APNs) not included in a service subscriber list.

Background

Existing standardized APN selection procedures generate denial of service (packet data protocol (PDP) context driver) when a mobile user has requested access to a particular APN not included in the list to which the user has subscribed.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a procedure in which a user is given the opportunity to access any APN that the user desires if the user has been informed that he is not currently subscribed to this particular APN and will apply a premium to his account. The user may also be required to provide credit/debit card (or the like) information to cover access and future transportation fees. If the user agrees to the charge and/or provides credit/debit card information, i.e., payment information, a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support point, i.e., (SGSN), selects the requested APN and proceeds with the selection of the appropriate GGSN for the requested APN.

The present invention extends the existing standardized APN selection procedure so that a user can select a domain name (APN) of his choice even if not in his subscription list if the user approves/agrees to be charged for access.

The technique includes notifying a user of an attempt to access a domain name that is not authorized to be accessed. The process requires the user to confirm their intent to access the field by requiring financial confirmation, which may be a credit/debit card, electronic check, or the like, to require payment for access and traffic charges. Upon approval and confirmation, the SGSN selects the requested APN and the appropriate gateway GPRS support point (GGSN) to facilitate the connection.

Drawings

The present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like elements are given like reference numerals, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram useful in explaining a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) content driver;

figure 2 is a schematic diagram to explain the overall GGSN selection;

figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a conventional APN selection procedure;

fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an APN selection procedure (SGSN) according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 illustrates a PDP context driver procedure in which the mobile station 10 drives a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context request to the SGSN14 at step S1, the request including, for example, PDP type, PDP address, Access Point Name (APN), quality of service (QOS), and the like. The APN is used to select a reference point to a particular packet data network and/or to select a service. SGSN14 acknowledges the request at step S2 and selects the APN requested to be associated with the APN to a GGSN, such as GGSN 16. Thereafter, the SGSN generates a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) content request including a PDP type, a PDP address, an Access Point Name (APN), a quality of service (QOS), and the like at step S3. GGSN 16 generates a PDP context response including a channel point identification (TEID), PDP address, PDP structure selection, QOS, charge identification and reason at step S4. At step S5, a Radio Access Bearer (RAB) setup is established between SGSN14 and Radio Access Network (RAN)12 (step S5A) and between mobile station 10 and Radio Access Network (RAN)12 (step S5B) using known RAB assignment procedures. At step S6, SGSN14 requires a trace with RAN 12 using known procedures.

In step S7, SGSN14 updates the PDP context request to GGSN 16, and in response to the request, GGSN 16 updates the PDP context response in step S8. SGSN14 inserts the GGSN address into its PDP context at step S9 and forwards the PDP address received from GGSN 16 to mobile station 10, and drives the PDP context at step S10, which includes PDP type, PDP address, QOS, radio frequency priority, packet flow ID and PDP structure selection.

Figure 2 is a diagram that can be used to explain overall GGSN selection. The UE 10, also shown as the mobile station in fig. 1, sends a request including the PDP type, PDP address and APN to the SGSN 14. SGSN14 transmits the APN visited/local public land Mobile network (V/H) PLMN-OI to directory name service (DNA) database 16, which provides the address of the GGSN indicated at 18 or an error indicated at 20 if there is no associated GGSN.

SGSN14 receives the subscribed: PDP type, PDP address, APN and allowed access public land mobile network (VPLMN) address. SGSN14 also receives an SGSN Access Point Name (APN) from an implicit value 24 provided in software hardware encoded within SGSN 14.

Figure 3 shows a procedure for existing APN selection where the SGSN receives a drive PDP context request from a UE (note, e.g. UE 10 in figure 2) at step S1. In step S2, the SGSN checks the selectivity information including the PDP type, PDP address and APN. If there is no information, the SGSN proceeds to a forking step S7 at step S3, checks the subscribed information and rejects the request at step S8 if the UE has multiple PDP subscriptions because only one PDP type can be specified. Alternatively, after performing the checking step S7, if the checking step indicates that the UE has a single subscription, the SGSN branches to step S10 and provides subscription information including address mode, dynamic or static, PDP type and APN of the SGSN subscription, if the subscribed APN is a generic character (wildcard) and there is no APN request, step S9. WILCARD ═ any means by which names can be used without any problems.

Returning to step S2, if there is only one PDP type requested, it is determined in step S4 and if the PDP type is compared to the subscribed PDP type, it is determined in step S11 that the flow jumps to step S10, where the SGSN provides the same information as described above and shown in step S10.

Returning to step S11, if the PDP type is the subscribed PDP type and the PDP addition request (pdpadd (r)) is the same as the subscribed PDP addition, it is determined in step S13 that the SGSN provides the data shown in step S10. However, returning to step S13, if the PDP addition request (PDP ADD (R)) is different from the PDP addition subscription, the flow branches to step S12 where the request is rejected. Here, (R) denotes a requirement set by the UE. Which may or may not be respected by the network, depending on the subscription information in the HLR.

Returning again to step S11, if the PDP type is the same as the subscribed PDP type, as determined in step S14, if the APN request is the same as the subscribed APN, the SGSN branches to step S10 which provides the information described above. However, if the APN request is different from the subscribed APN, the flow branches to step S12 where the request is rejected.

Returning to step S2, if the PDP type is requested, the PDP address and APN are present, the process branches to step S11 to determine if the PDP type is the same as the subscribed PDP type at step S16. If so, the procedure branches to step S14, wherein if the requested APN is the same as the subscribed APN, the SGSN provides the information indicated in step S10. If the requested APN is different from the subscribed APN, the flow branches to step S12 where the request is rejected.

Returning to step S14, if the APN requirement is the same as the APN subscribed, the flow branches to step S15, where if the PDP requirement is the same as the PDP subscribed, the SGSN provides the information described in step S10. Alternatively, if the PDP addition request (PDP ADD (R)) is different from the PDP addition subscription, the flow branches to step S12 where the request is rejected.

Fig. 4 shows an APN selection procedure extended in accordance with the present invention, wherein when the SGSN receives a drive PDP context request from the UE 10 at step S1 (see fig. 1 and 2), the SGSN checks the selected data, such as PDP type, PDP address and APN, at step S2. If only PDP type and APN are present, in step S3, the flow branches to step S4 to determine if the PDP type is a subscribed PDP type. If not, the flow branches to step S5, rejecting the request. If the PDP type is the same as the subscribed PDP type, the flow branches to step S5 to check the APN. If the requested APN is the same as the subscribed APN, the flow branches to provide the same information as shown in step S10 of figure 3.

If the requested APN and the subscribed APN are different, the process branches to step S7 to inform the user that the requested APN is not authorized, and if the UE (mobile station) is to continue, the UE must agree to the terms and conditions and provide a credit (or debit) card or similar information.

The SGSN checks the UE response in step S8, and if the terms and conditions are accepted, the flow branches to step S9, in which the requested APN is selected. If the UE does not accept the terms and conditions, flow branches to step S5 where the request is denied.

Returning to step S2, when the PDP type, PDP status and APN are present, the process branches to step S10, wherein steps S4 and S6 are repeated and, depending on the results of these comparisons, the process branches to steps S5, S7 or S10 of fig. 3, with the remainder of the process being the same as described above for the case where only the PDP type and APN are provided to the SGSN by the UE, as shown in step S3 of fig. 4.

Claims (19)

1. A method for use in a wireless communication system including at least one mobile station and a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support point (SGSN), the method comprising:

a) the mobile station requesting a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) type and an Access Point Name (APN);

b) the SGSN checks the PDP type and APN requirement; and

c) when the PDP type is the same as the PDP type subscribed and when the APN requested is different from the APN subscribed by the mobile station, the SGSN notifies the user that the APN requested is not authorized and that the mobile station must agree to terms and conditions and agree to pay for access to the APN requested.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the SGSN provides the requested APN in step (c) when the PDP type is a subscribed PDP type and the subscribed APN is the same as the requested APN.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the SGSN provides the requested APN upon receiving a communication from the mobile station that the terms and conditions of step (c) have been accepted.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the SGSN rejects the request of the mobile station in step (c) when the subscribed PDP type is different from the requested PDP type.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the SGSN rejects the requested APN upon receiving a communication from the mobile station that the terms and conditions of step (c) are not accepted.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the UE also requests a PDP address in step (a).

7. A method for use in a wireless communication system including at least one mobile station and a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support point (SGSN), the method comprising:

a) the mobile station requesting a Packet Data Protocol (PDP), PDP address type and an Access Point Name (APN);

b) the SGSN checks the PDP type and APN requirement; and

c) when the PDP type is the same as the PDP type subscribed and when the APN requested is different from the APN subscribed to by the mobile station, the SGSN notifies the user that the APN requested is not authorized and that the mobile station must agree to terms and conditions and agree to pay for access to the APN requested.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the SGSN provides the requested APN in step (c) when the PDP type is a subscribed PDP type and the subscribed APN is the same as the requested APN.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the SGSN selects the requested APN upon receiving a communication from the mobile station that the terms and conditions of step (c) have been accepted.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the SGSN rejects the request of the mobile station in step (c) when the subscribed PDP type is different from the requested PDP type.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the SGSN rejects the requested APN upon receiving a communication from the mobile station that the terms and conditions of step (c) are not accepted.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the UE further requests a PDP address in step (a).

13. An apparatus for use in a wireless communication system including at least one mobile station and a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support point (SGSN), the apparatus comprising:

the mobile station includes means for requesting a packet data protocol (PPD) type and an Access Point Name (APN);

the SGSN comprises a device for checking the PDP type and APN requirement; and

the SGSN has means for notifying the user that the requested APN is not authorized and that the mobile station must agree to terms and conditions and agree to pay for access to the requested APN when the PDP type is the same as the PDP type subscribed and when the requested APN is different from the APN subscribed by the mobile station.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the SGSN further comprises means for providing the requested APN when the PDP type is a PDP type subscribed and the APN subscribed is the same as the APN requested.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the SGSN includes means for providing the requested APN upon receiving a communication from the mobile station that the terms and conditions of step (c) have been accepted.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said SGSN includes means for rejecting a request from said mobile station when said subscribed PDP type is different from said requested PDP type.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the SGSN includes means for rejecting the requested APN upon receipt of a communication from the mobile station that the terms and conditions of step (c) are not accepted.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the requesting UE device further requests a PDP address.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said SGSN means for providing includes means for providing a requested APN when said PDP type is a PDP type subscribed and said subscribed APN is the same as said requested APN.