Description

System, device and method providing users with network services

(I) Technical field

The present invention relates to a system, device and method for providing users with network services, and it particularly relates to a system, device and method for providing users with network services in a next-generation network.

(II) Background technology

Current communication systems exist in many communication networks. When an end user requests a network service, the user experience of that user depends entirely on the capability of the relevant terminal unit (terminal) and the communication network which provides the user with access and services. If end users possess plural terminal units which belong to plural different networks, they must all execute a series of operations such as registration, administration, authentication and charging, etc. separately in their corresponding communication networks, and this undoubtedly increases the burden on users. In addition, the existence of plural networks means that it is necessary to effect storage and management of the data of each individual network, and this gives rise to a considerable waste of communication system resources, and causes both operating and investment costs to be comparatively high .

For example, if an end user possesses two different terminals, consisting of a fixed telephone and a mobile phone, then, since the communication network corresponding to the fixed telephone is a public switched telephone network (PSTN) , and the

communication network corresponding to the mobile phone is a public land mobile network (PLMN) , respective, separate charging administration is implemented for each of these two different networks, and so the user must make separate payments of the respective charges of the fixed telephone and the mobile phone, and it is not possible to make a one-time payment of the communications charges (whether of the fixed telephone or the mobile phone) in a single charge bill. Apart from that, if the end user wishes to set up a service such as call forward service, etc., it is necessary to set this up separately for the fixed telephone and for the mobile phone, and it is not possible to set up an integrated call forward service (either in the case of fixed telephone or in the case of the mobile phone) .

There are prospects of finding a solution to these problems in a next-generation network (NGN) . An NGN is a network on which people place hope for the future, and which is a long-term target of network development . An NGN is a packet network and provides a large variety of services including telecommunication services, it can use a variety of bandwidths and transmission technologies with various quality of service (QoS) capabilities, it achieves separation of service functions and bottom-layer transmission technology, it provides users with ready access to different services and commercial networks provided by different businesses, and it supports general mobility and achieves conformity and uniformity in the use of services by users.

The aspect within the NGN system framework which is the most discussed at present is a network convergence framework, and fixed and mobile convergence (FMC) in particular is attracting more and more interest . Network convergence can make thorough ^¬ going use of existing resources, reduce operating costs and increase competitiveness. It can provide users with services

in a variety of forms and also with single-station type services and so allow users to enjoy the same services regardless of whether the environment is a fixed environment or a mobile environment. It can also offer operators opportunities for increasing income and reducing the risks of introducing new services, and it is particularly suitable for total service management.

The most important development achieved through network convergence is the IP-based multimedia subsystem (IMS) technology proposed by the 3rd generation mobile communication standards partnership project oganization (3rd generation partnership project; 3GPP) in the Release 5 (R5) edition. IMS provides a foundation for IP-based mobile and fixed communication convergence, and is considered to be an important stage in NGN evolution. There is a prospect of PSTN and PLMN convergence to constitute a unified network on the basis of IMS, so allowing an operator who runs the relevant network to become an overall service operator and also achieving unified user experiences and effects.

An important problem involved in network convergence is that of data convergence. At present, databases in a public switched telephone network PSTN are dispersedly stored in terminals, whereas databases in a public land mobile network PLMN are stored centrally in a home location register (HLR) . If a user has data in both of these networks, this can result in data redundancy. Data redundancy entails excessive occupancy and use of system resources, and, along with this, it can easily result in mismatches in data updating. Following network convergence, the overall service operator must be sure to effect integrated management of the data in the abovenoted two or even more types of network databases and to effect the utmost reduction of data redundancy.

Despite the fact that the abovenoted home location register HLR possesses a function for the centralized storage of data, there is still a problem if it is intended to make integrated use of the HLR in an NGN. This is because, at present, one HLR consists of two portions, one being a data storage portion, and the other a data operation portion or what is called a service logic portion. The data storage portion is used to store user data, and the data operation portion is used to perform various operations such as authentication and location information updating (locate update), etc. on the stored user data. The interface between the data storage and data operations is a proprietary interface, and unified, open standards are established for this interface, but different network equipment manufacturers make their own definitions of the relevant interfaces, and so, as far as network convergence is concerned, it is difficult to exchange data between networks which are constituted with HLRs which come from different manufacturers present in existing networks.

It is seen from the above that the question of how to realize uniform access to individualized services and the reduction of redundant storage of data in order to provide NGN services is associated with serious problems which require urgent solutions .

(Ill) Content of the invention

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a system and a device therefor by which users are provided with network services and to make it possible for the use of this system to realize network convergence, uniform access to services and a reduction of redundant storage of data. At the same time, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of providing users with network

services and to make it possible for integrated storage, management and application to be effected for user data in a next-generation network environment, and thereby achieve sharing of the data of plural network services and seamless connection between these services.

In order to achieve the above objects, the technical scheme of the invention is specifically realized in the following manner: A system which provides users with network services and is used for the integrated storage, management and application of data in a next-generation network, this system comprising at least one control layer that is used to control the mode of end user access in a network, and in which the system further comprises at least one data application layer and one database layer, the data application layer is connected to the control layer, receives commands which are issued by the control layer and performs operations and accomplishes protocol conversion in respect of user data of the database layer, and the database layer is connected to the data application layer, and stores user data which are used in operations which are performed by the data application layer.

The control layer here contains at least one client terminal, and this client terminal is connected to the data application layer and issues control commands to the data application layer. The data application layer comprises at least one application front end, and this application front end is connected to the client terminal, receives commands which are issued by the client terminal and performs operations and accomplishes protocol conversion in respect of user data of the database layer. Operations which are performed by the data application layer or application front end in respect of the database layer comprise data reading and updating. The interface between the data application layer and the database

layer is an open interface, and it permits the use of a lightweight directory access protocol.

The technical scheme of the invention further comprises a device which provides users with network services and is used for the integrated storage, management and application of data in a next-generation network, and in which data stored in the device have a directory structure, a branch node of the directory structure constitutes the user identification of an end user, other nodes apart from the subtree for which the branch node constitutes a root node constitute the modes of access of the abovenoted end user to the network, and these access mode nodes are referenced to the branch node which constitutes the end user's user identification.

The access mode nodes here are referenced by means of an ALIAS mode to the branch node constituting the end user's user identification. The branch node constituting the end user's user identification contains at least one public service attribute .

The abovenoted directory structure can use a lightweight directory access protocol as a database access protocol.

The technical scheme of the invention further comprises a method of providing users with network services which is used for the integrated storage, management and application of data in a next-generation network. This network comprises at least one end user and a terminal unit which is used by the user, and the method comprises the following steps:

(1) accessing of the abovenoted network by the terminal unit via a control layer;

(2) requesting by the terminal unit via a data application layer for the performance of an operation on user data of a database layer; and

(3) acquisition by the terminal unit of user data returned from the database layer.

User data of the database layer here are stored in a directory- type database. The performance of an operation on user data of the database layer is requested by the data application layer via at least one application front end. When a request for the performance of an operation on user data of the database layer is made by the terminal unit via the data application layer, first, the access mode of the terminal unit is referenced to the user identification of an end user, and then an operation is performed on shared data under the end user's user identifi ^¬ cation. Operations performed by the data application layer on the database layer comprise reading and updating.

It can be seen that the system and method which are provided by the invention and provide users with network services possess the following advantages and special features .

(1) Since the invention is a stratified structure and is made a network system structure through the use of a control layer, a data application layer and a database layer, the interface unit between the data application layer and the database layer is an open interface, and all data relating to end users are centralized in a unified database layer, data management is easier, and, in addition, since data which are used in different accessed networks are all centralized in a unified database, data redundancy can be further reduced, and the arrangement is convenient for configuring data.

(2) The data application layer and database layer of the invention are completely separate, and the decoupling between these two layers makes it possible for both the data application layer and the database layer to be

expanded in accordance with individual requirements. The application front end located at the data application layer is unrelated to the database layer, and it can be independently expanded in conformity with relevant accessed networks, thereby reinforcing the system's expandability and making it possible to further improve the system's performance.

(3) The network system of the invention constitutes an open system structure, and all the hardware and the operating systems therefor which are used in this system structure are commercialized products. Since the interface between the data application layer and the database layer is no longer a proprietary interface but is a standard interface, it is convenient for the integration of numerous manufacturers, and it includes three-way application and development effects and lowers hardware costs .

(4) Since the data model of the invention constitutes a uniform database model, and user data which are stored in this uniform database can be used simultaneously by a fixed network service and a mobile network service, it is possible to support a fixed network and mobile network convergence FMC framework. An overall service operator can make further additions of new fixed network services and new mobile network services in the FMC framework, and can provide end users with a still greater degree of user experience .

[IV) Description of attached drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic showing example 1 of the invention constituting an integrated data storage, management and application system which is used in a next-generation network. Fig. 2 is a schematic showing example 2 of the invention constituting a certification, authentication and billing server system which is realized in a multi-network environment. Fig. 3 is a schematic showing example 3 of the invention constituting a user-provided network service system in a multi- network environment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic showing example 4 of the invention constituting a device which is used to store data in a next- generation network.

(V) Specific forms of implementation

A detailed description of the invention will now be given together with the drawings .

Fig. 1 is a schematic which shows example 1 of the invention, this being a system for the integrated storage, management and application of data which are used in a next-generation network. This network system comprises a management center 102, which serves to manage signaling and configuring for the network system. The management center 102 can be divided into a system management client terminal 103 and end user configuration 104 in accordance with user attributes. The system management client terminal 103 is connected to a system management module 203, and these two are used mainly for managing system equipment. The end user configuration management 104 is connected to a configuration gateway 204, and this configuration gateway 204 can be connected to an existing customer service center of an operator and serve to receive commands which are issued by operation and maintenance staff,

and it can also implement auto-management of user data on the basis of end user commands.

In terms of administrative levels, the system of Fig. 1 is divided into three layers, the topmost 101 being a control layer which serves to control end user access modes in the network. This control layer contains plural accessing client terminals, from client terminal 1 to client terminal 4, i.e. 105-108. 201 located in the intermediate part of the system is a data application layer, and this data application layer 201 is connected to the control layer 101 and receives commands which are issued by the control layer 101, and it performs operations on and completes protocol conversion for the user data of a database layer 301.

The data application layer 201 also contains application front ends 205-208, and these application front ends 205-208 are respectively connected to corresponding accessing client terminals 105-108 in the control layer 101, receive commands which are issued by the corresponding data accessing client terminals 105-108 and perform operations on and complete protocol conversion for the user data of the database layer 301. The operations performed by the data application layer 201 or the application front ends 205-208 in respect of the user data of the database layer 301 comprise reading and updating. The interface between the data application layer 201 and the database layer 301 is an open interface, and a lightweight directory access protocol can be used. This application front end structure which is used by the data application layer 201 facilitates the implementation of system expansion .

301 located at the bottom of the system is a database layer, this database layer 301 contains an integrated database 303, the database layer 301 and the data application layer 201 are

connected to one another, and the stored data (are) user data which are used in operations which are performed by the data application layer 201.

Fig. 2 is a schematic which shows example 2 of the invention constituting a certification, authentication and billing server system which is realized in a multi-network environment. In Fig. 2, the certification, authentication and billing (AAA) server data of different networks are shared, and so the AAA servers of different networks can be merged together and an integrated AAA server can be used.

515 application 1 in Fig. 2 is a PSTN application. In a conventional PSTN a user must effect certification and authentication using a "user name + cipher" format. 516 application 2 is a PLMN application. In a conventional PLMN, a user must effect certification and authentication using an SIM card format. Since the certification and authentication formats of different networks are different, the user must use plural certification and authentication formats when making use of accessing of different networks.

However, in a next-generation network in which there is integrated storage, management and application of data, each of the applications (application 1 or application 2) of the data application layer can send a request to an AAA server 715 by means of Radius protocol or Diameter protocol 615, and the AAA server 715 chooses a certification and authentication format (eg, user name + cipher) for a database layer 303 to which it is connected. After certification and authentication, the user can use another access mode (terminal unit) , and there is no need for repeated implementation of authentication for this other access mode (terminal unit) .

It can be seen that, when this integrated AAA server is used, provided the user is the same, whatever the type of access mode this user may employ to obtain certification and authentication, all other access modes too can obtain certification and authentication at the same time. In other words, single-point certification and authentication is truly achieved.

Fig. 3 is a schematic of example 3 of the invention constituting a system for providing users with network services in a multi-network environment. The structure of this system is similar to that of example 1, and the network system similarly comprises a management center 102 which is used for the purpose of management of signaling and configuring for the network system. The management center 102 can be divided into a system management client terminal 103 and end user configuration management 104 in accordance with user attributes. The system management client terminal 103 is connected to a system management module 203, and the end user configuration management 104 is connected to a configuration gateway 204. This network structure is similarly divided into a control layer 101, a data application layer 201 and a database layer 301.

In this example of implementation, the data access client terminals 105-108 in the control layer 101 are implemented as data access client terminals in a multi-network environment, such as a PSTN terminal station (exchange) 115, a PLMN mobile switching center (MSC) 116, a next-generation network soft- switch (SS) 117 and a call session control function (CSCF) 118 of an IP-based multimedia subsystem (IMS) . The application front ends 205-208 are implemented as application front ends in a multi-network environment, and are in respective correspondence to the abovenoted data access client terminals. The one in correspondence to the PSTN exchange 115 is a PSTN

front end 215, the one in correspondence to the PLMN MSC 116 is an HLR front end 216, the one in correspondence to the NGN soft-switch 117 is an SS front end 217, and the one in correspondence to the IMS 118 is a home subscriber server (HSS) front end 218.

Different networks in the multi-network environment use different network protocols between the control layer 101 and the data application layer 201. For example, an integrated services digital network user part (ISUP) protocol 415 is used between the PSTN exchange 115 and the PSTN front end 215, a mobile application part (MAP) protocol 416 is used between the PLMN MSC 116 and its HLR front end 216, a Diameter protocol 417 is used between the NGN soft-switch 117 and its SS front end 217, and a Diameter protocol 418 is also used between the IMS 118 and its HSS front end 218.

The interface between the data application layer 201 and the database layer 301 is an open interface, and a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) can be used. LDAP is a protocol which accesses an online directory service.

Fig. 4 is a schematic which shows example 4 of the invention constituting a data storage device which is used in a multi- network environment. A directory type (tree type) structure is employed for the data which are stored in this device. This tree structure has a root node 701, a branch node 803 therein is the user identification (UID) of an end user, and other nodes which are in the same layer as the branch node 803 are the access modes of the end user in the network. 801 indicates a mobile access mode of the end user, and the mobile station international ISDN number (MSISDN) is 1234. 802 indicates another mobile access mode of the end user, and the MSISDN number is 2345. 804 indicates a fixed access mode of the end user, the fixed telephone number being 3456. 801, 802 and 804

separately reference the user identification 803. This type of referencing can be achieved by means of an ALIAS system.

The end user 803 contains a public attribute 1 and a public attribute 2, and these public attributes can be used for the purpose of implementation.

The end user 803 has plural sub-nodes, each of which is a service branch, and which are respectively a public switched telephone network (PSTN) service 901, a home location register (HLR) service 902, and a home subscriber server (HSS) service 903. Since 901, 902 and 903 are sub-nodes of the end user 803, they each take over the public attributes of 803 and contain the public attribute 1 and public attribute 2.

The end user 803 possesses three different terminal units, these being an accessing mobile station which uses the mobile access mode 801, an accessing mobile station which uses the mobile access mode 802 and an accessing fixed telephone which uses the fixed access mode 804, and, since the access network to which the mobile stations correspond is a public land mobile network PLMN and the network to which the fixed telephone corresponds is a public switched telephone network PSTN, the three terminal units do not have completely identical access modes, but they all take over the public attributes of 803 and contain the public attribute 1 and public attribute 2, and it is therefore possible to achieve data sharing in all co-owned services, and hence to reduce redundant storage of data. However, since each terminal unit has its own individual characteristics, there are services which it is impossible to share with other terminal units, and, because of this, there are also respective individual service attributes below each which unit. For example, a public switched telephone network PSTN service 901 has a service attribute 1 and a service attribute 2, a home location register HLR service 902 has a

service attribute 3 and a service attribute 4, and a home subscriber server HSS 903 service has a service attribute 5 and a service attribute 6. The above data structure satisfies to the utmost limit the integrated storage, management and application of data.

Below, a 5th example of implementation of the invention is described. This example of implementation is a method which provides users with network services, and is used for the integrated storage and management of data in a next-generation network. This network comprises a terminal unit, eg, a mobile station, which is used by an end user. First, this mobile station accesses the abovenoted network via a public land mobile network PLMN located in a control layer. Next, the mobile station makes a request via a mobile front-end HLR located in a data application layer for authentication to be implemented in respect of the user, the MSISDN number of the mobile station is referenced to the user identification of the user who uses the mobile station, and then an operation is performed on data which are under this user identification. Finally, the mobile station performs an operation in respect of data stored in an integrated database layer, and, this having been done, an authentication success message is sent back to the mobile station. Operations performed by the mobile station on the database layer after passing through authentication also include data reading and protocol conversion. In addition, the user data in the abovenoted database layer may also be stored in a directory database.

As can be seen from the examples of implementation described above, when the network system of the invention is used, data management is made easier, since the interface between a data application layer and a database layer is an open interface and all data relating to end users are centralized in an integrated database layer, and, further, data redundancy is reduced, so

facilitating the uniform configuring of data, since all the data which are used in different access networks are centralized in the integrated database layer. In addition, since the data model of the invention is an integrated database model, and user data which are stored in this integrated database can be used simultaneously by a fixed network service and a mobile network service, it is possible to support a fixed network and mobile network convergence FMC framework and an overall service operator can make further additions of new fixed network services and new mobile network services within the FMC framework.