Method for managing information of subscribers in home location register and home location register for the same

0001Description

METHOD FOR MANAGING INFORMATION OF

SUBSCRIBERS IN HOME LOCATION REGISTER AND HOME

LOCATION REGISTER FOR THE SAME

0005Technical Field

0006[1] The present invention relates generally to a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register and a home location register for the same, and, more particularly, to a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register and a home location register for the same, which increase the number of subscribers that can be managed in the database of the home location register in the mobile communication market, which has a distribution structure in which subscription for a large number of SIM cards is performed in advance and then the SIM cards are distributed. Background Art

0007[2] In order to receive mobile communication services, the mobile identification information of a subscriber (a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), a Mobile Directory Number (MDN), or the like) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC), which is the code of the provider of a mobile communication service, are required. A device or program for storing subscriber information, such as mobile identification information and an MNC, is generally called a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

0008[3] Such a SIM, which can be used in a mobile communication terminal in the form of a chip or a card, can be used after prepayment is made. When a prepaid SIM card is purchased and then inserted into a mobile communication terminal, service is made available immediately at the time of insertion, and mobile communication service can be received.

0009[4] Meanwhile, a home location register generally uses a memory DataBase (DB) in order to maintain the performance of a system. That is, a space corresponding to the number of subscribers that can be managed in the memory DB is assigned in advance, and fields are created therein. When new subscription is performed, values that are necessary for mobile communication service for each subscriber are entered into the respective fields and then used.

0010[5] In this case, the subscription information of respective prepaid SIM cards, for which subscription is performed in advance and which are then distributed to distributors, occupies the subscriber information storage region of the home location register at the time of subscription. Therefore, as the rate of SIM cards, which are distributed to distributors but are not sold (hereinafter such SIM cards are referred to as "dormant SIM cards"), increases, a problem occurs in that the burden of expense of a service provider increases because the home location register is required to be extended due to dormant SIM cards which are not being used, or because additional licenses must be purchased, even though actual system resources for processing service are sufficient. When the number of prepaid subscribers is larger than the number of postpaid subscribers, the problem becomes more serious.

0011[6] Therefore, in the case in which the distribution structure in which a service provider performs subscription for a large number of SIM cards in advance and then distributes them is employed, in the prepaid subscriber-oriented mobile communication market, a more efficient method of managing system capacity and processing subscription is demanded.

0012Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

0013[7] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register and a home location register for the same, which can increase the number of subscribers that can be managed in a home location register in the prepaid subscriber-oriented mobile communication market, which has a distribution structure in which a service provider performs subscription for a large number of SIM cards and then distribute them.

0014[8] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register and a home location register for the same, which manages the subscriber information of prepaid subscribers based not on the time at which SIM cards are issued, that is, the time of subscription, but on the time at which service is actually made available, so that dormant SIM card subscribers can be efficiently managed without the burden of limitation on the memory capacity of the home location register, with the result that the problem of the expenses of service providers, attributable to the increase of capacity of the home location register and the purchase of additional licenses, can be solved.

0015[9] Further another object of the present invention is to provide a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register and a home location register for the same, in which the home location register separately creates an active region and a virtual region in a database in order to manage prepaid subscriber information based on the time at which service is actually made available, temporarily stores only mobile identification information assigned to a SIM card in the virtual region when subscription for the corresponding prepaid SIM card is performed, and stores the subscriber profile information of the corresponding SIM card in the active region when first location registration is performed after the corresponding SIM card is sold, thereby allowing service to be made available at the time of subscription. Technical Solution

0016[10] In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register, including a step 1 of separately creating an active region and a virtual region in a database; a step 2 of, when subscriber profile information is received from a subscriber information management system in order to perform subscription for a subscriber identification module card, for which subscription is performed in advance and which is then distributed, extracting mobile identification information, assigned to the subscriber identification module card, from the corresponding subscriber profile information, and storing the extracted mobile identification information in the virtual region; and a step 3 of, when a first location registration event for the subscriber identification module card occurs, creating subscriber profile information, including the mobile identification information of the corresponding subscriber identification module card, storing the created subscriber profile information in the active region, and deleting the corresponding mobile identification information from the virtual region.

0017[11] Further, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register, the home location register including a data base which includes an active region for storing all subscriber profile information of general subscribers and a virtual region for temporarily storing the mobile identification information of the subscriber profile information of a subscriber identification module card for which subscription is performed in advance and which is then distributed, the active region and the virtual region being separately created, the method including a step 1 of, when a location update request message, including specific mobile identification information, is received from a mobile switching center, inquiring about the corresponding mobile identification information from the active region;

0018[12] a step 2 of, if the corresponding mobile identification information is not found in the active region, inquiring about the corresponding mobile identification information from the virtual region; a step 3 of, if the corresponding mobile identification information is found in the virtual region, creating subscriber profile information, including the mobile identification information of the corresponding subscriber identifi cation module card, storing the created subscriber profile information in the active region, and deleting the corresponding mobile identification information from the virtual region; and a step 4 of updating the location of the subscriber identification module card, and returning a location update response message to the mobile switching center.

0019[13] Furthermore, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a home location register including a database for storing subscriber profile information, wherein the database includes an active region for storing all subscriber profile information of a general subscriber; and a virtual region for temporarily storing only mobile identification information of the subscriber profile information of a subscriber identification module card for which subscription is performed in advance and which is then distributed.

0020Advantageous Effects

0021[14] Therefore, the method of managing subscriber information in a home location register and the home location register for the same according to the present invention enable a larger number of subscribers to be managed in a home location register in the prepaid subscriber-oriented mobile communication market, which has a distribution structure in which service providers perform subscription for a large number of SIM cards and then distribute them, so that the present invention has an advantage in that the expenses of a service provider for DB extension and license revision, attributable to an increase in the number of prepaid subscribers, can be reduced.

0022[15] In particular, the subscriber information of prepaid subscribers is managed based not on the time of subscription but on the time at which service is actually made available, so that the present invention has an advantage in that dormant SIM card subscribers can be efficiently managed without the burden of limitation on the memory capacity of the home location register, and has a further advantage in that subscriber information can be efficiently managed by changing only part of the service logic of the home location register without changing the logic of other systems, such as a customer information management system related to a subscriber information process. Brief Description of the Drawings

0023[16] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

0024[17] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the network of a mobile communication system in order to describe the present invention;

0025[18] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention;

0026[19] FIG. 3 is a flowchart sequentially showing a process of performing subscription according to an embodiment in order to describe a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register according to the present invention;

0027[20] FIG. 4 is a flowchart sequentially showing a method of managing subscriber in- formation in a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

0028[21] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a step of performing new subscription of FIG. 4 in detail. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

0029[22] Hereinafter, detailed descriptions about the above-described objects, technical configuration, and the operational effect thereof according to the present invention will be clearly understood from the embodiments of the present invention, which will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

0030[23] First, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the network of a mobile communication system in order to describe the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention.

0031[24] As shown in FIG. 1, a mobile communication system includes a base station 110, a mobile switching center/Visitor Location Register (VLR) 120, a home location register 130, and a service control point 140. The home location register 130 and the service control point 140 are associated with a subscriber information management system 150 in order to manage subscriber information based on the subscription to and start of mobile communication service, and the registration, cancellation, and change of additional service.

0032[25] When a new subscriber is added, the subscriber information management system 150 provides subscriber profile information to the home location register 130. Thereafter, the home location register 130 stores the corresponding subscriber profile information in the subscriber profile information storage field of an internal database such that mobile communication service can be normally used in the mobile communication terminal of the corresponding subscriber.

0033[26] Meanwhile, in the case of general subscribers, service is made available at the time of subscription. However, in the case of prepaid subscriber identity module cards (hereinafter referred to as "SIM card"), subscription for a large number of SIM cards is performed with the name of a SIM card provider in advance, and the SIM cards are then distributed. Therefore, the start of service is realized when a user who has purchased a SIM card 101 inserts a SIM card 101 into the user's mobile communication terminal 100.

0034[27] In this case, if all of the subscriber profile information of corresponding SIM cards is stored in the database of the home location register 130 at the time of subscription, resources are unnecessarily wasted. Therefore, the present invention manages the subscriber profile information of SIM cards, for which subscription is performed in advance and which are then distributed, using a method different from that of the general subscribers.

0035[28] A method of managing the subscriber profile information of SIM cards according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

0036[29] A general home location register employs a method of assigning a space for the number of subscribers, that can be managed in the memory DB, in advance, creating all fields for storing subscriber profile information, and storing subscriber profile information in the database at the time of subscription even in the case of SIM cards, as in the case of general subscribers. However, the home location register 130 according to the present invention separately creates an active region 131a for general subscribers and a virtual region 131b for SIM cards, for which subscription is performed in advance and which are then distributed, in the memory database 131. In the active region 131a, all fields for storing subscriber profile information, such as mobile identification information, additional service information, and terminal information, for respective subscribers are created in advance within available capacity. In the virtual region 131b, only a field for mobile identification information, such as an MDN or an MIN, which will be assigned to the SIM card, is created in advance, and is then managed.

0037[30] Here, the virtual region 131b is a space for a dormant SIM card. In the case of SIM cards for which subscription is performed in advance and which are then distributed, the time of subscription is different from the time at which service is actually made available. Therefore, minimal information is stored in the virtual region 131b at the time of subscription, and the subscriber profile information of the corresponding subscriber is stored in the active region 131a at the time at which service is actually made available, that is, the time of first location registration. Therefore, in the present invention, the meaning of the general subscriber of the active region 131a includes a subscriber of an SIM card for which service is actually made available as well as a general type subscriber of a mobile communication terminal, for whom service is made available at the time of subscription.

0038[31] When the subscriber information management system 150 provides the subscriber profile information in order to perform subscription for an SIM card, the home location register 130 according to the present invention, which has the above-described configuration, extracts only mobile identification information from the corresponding subscriber profile information, and stores and manages the extracted mobile identification information in the virtual region 131b. Thereafter, when the corresponding SIM card 101 is distributed and inserted in the mobile communication terminal 100, and the first location registration is performed, the home location register 130 stores corresponding subscriber profile information in the active region 131a, deletes the mobile identification information stored in the virtual region 131b, and informs the subscriber information management system 150 that subscription has been performed and service has actually been made available such that the corresponding subscriber information can be managed based on the time at which service was actually made available in other systems, such as the service control point 140, which require subscriber information.

0039[32] Meanwhile, the information provided from the subscriber information management system 150 in order to perform subscription for an SIM card includes information that is common to all subscriber identification module cards (hereinafter referred to as "default profile information") and information that is unique to each subscriber identification module card (hereinafter referred to as "mobile identification information").

0040[33] Therefore, the home location register 130 according to the present invention stores default profile information in the active region 131a in advance. Further, when the location of a SIM card for which mobile identification information is stored in the virtual region 131b is first registered, the home location register 130 creates subscriber profile information by combining the default profile information, stored in the active region 131a in advance, with the mobile identification information of the corresponding SIM card.

0041[34] When the home location register 130 receives subscriber profile information in order to perform the subscription for general subscribers, from the subscriber information management system 150, the home location register 130 stores the received subscriber profile information in the active region 131a and performs general subscription.

0042[35] Meanwhile, although the database included in the home location register 130 is illustrated as a memory database in FIG. 2, it will be apparent that the type of database is not limited in the present invention.

0043[36] Next, a method of managing subscriber information according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5 below.

0044[37] First, FIG. 3 is a flowchart sequentially showing a process of performing subscription according to an embodiment in order to describe the method of managing subscriber information in a home location register according to the present invention.

0045[38] As shown in FIG. 3, when the subscriber information management system 150 transmits subscriber profile information in order to perform subscription for an SIM card, for which subscription is performed in advance and which is then distributed, to the home location register 130, and requests that subscription be performed at step S301, the home location register 130 according to the present invention recognizes that the corresponding information is SIM card subscriber information at step S302, extracts only mobile identification information, assigned to the corresponding SIM card, from the received subscriber profile information, and stores the extracted mobile identification information in the virtual region 131b created in advance at step S303. Although MIN is described as the mobile identification information in FIG. 3, this is for ease of understanding, and the mobile identification information according to the present invention is not limited to any specific information. That is, any type of information that is unique to each SIM card can be the mobile identification information.

0046[39] Next, when the subscriber who purchased the SIM card, for which subscription has been performed in advance, inserts the SIM card into his/her own mobile communication terminal, and location registration is requested for the corresponding mobile communication terminal at step S304, the mobile switching center 120 transmits a location update request message, including the mobile identification information of the corresponding SIM card, to the home location register 130 at step S305.

0047[40] Here, the home location register 130 according to the present invention recognizes that the corresponding mobile identification information is the information stored in the virtual region 131b, creates subscriber profile information by combining the corresponding mobile identification information with default profile information, stores the subscriber profile information as general subscriber information in the active region 131a, deletes the mobile identification information stored in the virtual region 131b, and updates a location at the same time at step S306.

0048[41] When the location update is completed, the home location register 130 transmits a location update response message to the mobile switching center 120 at step S307. Thereafter, the mobile switching center 120 transmits a location update response to the mobile communication terminal 100 at step S308.

0049[42] Further, when the subscriber profile information is stored in the active region 131a and a process of performing actual subscription and starting service has been completed, the home location register 130 transmits the results of the process of performing subscription to the subscriber information management system 150 at step S309. Thereafter, the subscriber information management system 150 provides corresponding subscriber information to all devices, such as the SCP 140, which require the subscriber information at step S310.

0050[43] Next, FIG. 4 is a flowchart sequentially showing a method of managing subscriber information in a home location register according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a step of performing the new subscription of FIG. 4 in detail. The process performed by the home location register according to the present invention will be described in detail again below.

0051[44] As shown in the drawings, the home location register 130 according to the present invention first separately creates the active region 131a and the virtual region 131b in the memory database at step S401, creates all fields for storing subscriber profile in- formation in the active region 131a at step S402-1, stores the default profile information of SIM cards in advance at step S402-2, and creates a field for storing only mobile identification information in the virtual region 131b at step S403.

0052[45] Next, when the profile information of a specific subscriber is received from the subscriber information management system 150 at step S404, the home location register 130 according to the present invention determines whether the corresponding information is information that is used in order to perform subscription for an SIM card at step S405. If the corresponding information is the profile information of a general subscriber, the home location register 130 normally stores the subscriber profile information in the active region 131a and performs subscription in real time at step S410. If the corresponding information is information that is used in order to perform subscription for an SIM card, the home location register 130 extracts only mobile identification information from the received subscriber profile information at step S406, and stores the extracted mobile identification information in the virtual region 131b at step S407.

0053[46] Thereafter, when first location registration is realized using the corresponding SIM card at step S408, the home location register 130 stores the subscriber profile information, including the corresponding mobile identification information, in the active region 131a, and performs a process of performing actual subscription at step S409.

0054[47] The process of performing actual subscription for location registration will be described with reference to FIG. 5. First, when the home location register 130 receives a location update request message, including specific mobile identification information, from the mobile switching center 120 at step S501, the home location register 130 first inquires about corresponding mobile identification information from the active region 131a at step S502.

0055[48] If, as a result of the inquiry, the corresponding mobile identification information is found not to be stored in the active region 131a, the home location register 130 inquires again about the corresponding mobile identification information, this time from the virtual region 131b, at step S503. If the corresponding mobile identification information is found to be stored in the virtual region 131b, the home location register 130 creates the profile information of a new subscriber by combining the corresponding mobile identification information with default profile information stored in advance, stores the created profile information of the new subscriber in the active region 131a at step S504, and deletes the corresponding mobile identification information from the virtual region 131b at step S505.

0056[49] When actual subscription is realized and service is made available, as described above, the home location register 130 informs the subscriber information management system 150 of the results of the new subscription, such that the subscriber information management system 150 can perform subsequent procedures, such as an operation of transmitting subscription information to the SCP, at step S506.

0057[50] Further, the home location register 130 stores location information, including the information of a mobile switching center in which the corresponding subscriber stays, in the corresponding subscriber profile information field in response to a location update request, and performs a process of updating a location. When the process of updating a location is completed, the home location register 130 returns a response message for the location update request to the mobile switching center 120 at step S507.

0058[51] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.