Information processing device, information processing method and program
This invention enables flexible connection with a wide variety of core networks even without changing, for example, equipment and/or operating systems related to existing base stations. This invention serves as at least one of (i) an interface via which a base station and a first core network are connected with each other and (ii) an interface via which a terminal device connected with the first core network via the base station and the first core network are connected with each other, and includes: a first stateful communication section ( 51 ) carrying out communication with the base station according to a stateful protocol; and a stateless communication section ( 52 ) carrying out communication with the first core network according to a stateless protocol.
1 . An information processing device connected between a base station and a first core network and acting as an interface for communications between (i) the base station and the first core network or (ii) any terminal device connected via the base station and the first core network,
the information processing device comprising:
a stateful communication section configured to carry out communication with the base station according to a stateful protocol, and
a stateless communication section configured to carry out communication with the first core network according to a stateless protocol;
wherein the information processing device is operative to convert messages between the stateful protocol and the stateless protocol, the first core network includes a relay gateway comprising software which utilizes Application Programming Interface (API) operative to receive communications from the information processing device, process the communications in accordance with a core network protocol, and transmit the processed communications to the first core network, and the device further comprises memory storing information in which an address of the relay gateway and a business operator identifier of the first core network are associated with each other.
2 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the relay gateway includes a first message queue for messages received from the information processing device and a second message queue for messages to be sent to the information processing device, the relay gateway being configured to process messages in these queues asynchronously.
3 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the relay gateway is constituted by software which uses an Application Programming Interface (API) provided by a communication business operator of the first core network.
4 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the stateful communication section interface is operative to communicate with a plurality of base stations.
5 . The information processing device according to claim 4 , wherein:
in a case where the stateful communication section receives a Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP) message transmitted from the base station to the first core network, the stateless communication section transmits the NGAP message to the first core network together with an identifier of the base station.
6 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the stateful communication section is further configured to carry out communication with a second core network according to a stateful protocol, the information processing device thereby also acting as an interface between the base station and the second core network (including for communications between a terminal device and the second core network via the base station).
7 . The information processing device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the memory storing information further stores information in which an address of an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) of the second core network and a business operator identifier of the second core network are associated with each other.
8 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the stateful protocol is a Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP); and
the stateless protocol is selected from Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Remote Procedure Call (RPC), or Message Queue (MQ).
9 . An information processing method for an information processing device connected between a base station and a first core network and acting as an interface for communications between (i) the base station and the first core network or (ii) any terminal device connected via the base station and the first core network,
the information processing method comprising:
a first stateful communication step including establishing and maintaining communication with the base station according to a stateful protocol; and
a stateless communication step including transmitting and receiving messages with the first core network according to a stateless protocol;
wherein the information processing device is operative to convert messages between the stateful protocol and the stateless protocol, the first core network includes a relay gateway comprising software which utilizes Application Programming Interface (API) operative to receive communications from the information processing device, process the communications in accordance with a core network protocol, and transmit the processed communications to the first core network, and the device further comprises memory storing information in which an address of the relay gateway and a business operator identifier of the first core network are associated with each other.
10 . A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium having recorded thereon a program causing a computer to perform the method of claim 9 .