Mobile radio communications signaling
The present invention provides for a mobile radio communications device operative to signal a non-access stratum message to a mobile radio communications network device, for establishing and/or maintaining network connection, the device being arranged to include within the message a flag indicating the availability of extended NAS messaging found within an additional message separate from, but forming an extension to the non-access stratum message, and also for a signaling structure to be employed by such a device and a network device for exchanging signaling therewith and of course to related methods of such devices.
1. A mobile radio communications device operative to:
signal a non-access stratum (NAS) message to a mobile radio communications network device, wherein said non-access stratum message comprises an initial portion comprising a plurality of parameters followed by an additional portion comprising additional update parameters for use in an update procedure, for establishing and/or maintaining a network connection, the device being arranged to include within the non-access stratum message a flag indicating the availability of extended NAS messaging; and
signal as part of said extended NAS messaging, within an additional message separate to the non-access stratum message, further additional information for said update procedure,
wherein said additional message has a further initial portion that is smaller than the initial portion of said non-access stratum message, followed by a further additional portion comprising said further additional information for use in an update procedure.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises part of a location updating procedure.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises an octet structure.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the octet structure is of limited length.
5. A device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the flag comprises a bit in one of the octets.
6. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises a LOCATION UPDATE REQUEST message.
7. A device as claimed in claim 1 and arranged for signaling in a GSM and/or UMTS network.
8. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flag is employed only for signaling in a GSM network.
9. A device as claimed in claim 1 and arranged to receive prompt message from the mobile radio communications network device for the additional message.
10. A device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the prompt comprises a request message.
11. A mobile radio communications network device operative to:
receive a non-access stratum (NAS) message from a mobile radio communications device, wherein said non-access stratum message comprises an initial portion comprising a plurality of parameters followed by an additional portion comprising additional update parameters for use in an update procedure, for establishing and/or maintaining a connection with the network, the network device being arranged to identify within the non-access stratum message a flag indicating the availability of extended NAS messaging; and
receive as part of said extended NAS messaging, within an additional message separate to the non-access stratum message, further additional information for said update procedure; and
to await receipt of the additional message for receipt of the extended messaging,
wherein said additional message has a further initial portion that is smaller than the initial portion of said non-access stratum message, followed by a further additional portion comprising said further additional information for use in an update procedure.
12. A device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises part of a location updating procedure.
13. A device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises an octet structure.
14. A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the octet structure is of limited length.
15. A device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the flag comprises a bit located in one of the octets.
16. A device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said non-access stratum message comprises a LOCATION UPDATE REQUEST message.
17. A device as claimed in claim 11 and arranged to send a prompt for the additional message.
18. A device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the prompt comprises a request message.
19. A device as claimed in claim 11 and comprising a mobile switching centre.
20. A device as claimed in claim 11 and arranged to delay identification and/or authentication phases until after receipt of the additional message.
21. A device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the flag serves to indicate that an extended messaging exchange is required.
22. A method of signaling, from a mobile radio communications device, a non-access stratum (NAS) message to a mobile radio communications network device, wherein said non-access stratum message comprises an initial portion comprising a plurality of parameters followed by an additional portion comprising additional update parameters for use in an update procedure, for establishing and/or maintaining a network connection, the method including the step of providing within the non-access stratum message a flag indicating the availability of extended NAS messaging; and
signaling as part of said extended NAS messaging, within an additional message separate to the non-access stratum message, further additional information for said update procedure, and to allow for signaling of the extended messaging,
wherein said additional message has a further initial portion that is smaller than the initial portion of said non-access stratum message, followed by a further additional portion comprising said further additional information for use in an update procedure.
23. A method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises part of a location updating procedure.
24. A method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises an octet structure.
25. A method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the octet structure has limited length.
26. A method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the flag comprises a bit located in one of the octets.
27. A method as claimed in claim 22 and comprising a LOCATION UPDATE REQUEST.
28. A method of receiving, at a mobile radio communications network device, a non-access stratum (NAS) message from a mobile radio communications device, wherein said non-access stratum message comprises an initial portion comprising a plurality of parameters followed by an additional portion comprising additional update parameters for use in an update procedure, for establishing and/or maintaining a connection with the network, the method including the step of identifying within the non-access stratum message a flag indicating the availability of extended NAS messaging; and
receiving as part of said extended NAS messaging, within an additional message separate to the non-access stratum message, further additional information for said update procedure; and further awaiting receipt of the additional message for receipt of the extended messaging,
wherein said additional message has a further initial portion that is smaller than the initial portion of said non-access stratum message, followed by a further additional portion comprising said further additional information for use in an update procedure.
29. A method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises part of a location updating procedure.
30. A method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the non-access stratum message comprises an octet structure.
31. A method as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the octet structure has limited length.
32. A method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the flag comprises A bit in one of octets.
33. A method as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the non-access stratum Message comprises a LOCATION UPDATE REQUEST.
34. A method as claimed in claim 28 and including the step of sending a prompt from the mobile radio communications network device for the additional message.
35. A method as claimed in claim 34 , and including the step of responding at the network communications device to the prompt by sending the additional message.
36. A method as claimed in claim 28 and wherein the mobile radio communications network device comprises a mobile switching centre.