Method and apparatus for controlling inter-PLMN handover to CSG cell
A method and apparatus for controlling inter-PLMN handover based on CSG lists of equivalent PLMNs is provided. A method for receiving subscriber information of a terminal at a Mobility Management Entity (MME) includes transmitting an update location request message for the terminal to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), and receiving an update location acknowledgement message with the subscriber information of the terminal from the HSS, wherein the update location request message comprises a list of equivalent Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) among which the MME supports inter-PLMN handover of the terminal. The method and apparatus for controlling inter-plan handover to a CSG cell according to the present invention is characterized in that a control apparatus of a core network acquires the allowed CSG lists for determining a User Equipments (UEs) capability of access to a CSG cell and determines whether to permit inter-PLMN handover based on the allowed CSG lists.
1. A method for communication by a mobility management entity (MME), the method comprising:
receiving a first request message from a base station;
transmitting, to a home subscriber server (HSS), a second request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list, if the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell in the equivalent PLMN list; and
receiving, from the HSS, a response message in response to the second request message, the response message including CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the equivalent PLMN list is a list of PLMNs considered as equivalent by a user equipment for one of cell selection, cell reselection and handover.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second request message comprises the equivalent PLMN list, if the MME supports the inter-PLMN handover based on subscription information of a target PLMN.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a handover required message including at least one of a CSG identity (ID) of a target cell and target PLMN information from the base station; and
validating a CSG membership of a terminal in the target cell based on the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the validating of the CSG membership of the terminal in the target cell comprises rejecting, if the handover is not permitted based on the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list, the handover.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second request message is an update location request message and the response message is an update location acknowledgement message.
7. A method for communication by a home subscriber server (HSS), the method comprising:
receiving, from the mobility management entity (MME), a request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list, if the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell in the equivalent PLMN list; and
transmitting, to the MME, a response message in response to the request message, the response message including CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the equivalent PLMN list is a list of PLMNs considered as equivalent by a user equipment for one of cell selection, cell reselection and handover.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the request message comprises the equivalent PLMN list, if the MME supports the inter-PLMN handover based on subscription information of a target PLMN.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list is used for validating a CSG membership of a terminal in a target cell if the MME receives a handover required message including at least one of a CSG identity (ID) of the target cell and target PLMN information from a base station.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the handover is rejected, if the handover is not permitted based on the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the request message is an update location request message and the response message is an update location acknowledgement message.
13. A mobility management entity (MME) for receiving and transmitting information, the MME comprising:
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and
a controller configured to:
receive a first request message from a base station,
transmit, to a home subscriber server (HSS), a second request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list if the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell in the equivalent PLMN list, and
receive, from the HSS, a response message in response to the second request message, the response message including CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
14. The MME of claim 13 , wherein the equivalent PLMN list is a list of PLMNs considered as equivalent by a user equipment for one of cell selection, cell reselection and handover.
15. The MME of claim 13 , wherein the second request message comprises the equivalent PLMN list, if the MME supports the inter-PLMN handover based on subscription information of a registered target PLMN.
16. The MME of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a handover required message including at least one of a CSG identity (ID) of a target cell and target PLMN information from the base station, and
validate a CSG membership of a terminal in the target cell based on the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
17. The MME of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to reject the handover, if the handover is not permitted based on the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
18. The MME of claim 13 , wherein the second request message is an update location request message and the response message is an update location acknowledgement message.
19. A home subscriber server (HSS) for transmitting and receiving information, the HSS comprising:
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal; and
a controller configured to:
receive, from the mobility management entity (MME), a request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list if the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell in the equivalent PLMN list, and
transmit, to the MME, a response message in response to the second request message, the response message including CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
20. The HSS of claim 19 , wherein the equivalent PLMN list is a list of PLMNs considered as equivalent by a user equipment for one of cell selection, cell reselection and handover.
21. The HSS of claim 19 , wherein the request message comprises the equivalent PLMN list, if the MME supports the inter-PLMN handover based on subscription information of a target PLMN.
22. The HSS of claim 19 , wherein the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list is used for validating a CSG membership of a terminal in a target cell if the MME receives a handover required message including at least one of a CSG identity (ID) of the target cell and target PLMN information from a base station.
23. The HSS of claim 22 , wherein the handover is rejected, if the handover is not permitted based on the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.
24. The HSS of claim 19 , wherein the request message is an update location request message and the response message is an update location acknowledgement message.