Local location manager, home location manager and mobile communication system

Abstract

Time required for location registration is reduced and concentration of location update signals caused when a group moves is prevented. Each mobile node and a mobile router sends a location update request to a local location manager near to the area in which it exists, so that time required for location registration can be reduced, and it is possible to prevent pressure on wireless resources and temporary increase in communication traffic within a mobile network, which may be caused by concentration of location update signals when a group moves as in the case of a train with a lot of passengers having mobile nodes. Thereby, even if location registration is not correctly performed by a mobile router, which sends a location update request on behalf of mobile nodes existing in the space of a moving body, due to the communication condition or a failure, it can be dealt with.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A local location manager for receiving registration of location information sent by a mobile router moving together with a group of mobile nodes in a master-slave relationship on behalf of the group; the location manager comprising: means for updating location information registered with the local location manager; means for sending a deletion request for deleting location information on the mobile router, which has requested registration of location information, to a different local location manager storing the location information on the mobile router; and means for sending an update request for updating local location manager information indicating a correspondence relationship of the mobile router and the mobile nodes with the local location manager.  
     
     
         2 . The local location manager according to  claim 1;  wherein the local location manager information is registered with a home location manager provided in association with multiple local location managers and a home location manger is identified based on identifications specific to the mobile router and the mobile nodes.  
     
     
         3 . A local location manager comprising: means for, in response to receiving the deletion request for deleting location information to a different local location manager, notifying the different location manager of registered contents for the mobile nodes in a master-slave relationship with a mobile router registered with the local location manager itself; and means for deleting registered contents of location information and information indicating a master-slave relationship on the mobile router registered with the local location manager itself.  
     
     
         4 . The local location manager according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 ; wherein, when a master-slave relationship is newly generated between the mobile router and a mobile node, it is confirmed whether there is any difference between the location information on the mobile router and location information on the mobile node, and, if there is any difference, the location information on the mobile router is corrected and the master-slave relationship is registered.  
     
     
         5 . The local location manager according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 ; wherein, when the master-slave relationship between the mobile router and a mobile node is released, it is confirmed whether there is any difference between the location information on the mobile router and location information on the mobile node, and, if there is any difference, the location information on the mobile router is corrected and registration of the master-slave relationship is deleted.  
     
     
         6 . A home location manager for managing local location manager information indicating a correspondence relationship of mobile nodes and a mobile router with a local location manager, with which location information on the mobile nodes and the mobile router are registered; the home location manager comprising: means for, in response to receiving an update request for updating the local location manager information from a local location manager in association with the home location manager itself, updating the local location manager information registered with the home location manager itself; and means for sending registered contents before update to the local location manager which has sent the update request.  
     
     
         7 . A mobile communication system comprising: a first local location manager for receiving registration of location information from a mobile router moving together with a group of mobile nodes in a master-slave relationship on behalf of the group; and a home location manager for managing local location manager information indicating a correspondence relationship of the mobile nodes and the mobile router with the local location manager; wherein 
 the first local location manager comprises: means for updating location information registered with the first local location manager itself; means for sending a deletion request for deleting location information on the mobile router, which has requested registration of location information, to a different location manager storing the location information on the mobile router; and means for sending an update request for updating local location manager information indicating a correspondence relationship of the mobile router and the mobile nodes with the local location manager; and    the home location manager comprises: means for, in response to receiving an update request for updating the local location manager information from a local location manager in association with the home location manager itself, updating the local location manager information registered with the home location manager itself; and means for sending registered contents before update to the first local location manager which has sent the update request.    
     
     
         8 . The mobile communication system according to  claim 7;  wherein the local location manager information is registered with a home location manager provided in association with multiple local location managers and a home location manager is identified based on identifications specific to the mobile router and the mobile nodes.  
     
     
         9 . The mobile communication system according to  claim 7  or  8 ; the mobile communication system further comprising a second local location manager comprising: means for, in response to receiving the deletion request for deleting location information to a different local location manager, notifying the different location manager of registered contents for the mobile nodes in a master-slave relationship with a mobile router registered with the second local location manager itself; and means for deleting registered contents of location information and information indicating a master-slave relationship on the mobile router registered with the second local location manager itself.  
     
     
         10 . The mobile communication system according to any one of  claims 7  to  9 ; wherein, when a master-slave relationship is newly generated between the mobile router and a mobile node, the first local location manager confirms whether there is any difference between the location information on the mobile router and location information on the mobile node, and, if there is any difference, corrects the location information on the mobile router and registers the master-slave relationship.  
     
     
         11 . The mobile communication system according to any one of  claims 7  to  9 ; wherein, when the master-slave relationship between the mobile router and a mobile node is released, the first local location manager confirms whether there is any difference between the location information on the mobile router and location information on the mobile node, and, if there is any difference, corrects the location information on the mobile router and deletes registration of the master-slave relationship.