Method, system, and apparatus for registration processing

Abstract

A registration processing method and an apparatus are disclosed herein to enable the network to distinguish between different registration processing types. The method includes: identifying, by a user equipment, UE, a registration type when registering into a network; reporting, by the UE, a registration processing type information corresponding to the identified registration type to a network-side network element during registering into the network. The UE reports the registration processing type information to the network in the process of registering into the network, and therefore, the network distinguishes between different registration processing types accordingly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A registration processing method, comprising:
 identifying, by a user equipment (UE), a registration type when registering into a network; 
 accessing, by a user equipment (UE), a non-3rd Generation Partnership Project (non-3GPP) network; 
 adding, by the UE, a Type information element (IE) to an Attach Request message in response to a handover from the non-3GPP network to a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network;  
 reporting,sending, by the UE, a registration processing type information corresponding to the identified registration type to a network-side network element during registering into the network, wherein the registration processing type information reported by the UE is an Type information element (IE) in an Attach Request message, the values of whichthe Attach Request message to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in the 3GPP network, wherein a value of the Type IE in the Attach Request message corresponds to Handover Attach and indicates that the Attach Request message is caused by handoverwhen the UE finds that the registration is caused by handover between a non 3rd Generation Partnership Project (non-3GPP) network and a 3rd Generation Partnership (3GPP) network. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 for a registration caused by handover, the network-side network element initiates wherein the Type IE in the Attach Request message indicates the 3GPP network to initiate a bearer creation procedure to create resources re-create in a target Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) the 3GPP network, resources used by the UE in a source the non-3GPP network, or to create resources in a target non-3GPP network used by the UE in a source 3GPP network. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the network-side network element is a Mobility Management Entity (MME), or a Serving GPRS Supporting Node (SGSN), the network-side network element initiates a bearer creation procedure to create resources in a target 3GPP network used by the UE in a source non-3GPP network comprises:
 obtaining, by the MME, a Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW) address used by the UE in the source non-3GPP; 
 sending a Create Bearer Request message to the obtained PDN GW address to request the network to initiate the bearer creation procedure. 
 wherein the 3GPP network is a GSM/EDGE radio access network (GERAN), a UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), or an Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), and 
 wherein the non-3GPP network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network.  
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 sending, by the PDN GW, a Request Policy and Charging Control (PCC) Rules message to a Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF) to obtain the PCC rules applied by the UE;   providing, by the PCRF, the PDN GW with the PCC rules applied by the UE.   
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 initiating, by the PDN GW, a network-initiate bearer creation procedure to create the bearer of the UE.   
     
     
       6. A User Equipment (UE), comprising:
 an identifying unit, configured to identify a registration type when the UE initiates the registration; 
 a registration initiating unit, configured to initiate registration and send a registration triggering signal; and 
 a reporting unit, configured to receive the registration triggering signal from the registration initiating unit, and report processing type information during registering the UE into the network, wherein the processing type information corresponds to the registration type identified by the identifying unit, and the registration processing type information is an Type information element (IE) in an Attach Request message, the values of which 
 a memory storing instructions; and 
 one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to: 
 access a non-3rd Generation Partnership Project (non-3GPP) network; 
 add a Type information element (IE) to an Attach Request message in response to a handover from the non-3GPP network to a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network; and 
 send the Attach Request message to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in the 3GPP network; 
 wherein a value of the Type IE in the Attach Request message corresponds to Handover Attach and indicates that the Attach Request message is caused by handover, when the registration is caused by handover between a non 3rd Generation Partnership Project (non-3GPP) network and a 3rd Generation Partnership (3GPP) network. 
 
     
     
       7. A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a mobility management entity (MME), an attach request message from a user equipment (UE) in response to a handover from a non-3rd Generation Partnership Project (non-3GPP) network to a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network, wherein the attach request message comprises an information element (IE) indicating handover;   identifying, by the MME, a packet data network gateway (PDN GW) used by the UE in the non-3GPP network according to the IE indicating handover; and   sending, by the MME, a create bearer request for creating a bearer to the PDN GW.    
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7, wherein the MME sends the create bearer request to the PDN GW for requesting the PDN GW to create a bearer.  
     
     
       9. The method of claim 7, wherein the MME identifies the PDN GW by obtaining a PDN GW address from a home subscriber server (HSS).  
     
     
       10. A mobility management entity, comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive an attach request message from a user equipment (UE) in response to a handover from a non-3rd Generation Partnership Project (non-3GPP) network to a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network, wherein the attach request message comprises an information element (IE) indicating handover;   a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver and configured to identify a packet data network gateway (PDN GW) used by the UE in the non-3GPP network according to the IE indicating handover; and   a transmitter configured to send a create bearer request for creating a bearer to the PDN GW.    
     
     
       11. The mobility management entity of claim 10, wherein the create bearer request is configured to request the PDN GW to create a bearer.  
     
     
       12. The mobility management entity of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to identify the PDN GW by a PDN GW address received from a home subscriber server (HSS).  
     
     
       13. A communication system, comprising:
 a packet data network gateway (PDN GW); and   a mobility management entity (MME), configured to:
 receive an attach request message from a user equipment (UE) in response to a handover from a non-3rd Generation Partnership Project (non-3GPP) network to a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network, wherein the attach request message comprises an information element (IE) indicating handover; 
 identify the PDN GW used by the UE in the non-3GPP network according to the IE indicating handover; and 
 send a create bearer request for creating a bearer to the PDN GW; 
   wherein the PDN GW is configured to create the bearer.    
     
     
       14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the MME is configured to identify the PDN GW by obtaining a PDN GW address from a home subscriber server (HSS).