DE-112025000125-T5 - Communication system, control or regulation procedures for this and program

Abstract

A communication system comprises a communication unit for performing processing related to communication from a user device and a management unit for managing subscriber identification information that is subject to a communication restriction. The communication unit restricts communication from a restricted user device associated with subscriber identification information that is managed as the subject of a communication restriction.

Inventors

• Yusuke Matsumoto
• Tadashi Tsuji
• Shozo Okasaka
• Taichi Miya

Assignees

• SORACOM, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20250124

Priority Date

20240129

Claims (16)

1. Communication system, comprising: a communication means for carrying out processing in connection with communication from a user device; and a management means for managing subscriber identification information that is subject to a communication restriction, whereby the communication means restricts communication from a restricted user device associated with subscriber identification information that is managed as the subject of a communication restriction.
2. Communication system according to Claim 1 , where the means of communication restricts communication at a user level of the restricted user device.
3. Communication system according to Claim 2 , whereby the means of communication does not restrict communication at a control or regulation level of the restricted user device.
4. Communication system according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , wherein the communication means comprises: a first server configured to receive packets sent by a user device; and several second servers configured to receive the packets forwarded by the first server, the several second servers comprising: a forwarding server configured to forward the packets forwarded by the first server to an external network; and a restriction server configured to filter out at least some of the packets forwarded by the first server, wherein the first server forwards to the forwarding server packets sent by a user device associated with a subscriber identification information that is not subject to a packet communication restriction, and the first server forwards to the restriction server packets sent by a user device associated with a subscriber identification information that is subject to a packet communication restriction.
5. Communication system according to Claim 4 , where the restriction server filters out all packets that are forwarded from the first server.
6. Communication system according to Claim 4 or 5 , wherein the first server requests from the administrative tool, based on subscriber identification information representing the processing target, which of the several second servers a packet should be forwarded to, the administrative tool specifies a second server from among the several second servers based on whether packet communication is restricted for the subscriber identification information representing the processing target, the first server stores an address of the second server specified by the administrative tool, and the first server forwards packets sent by a user device associated with the subscriber identification information representing the processing target to the stored address.
7. Communication system according to Claim 6 , in response to a session establishment request containing the participant identification information representing the processing target being received from a user device, the first server requests from the administrative resource, based on the participant identification information representing the processing target, to which of the several second servers a packet should be forwarded.
8. Communication system according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 , whereby the administrative tool updates a communication restriction setting based on an instruction from an external entity.
9. Communication system according to Claim 8 , wherein, in a case where a session has been established between a specific user device and the communication means, when an instruction to restrict or release a restriction of a packet communication of the specific user device is received, the communication means terminates the session.
10. Communication system according to Claim 4 , where the multiple second servers include: a low-speed server configured to filter out only a portion of the packets forwarded by the first server; and a blocking server configured to filter out all packets forwarded by the first server.
11. Communication system according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 , whereby the communication with tel restricts communication in a messenger service of the restricted user device.
12. Communication system according to Claim 11 , whereby the communication device filters out a message sent by the restricted user device.
13. Communication system according to Claim 12 , where the message is an SMS message or a USSD message.
14. Communication system according to one of the Claims 1 until 13 , wherein the administrative tool manages participant identification information that is subject to a communication restriction separately for packet communication and a messenger service.
15. A program that causes one or more computers to act as a means of communication within a system according to one of the following principles: Claims 1 until 14 function.
16. A method for controlling or regulating a communication system, wherein the method comprises: a communication step of performing processing in connection with communication from a user device; and a management step of managing subscriber identification information that is subject to a communication restriction, where the communication step includes: restricting communication from a restricted user device associated with subscriber identification information that is managed as the subject of a communication restriction.

Description

Technical field The present invention relates to a communication system, a control or regulation method therefor, and a program. background A mobile communications network provides a service enabling a user device to communicate with an external network. PTL 1 describes how data sent by a user device is forwarded to a server corresponding to a destination network. List of citations Patent publications PTL 1: International Publication No. 2017/056201 Summary of the invention Depending on a participant's status, a communications operator can restrict the communication carried out by a user device. Some aspects of the present invention aim to provide a technique that enables the communication of a user device to be restricted as needed. Solution to the problem According to some embodiments, a communication system is provided comprising: a communication means for performing processing in connection with communication from a user device; and a management means for managing subscriber identification information that is subject to a communication restriction, wherein the communication means restricts communication from a restricted user device associated with subscriber identification information that is managed as the subject of a communication restriction. Advantageous effects of the invention According to some designs, the communication of a user device can be restricted as needed. Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Note that identical reference numerals denote identical or similar components in the accompanying figures. Brief description of the drawing The accompanying drawing, which is integrated into the printed document and forms part of it, represents embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention. 1 is a block diagram to illustrate an exemplary configuration of a mobile communications network according to some embodiments. 2 is a block diagram to represent an exemplary hardware configuration of a computer according to some embodiments. 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary protocol configuration according to some implementations. 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a P-GW according to some embodiments. 5 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary forwarding of information according to some embodiments. 6 is a flowchart to illustrate an exemplary operation of a communication system according to several embodiments. 7A This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary operation of a communication system according to several embodiments. 7B This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary operation of a communication system according to several embodiments. 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary operation of a communication system according to several embodiments. 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary operation of a communication system according to several embodiments. Description of embodiments The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. It should be noted that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention and do not preclude any claim. A limitation exists for an invention that requires a combination of all features described in the embodiments. Two or more of the multiple features described in the embodiments can be appropriately combined. Furthermore, identical reference numerals are assigned to identical or similar configurations, and redundant descriptions thereof are avoided. A configuration of a mobile communications network 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention is described using 1 described. 1 Figure 1 shows an LTE-compliant (Long Term Evolution) mobile communications network. The present invention is also applicable to a mobile communications network compliant with 3G, 5G, or another standard. The mobile communications network 100 provides a communication service for user devices (UEs) 130. The mobile communications network 100 can be formed by a communication system 110 and a communication system 120. Any constituent elements included in the mobile communications network 100 can be an entity that performs processing related to the communication of the UEs 130. The communication system 110 can include an eNB (evolved Node B) 111, an S-GW (Serving Gateway) 112, an MSC (Mobile Switching Center) 113, and an MME (Mobility Management Entity) 114. The communication system 120 can also include a P-GW (Packet Data Network) 121, an HSS/HLR (Home Subscriber Server / Home Location Register) 124, a session manager 125, a GMSC (Gateway Mobile Switching Center) 126, a USSD gateway (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) 127, an application server 128, and an SMSC (Short Message Service Center) 129. In the example of 1 Communication system 110 is provided by an