Proximity-based service registration method and related apparatus

Abstract

A Proximity-based Service (ProSe) registration method for a user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system, used in a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of the wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes: receiving an attach request or a tracking area update request for requesting ProSe UE registration from the UE; retrieving ProSe subscription information and ProSe preference settings related to the UE from a home subscriber server (HSS) of the wireless communication system and storing the ProSe subscription information and the ProSe preference settings related to the UE as a ProSe context of the UE; and transmitting a ProSe registration request including a ProSe identifier of the UE and the ProSe preference settings related to the UE to a ProSe server of the wireless communication system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A Proximity-based Service (ProSe) de-registration method for a user equipment (UE), used in a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of a wireless communication system, comprising:
 detecting that a user equipment (UE) registered to a ProSe server is detached for a ProSe service; and   transmitting a first message including a ProSe identifier identifying the UE, to the ProSe server, for notifying the ProSe server to de-register the UE from the ProSe server.   
     
     
         2 . The ProSe de-registration method for a user equipment (UE) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein causes that result in the detach status of the UE comprises:
 a detach procedure initiated by the UE;   a detach procedure initiated by the MME or the HSS;   local detach by the MME; or
 a tracking area update (TAU) procedure without indicating a ProSe UE registration. 
   
     
     
         3 . The ProSe de-registration method for a user equipment (UE) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ProSe server transmits a second message including the ProSe identifier identifying the UE to all application servers which the UE registered with, for notifying that the UE is de-registered for the ProSe service from the ProSe server. 
     
     
         4 . The ProSe de-registration method for a user equipment (UE) as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein information of all the application servers which the UE registered with is obtained from a mapping table stored in the ProSe server, and the mapping table indicates relationships between the UE identified by the ProSe identifier and the registered applications, each application uniquely identified by an application server identifier. 
     
     
         5 . A mobility management entity (MME) for Proximity-based Service (ProSe) de-registration in a wireless communication system, comprising:
 a control circuit;   a processor installed in the control circuit;   a memory installed in the control circuit and operatively coupled to the processor;   wherein the processor is configured to execute a program code stored in the memory to process the following:   detecting that a user equipment (UE) registered to a ProSe server is detached for a ProSe service; and   transmitting a first message including a ProSe identifier identifying the UE, to the ProSe server, for notifying the ProSe server to de-register the UE from the ProSe server.   
     
     
         6 . The communications device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein causes that result in the detach status of the UE comprises:
 a detach procedure initiated by the UE;   a detach procedure initiated by the MME or the HSS;   local detach by the MME; or
 a tracking area update (TAU) procedure without indicating a ProSe UE registration. 
   
     
     
         7 . The ProSe de-registration method for a user equipment (UE) as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the ProSe server transmits a second message including the ProSe identifier identifying the UE to all application servers which the UE registered with, for notifying that the UE is de-registered for the ProSe service from the ProSe server. 
     
     
         8 . The ProSe de-registration method for a user equipment (UE) as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein information of all the application servers which the UE registered with is obtained from a mapping table stored in the ProSe server, and the mapping table indicates relationships between the UE identified by the ProSe identifier and the registered applications, each application uniquely identified by an application server identifier.