Management of mobile terminals in a communication system allowing for multiple-tracking area registration

A method for detecting the point of attachment of mobile terminals moving within a mobile communication network in idle mode, wherein the mobile communication system can be logically divided into plural tracking areas to which the mobile terminals register, the method comprising:

• maintaining at a first network control entity context information for the respective mobile terminals in idle mode served by the first network control entity, wherein the context information for a respective mobile terminal comprises a marker that, when set, indicates that the respective mobile terminal has simultaneously registered to another tracking area than that controlled by the first network control entity,
• transmitting a notification for verifying the current point of attachment of said marked mobile terminals, and
• receiving at the first network control entity information indicative of whether at least one marked mobile terminal in idle mode is currently attached to a radio access network within the tracking area controlled by the first network control entity.

A network control node for detecting the point of attachment of mobile terminals moving within a mobile communication network in idle mode, wherein the mobile communication system can be logically divided into plural tracking areas to which the mobile terminals register, the network control node comprising:

• a processing unit and memory that maintain at a first network control entity context information for the respective mobile terminals in idle mode served by the first network control entity, wherein the context information for a respective mobile terminal comprises a marker that, when set, indicates that the respective mobile terminal has simultaneously registered to another tracking area than that controlled by the first network control entity,
• a transmitter that transmits a notification for verifying the current point of attachment of said marked mobile terminals, and
• a receiver that receives at the first network control entity information indicative of whether at least one marked mobile terminal in idle mode is currently attached to a radio access network within the tracking area controlled by the first network control entity.

A mobile communication terminal for updating the mobile terminal's tracking area registration in a mobile communication system being logically divided into plural tracking areas, wherein mobile terminal is in idle mode and is registered to plural tracking areas simultaneously, the mobile terminal comprising:

• a transmitter that transmits from a mobile terminal to a network control entity controlling a tracking area attachment indication indicating to the network control entity controlling the tracking area that the mobile terminal is currently attached to the tracking area served by the network control entity,
• wherein the mobile terminal transmits the attachment indication in case the mobile terminal has recognized at least one cell change within said tracking area controlled by the network control entity or has not changed the tracking area for a given time period smaller than a time period for providing periodic tracking area updates.