SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERNETWORKING DATA NETWORKS HAVING MOBILITY MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

• US 20010041571A1
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: YUAN, RUIXI
• Granted Patent: US 6,496,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for allowing internetwork data transfers to mobile data devices. In particular, the invention includes systems for internetworking a CDPD network system with an Internet protocol network, and more particularly with a Mobile Internet Protocol Network. In one aspect, the invention can be understood as systems that allow mobile computing systems to negotiate the exchange of data across two disparate networks by providing within at least one of the networks a system that redirects the destination of data packets in order that the redirected data packets get forwarded to the changing locations of the Mobile Computing system. In another aspect, the invention can be understood as systems that allow a Mobile computing system to negotiate the exchange of data across disparate networks by providing a redirecting element within one of the networks that will redirect data packets destined for that mobile computing system to the transient location of the computing element.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a mobile data device to perform an internetwork data transfer, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first network with a first mobility service controller for tracking a transient network connection of a mobile data device and for routing data associated with a mobile data device to said transient network connection;

(b) providing a second network with a second mobility service controller for tracking a transient network connection of a mobile data device and for routing data associated with a mobile data device to said transient network connection;

(c) directing said first mobility service controller to provide a transient network connection to said mobile data device for exchanging data between said first network and said mobile data device; and

(d) directing said second mobility service controller to identify data associated with said mobile data device and to process said data for routing to said first mobility service controller, whereby said first and second mobile service controllers cooperatively route data across said networks and to said mobile data device to allow internetwork data transfers to a mobile data device.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein directing said second mobility service controller to process said data for routing to said first mobility service controller includes encapsulating said data within a package suitable for transfer across said first network.

3. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein directing said second mobility service controller to process said data for routing to said first mobility service controller includes processing said data for routing to a network connection associated with said first mobile service element.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, further including the step of:

(e) directing said first mobility service controller to identify data associated with said mobile data device and to process said data for routing across said second network.

5. A method according to

claim 4

, further including the step of:

(e) processing said data associated with said mobile data device for routing to said second mobility service controller.

6. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein providing a first network includes providing a cellular data network for providing network services to said mobile data device.

7. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein providing a second network includes providing an Internet protocol data network having support for mobile IP devices.

8. A method for allowing a mobile IP host to exchange data across a CDPD network, comprising the steps of:

(a) interfacing a CPDP MES with said mobile IP host to allow an exchange of data therebetween;

(b) directing said CPDP MES to connect to said CDPD network;

(c) directing said mobile IP host to pass an IP compliant message to said CPDP MES for transmission across said CPDP network, to register said IP host with a home agent, and to provide said home agent with an address associated with said CPDP MES; and

(d) providing said home agent with a program for encapsulating, as a function of said address, ingoing messages representative of messages being sent to said mobile IP host, whereby said ingoing messages are forwarded across said CDPD network and to said mobile IP host.

9. A method according to

claim 8

, comprising the further step of:

(e) directing said mobile IP host to query said CPDP MES to collect a CPDP address signal representative of a CPDP address for said CPDP MES.

10. A method according to

claim 9

, wherein providing said home agent with an address includes providing said CPDP address signal as a COA signal.

11. A method according to

claim 10

, further including the step of:

(f) directing said mobile IP host to provide an AT command signal for reading a memory having said CPDP address signal.

12. A method according to

claim 8

, comprising the further including the step of:

(e) providing a bi-directional encapsulation tunnel between said mobile IP host and said home agent.

13. A method according to

claim 12

, wherein providing a bi-directional encapsulation tunnel includes providing a forward encapsulation program for encapsulating, as a function of said address, an outgoing message representative of a message being sent from said mobile IP host.

14. A method according to

claim 13

, further including the step of:

(f) encapsulating said outgoing message as a function of an address signal associated with said home agent.

15. A method according to

claim 14

, further including the step of:

(g) providing said home agent with a decapsulation program for decoding said encapsulated outgoing message to identify a host destination for receiving said outgoing message.

16. A method according to

claim 8

, wherein connecting to said CDPD network includes registering said CDPD MES according to the mobile network registration protocol.

17. A method according to

claim 8

, wherein interfacing said CPDP MES with a mobile IP host includes coupling said mobile IP host with a CPDP compliant cellular modem.

18. A method according to

claim 8

, wherein interfacing said CPDP MES with a mobile IP host includes coupling said mobile IP host with a CPDP docking station.

19. A method according to

claim 8

, further including the step of:

(e) directing said mobile IP host to employ a CDPD MDIS as a router for outgoing messages.

20. A method for allowing a CDPD MES to exchange data across the Internet, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing said CDPD MES with an Internet program for forming a mobile connection to the Internet; and

(b) providing a foreign agent with a program for monitoring a registration request from said CDPD MES and, in response thereto, generating a redirect request representative of an instruction for directing an MDIS associated with said CDPD MES to forward a data packet to said foreign agent.

21. A method according to

claim 20

, wherein providing a program for monitoring a registration request includes providing a program for detecting a network address representative of a CDPD network entity.

22. A method according to

claim 21

, wherein providing a program for detecting a network address includes providing a program for detecting a network address having a 166 prefix.

23. A method according to

claim 20

, wherein providing a program includes providing a program for directing said foreign agent to employ a mobile network registration protocol for generating said redirect request.

24. A method according to

claim 20

, further including the step of:

(c) directing said Internet program to generate an IP compliant data packet for transmitting data from said CDPD MES and across the Internet.

25. A method according to

claim 20

, further including the step of:

(c) providing said MDIS with an encapsulation program for encapsulating said data packet as a function of said redirect request, for forwarding said encapsulated data to said foreign agent.

26. A method according to

claim 25

, further including the step of:

(d) providing said foreign agent with a decapsulation program for processing said encapsulated data packet to generate a signal representative of said data packet.

27. A method according to

claim 20

wherein providing an Internet program includes providing an authorization program for generating an authentication signal as a function of a CDPD authentication parameter.

28. A method according to

claim 20

, further including the step of:

(c) providing a home agent program for encapsulating said data packet for transfer to said foreign agent.

29. A method according to

claim 28

, further including the step of:

(d) incorporating said home agent program in said MDIS.

30. Apparatus for allowing a mobile IP host to exchange data across a CDPD network, comprising:

(a) a CDPD MES interfaced with a mobile IP host;

(b) a communications program for connecting said CDPD MES to said CDPD network;

(c) means for generating an IP compliant message having an address representative of said CDPD network to register said mobile IP host with a home agent; and

(d) means for encapsulating, as a function of said address, ingoing messages being sent to said mobile IP host.

31. Apparatus for allowing a CDPD MES to exchange data across the Internet, comprising:

(a) a program for forming a mobile connection to the Internet; and

(b) a foreign agent having a program for monitoring a registration request from said CDPD MES, and in response thereto, for generating a redirect request representative of an instruction for directing an MDIS associated with said CDPD MES to forward a data packet to said foreign agent.

32. A mobile data device, comprising:

(a) a data communicator for connecting to a cellular network and having an identifier signal for identifying said mobile data device as a network entity of said cellular network; and

(b) a registration processor for providing said identifier signal to a mobility service controller of a second data network for directing said mobility service controller to route data to said cellular network.

33. A mobile data device according to

claim 32

, wherein said data communicator includes a CDPD device.

34. A mobile data device according to

claim 32

, wherein said data communicator includes a CDPD modem.

35. A mobile data device according to

claim 32

, wherein said data communicator includes a CDPD docking station.

36. A mobile data device according to

claim 32

, wherein said second data network includes a mobile IP compliant network, and wherein said registration processor includes a mobile IP connection program for registering with a mobile service controller of said IP compliant network.

37. A mobility service controller, comprising:

(a) a processor for routing data to a mobile data device of a first network; and

(b) a processor for encapsulating data for transmission to a mobile service controller of a second network.

38. A computer program for interfacing to a data communicator for connecting to a cellular network and for collecting from said data communicator an identifier signal for identifying said mobile data device as a network entity of said cellular network, and for providing said identifier signal to a mobility service controller of a second data network for directing said mobility service controller to route data to said cellular network.