Method for integrating network elements on communications system

• US 20020023162A1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Utstarcom Korea Limited
• Original Assignee: Utstarcom Korea Limited
• Inventors: Ahn, Hyung-Nam, Lee, Dong-Hyun
• Application Number:
  US09/861,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023162A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method integrates network elements in an integration Internet protocol (ALL-IP) network based on a next generation mobile communications network. For the purpose, the method integrates a packet control function (PCF) for interworking a radio access network (RAN) with a packet data network and a packet data serving node (PDSN) function for performing a function as an access node to enable data terminals to communicate with the packet data network through the RAN, and integrates, in case of providing a mobile Internet protocol (mobile IP) service, a mobile Internet Protocol foreign agent (mobile IP FA) of the PDSN and a link layer termination function of a mobile station in the PCF.

Claims

1. A method for integrating network elements in an integration Internet protocol (ALL-IP) network based on a next generation mobile communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

integrating a packet control function (PCF) for interworking a radio access network (RAN) with a packet network and a packet data service node (PDSN) function for performing a function as an access node for connecting data subscribers accessed through the RAN to the packet network; and

in case of providing a mobile Internet protocol (IP) service, integrating a mobile Internet IP foreign agent (FA) of the PDSN and a link layer edge function of a mobile station in the PCF.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the PCF includes:

a user datagram protocol (UDP) processing unit;

an Internet protocol (IP) processing unit;

an Internet protocol encryption unit;

a point-to-point protocol (PPP) processing unit;

a link layer;

a physical layer;

a base station controller interworking signal processing unit for processing diverse signals related to a resource management and a data call received from a base station controller (BSC);

an authorization/authentication/accounting (AAA) protocol client processing unit for performing an authentication for accessing the IP network of a mobile station (MS) through an AAA protocol and a function of transferring accounting information generated in a system to an AAA security manager; and

a mobile IP FA function processing unit for processing messages related to the MS and the mobile IP and managing a visitor list.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the PCF includes:

a dormant function for a packet data service;

a function for installing a call with the BSC;

a function for temporarily storing user packets;

a function for dividing and combining PPP packets;

an FA function of the mobile IP;

an IP in IP processing function;

an IP encrypting function;

an IP address assigning function;

a routing and mobile IP message processing function; and

a remote authentication dial in user service (RADIUS) or DIAMETER client function, wherein there is no signal processing in the PCF by using an RP accessing scheme between the RAN and the packet network.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the PCF transfers packets through the steps of:

generating a perfect PPP frame by combining packets provided from the BSC;

delivering IP packets of the MS to an IP network according to a general routing scheme;

producing a PPP frame based on packets transferred from the IP network producing as a PPP frame;

dividing the PPP frame into a size pertinent to the size of a radio link protocol of the RAN; and

transmitting the divided frame.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the BSC interworking signal processing unit performs a call processing function so as to establish a data transmission path with the BSC and initializes a data access between the BSC and a packet processor having the function of the PDSN.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the PPP processing unit negotiates with the MS through the data path established from the MS to the packet processor.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the AAA protocol client processing unit performs a subscriber authentication when a simple IP service is provided, assigns an IP address if necessary, and processes the subscriber authentication by using a protocol if the mobile IP message is supplied from the MS.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the mobile IP FA function processing unit registers a location of the MS by transferring a mobile IP registration message received from the MS to a mobile IP home agent, receives a response from the mobile IP home agent, delivers the received response to the MS, establishes a tunneling with the mobile IP home agent and sets up an encryption of the IP if necessary.

9. An integration Internet protocol (ALL-IP) network based on a next generation mobile communications network including a processor, comprising:

a computer readable medium for implementing a function for integrating a packet control function (PCF) for interworking a radio access network (RAN) with a packet network and a packet data service node (PDSN) function performing a function as an access node for connecting data subscribers accessed through the RAN to the packet network, and employing, in case of providing a mobile Internet protocol (IP) service, a mobile Internet IP foreign agent (FA) of the PDSN and a link layer termination function of a mobile station in the PCF.