Communicating between nodes in different wireless networks

• US 20020101859A1
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Maclean, Ian B.
• Application Number:
  US09/775,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101859A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating between nodes in different wireless networks includes network address translators provided between the wireless networks. The network address translators are used to translate between private addresses of network elements within each wireless network to a public address. The network address translation is performed on both a network address in a header portion in each packet transmitted across a data network between the wireless networks, as well as on network address(es) contained within the payload portion of each of the packets.

Claims

1. A method of communications between first and second wireless networks, comprising:

receiving data containing a private network address of a first node in the first wireless network;

translating the private network address to a public network address; and

sending data containing the public network address translated from the private network address to a second node in the second wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data comprises a data packet, and wherein translating the private network address comprises translating the private network address in a header of the data packet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein translating the private network address further comprises translating the private network address in a payload portion of the data packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data comprises receiving data containing a General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol data unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data comprises receiving data from a Serving General packet radio service Support Node in the first wireless network, the first node comprising the Serving General packet radio service Support Node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending data comprises sending data to a Gateway General packet radio service Support Node, the second node comprising the Gateway General packet radio service Support Node.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether to establish a data session on a packet data network on behalf of a roaming mobile station through the first wireless network or the second wireless network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving, translating, and sending acts are performed by a network element between the first and second wireless networks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the translating is performed by a network address translator.

10. An article comprising at least one storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:

receive a packet having a header portion and a payload portion from a first node in a first wireless network, the payload portion containing a private network address of the first node;

translate the private network address in the header portion and in the payload portion to a public network address; and

send the packet containing the public network address to a second node in a second wireless network.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the instructions when executed cause the system to send the packet containing the public network address in the header portion of the packet and the payload portion of the packet.

12. The article of claim 10, wherein the instructions when executed cause the system to translate the private network address in the payload portion by identifying a string in the payload portion containing the private network address.

13. The article of claim 10, wherein the instructions when executed cause the system to receive the packet containing General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol data.

14. The article of claim 10, wherein the instructions when executed cause the system to receive the packet from a Serving General packet radio service Support Node in the first wireless network, the first node comprising the General Packet Radio Service support node.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the instructions when executed cause the system to send the packet to a Gateway General packet radio service Support Node in a second wireless network.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the instructions when executed cause the system to receive the packet from the Serving General packet radio service Support Node associated with a first public land mobile network and to send the packet to the Gateway General packet radio service Support Node associated with a second public land mobile network.

17. The article of claim 10, wherein the instructions when executed cause the system to receive the packet from the first wireless network associated with a first network operator and to send the packet to a node in a second wireless network associated with a second network operator.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a controller adapted to send the data packet containing the second network address to a second wireless network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first wireless network is associated with a first network operator and the second wireless network is associated with a second network operator.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface is adapted to receive the data packet comprising an Internet Protocol packet.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a controller adapted to send the data packet containing the second network address to a second wireless network, the data packet comprising an Internet Protocol packet.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the interface is adapted to receive the data packet having a General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol data unit in the payload portion of the data packet.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the first network address comprises a private network address of the node, and wherein the second network address comprises a public network address of the node.

18. A system comprising:

an interface to a first wireless network, the interface adapted to receive a data packet containing a header portion and a payload portion, the payload portion containing a first network address of a node in the first wireless network; and

a network address translator module adapted to translate the first network address to a second, different network address associated with the node.

25. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave and comprising instructions that when executed cause a system to:

perform one-to-one translation of a private network address and a public network address in a packet received from a first wireless network, the private and public network addresses associated with a node in the first wireless network; and

send the packet with a translated network address to a second wireless network.