Allocation of a server address to a terminal

• US 20030058855A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lohmar, Thorsten, Feyerabend, Konrad
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for allocating an address of a data service offering server to a communication device such as a mobile services device or a SIM card. With the allocation, the server address is selected from a number of address identifiers. Each address identifier identifies a valid server independently of the current server configuration of the communication network. The server address can be combined out of a fixed and a variable portion. Moreover, the address identifiers can be updated, for example, by means of a so-called DNS server. The described server address allocation method improves the scalability of the communication system and offers an efficient measure for load distribution for both the data service offering application servers and for so-called DNS servers. Moreover, the invention relates to a corresponding communication device for allocating a server address, and to a corresponding communication system and computer program.

Claims

1. Method for allocating an address of a server to a communication device, comprising the steps

transparently for a user of the communication device selecting (310;

430;

570) of a first address identifier of the server from a set of k address elements (A) with k>

1, wherein the set of k address elements contains a number n of different address identifiers with 1<

n<

=k, which in each case identify a server from a set of m servers with 0<

m<

=n, and

storing (330;

460;

590) the selected address identifier of the server in the communication device.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting step (310;

430;

570) comprises the following additional steps;

reading out (410;

510) a second address identifier from a memory (B,F), and

combining (450;

580) the first and the second address identifier, wherein the combined first and second address identifier form the selected address identifier of the server.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the address of the server is an IP address.

4. Method according to claim 3,

wherein the first address identifier is a host identifier of the IP address of the server, and

wherein the second address identifier of the address of the server is a network identifier of the IP address.

5. Method according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the IP address of the server is an IPv4 address in class C format.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5,

wherein the selection (310;

430;

570) of the first address identifier from the set of the k address elements (A) is effected by means of a random function.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5,

wherein the selection (310;

430;

570) of the first address identifier is effected by a calculation of a remainder of a division of a numeric identifier of the communication device by a number of the k address elements.

8. Method according to one of claims 1, 2, or 6, 7,

wherein the stored selected address identifier is present in an alphanumeric plain text.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the additional steps:

receiving at least one updated address element of the k address elements by the communication device; and

storing the updated address element in the communication device.

10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the additional steps:

receiving an updated second address identifier by the communication device; and

storing the updated second address identifier in the communication device.

11. Method according to one of claims 9 or 10, comprising the additional step:

requesting an update of an address server (DNS).

20. Communication system (KS), comprising

a number m, with m>

0, of servers (AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4) offering a data service, wherein the m servers (AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4) are identified by a number n, with n>

1 and n>

=m, of different address identifiers,

at least one base station (RBS) being able to send and receive data packets,

a packet data network (PN) connecting servers (AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4) and base stations (RBS) of the communication system (KS), and

a plurality of communication terminals (MS) allowing in each case a packet data communication with at least one base station (RBS) of the communication system (KS), and in each case being suited by means of an address of a server allocated according to one of claims 1 to 8 to request a data service from said server.

21. Communication system (KS) according to claim 20, additionally comprising at least one address server (DNS) sending address identifiers of the servers (AS1, AS2, AS3, AS4) of the communication system (KS) to the communication terminals (MS) of the communication system (KS) for updating, and wherein the communication terminals (MS) are suited to perform a method according to one of claims 9 to 11.

22. Computer program, which can be loaded into an internal memory of a digital computer unit, and which comprises software code portions adapted to perform the steps according to one of claims 1 to 11, if the computer program is executed on the computer unit.

23. Computer program according to claim 22, wherein the computer program is stored on a computer-readable medium.

12. Communication device (MS) for allocating an address of a server, from which a data service can be requested, comprising

a memory (SVA) for a set of k address elements with k>

1, wherein the set of k address elements contains a number n of different address identifiers with 1<

n<

=k, which in each case identify a server from a set of m servers with 0<

m<

=n,

a selection unit (AWE), which, transparent for a user of the communication device (MS) can select a first address identifier from the k address elements, and

a memory (SAA) for the selected address identifier of the server.

13. Communication device (MS) according to claim 12, further comprising

a memory (SFA) for a second address identifier,

a read-out unit (ALE), which can read out the second address identifier from the memory (SFA), and

a combination unit (KE), which combines the first and the second address identifier,

and wherein the combined first and second address identifier forms the selected address identifier of the server.

14. Communication device (MS) according to claim 12 or 13,

wherein the selection unit (AWE) can perform a random selection of the first address identifier.

15. Communication device (MS) according to one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising

a memory for a numeric communication device identifier of the communication device,

a second read-out unit, which can read out the communication device identifier from the memory, and

wherein the selection of the first address identifier is effected by the selection unit by means of a calculation of a remainder of a division of the communication device identifier by a number of the k address elements.

16. Communication device (MS) according to one of claims 12 to 15, further comprising

a reception device allowing the reception of at least one updated address element of the k address elements, and

a storing device allowing the storage of updated address elements.

17. Communication device (MS) according to one of claims 13 to 16, further comprising

a reception device allowing the reception of an updated second address identifier, and

a second storing device allowing the storage of the updated second address identifiers.

18. Communication device (MS) according to claim 16 or 17, comprising a request device, allowing a request for an update of an address server (DNS).

19. Communication device (MS) according to one of claims 12 to 18, further comprising

a user interface enabling an input of a request for the data service of the server by a single user activity, and

a data service request device requesting the data service from the server by means of the selected address identifier upon an entered request for the data service.