Mobile IP registration supporting port identification

• US 20040098507A1
• Filed: 11/20/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thubert, Pascal, Levy-Abegnoli, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/663 Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• 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 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/913 Wireless or radio

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for registering with a Home Agent are disclosed. The network device sends a registration request having a home address field including an IP address to a Home Agent associated with the IP address. The IP address may be an IP address that has been statically assigned to the network device or an IP address that is a personal IP address that is associated with the user (e.g., username or NAI). The registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received. The ports may be specified in a port extension to the registration request. In addition, the registration request may indicate a priority to be associated with the registration. The Home Agent updates its mobility binding table with the IP address and care-of address, as well as other information specified in the registration request, such as port and/or priority information. The Home Agent then sends a registration reply to the network device. When the registration request is not sent directly by the network device (e.g., via a collocated care-of address), the Foreign Agent updates its visitor table upon receipt of the registration reply with the Home Agent address and IP address, as well as port and/or priority information. The registration reply is then sent to the network device. In this manner, multiple registrations for a single device or user may be established according to specified port(s). These registrations may further be prioritized to enable various applications and/or devices to be prioritized.

Claims

1. In a network device supporting Mobile IP, a method of registering with a Home Agent, comprising:

composing a registration request having a home address field including an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

sending the registration request to a Home Agent associated with the IP address; and

receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the registration reply identifies the one or more ports of the network device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the registration reply includes a port number extension identifying the one or more ports of the network device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the IP address is associated with the network device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

appending a port number extension indicating the one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the registration request further includes a priority associated with the one or more ports of the network device, the priority being a priority with which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be sent to the one or more ports of the network device.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

appending a priority extension indicating the priority to the registration request.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the registration reply includes the priority.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the registration reply includes a priority extension including the priority.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network device is a server dedicated to performing an application identified by the one or more ports.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the registration request further includes a priority via which data packets or server requests are to be sent to the IP address.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

appending a priority extension indicating the priority.

13. In a Home Agent, a method of processing a registration request, comprising:

receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address and a care-of address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

updating a mobility binding table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the care-of address; and

sending a registration reply to the network device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the entry of the mobility binding table identifies a tunnel via which to send packets to the IP address.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the IP address is associated with an interface of the network device.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the mobility binding table includes a plurality of entries associated with the IP address, each of the entries identifying a different set of one or more ports.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, the method further comprising:

repeating the receiving, updating and sending steps for a registration request identifying a second set of one or more ports of the network device.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, the registration request including a priority indicating a priority with which data packets or server requests are to be sent to the one or more ports.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, the registration request including a priority extension indicating the priority.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the registration reply includes the priority.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the registration reply includes a priority extension indicating the priority.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

storing the priority in the entry of the mobility binding table.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a data packet or server request addressed to the IP address;

determine the priority associated with the IP address from the mobility binding table; and

forwarding the data packet or server request to the IP address at the one or more ports of the network device according to the priority.

24. The method as recited in claim 13, the registration request having a port extension identifying the one or more ports.

25. In a Foreign Agent, a method of processing a registration request, comprising:

receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

forwarding the registration request to a Home Agent address identifying a Home Agent associated with the IP address;

receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent;

updating a visitor table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the Home Agent address; and

forwarding the registration reply to the network device.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the entry of the visitor table identifies a tunnel via which to send packets to the IP address.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the IP address is associated with an interface of the network device.

28. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the visitor table includes a plurality of entries associated with the IP address, each of the entries identifying a different set of one or more ports.

29. The method as recited in claim 25, the registration request including a priority indicating a priority with which data packets or server requests are to be sent to the one or more ports.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, the registration request including a priority extension indicating the priority.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the registration reply includes the priority.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the registration reply includes a priority extension indicating the priority.

33. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

storing the priority in the entry of the visitor table.

34. The method as recited in claim 25, the registration request having a port extension identifying the one or more ports.

35. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for registering a network device supporting Mobile IP with a Home Agent, comprising:

instructions for composing a registration request having a home address field including an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

instructions for sending the registration request to a Home Agent associated with the IP address; and

instructions for receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent.

36. A network device supporting Mobile IP and adapted for registering with a Home Agent, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

composing a registration request having a home address field including an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

sending the registration request to a Home Agent associated with the IP address; and

receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent.

37. A network device supporting Mobile IP and adapted for registering with a Home Agent, comprising:

means for composing a registration request having a home address field including an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

means for sending the registration request to a Home Agent associated with the IP address; and

means for receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent.

38. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for processing a registration request in a Home Agent, comprising:

instructions for receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address and a care-of address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

instructions for updating a mobility binding table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the care-of address; and

instructions for sending a registration reply to the network device.

39. A Home Agent adapted for processing a registration request, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address and a care-of address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

updating a mobility binding table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the care-of address; and

sending a registration reply to the network device.

40. A Home Agent adapted for processing a registration request, comprising:

means for receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address and a care-of address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

means for updating a mobility binding table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the care-of address; and

means for sending a registration reply to the network device.

41. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for processing a registration request in a Foreign Agent, comprising:

instructions for receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

instructions for forwarding the registration request to a Home Agent address identifying a Home Agent associated with the IP address;

instructions for receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent;

instructions for updating a visitor table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the Home Agent address; and

instructions for forwarding the registration reply to the network device.

42. A Foreign Agent adapted for processing a registration request, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

forwarding the registration request to a Home Agent address identifying a Home Agent associated with the IP address;

receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent;

updating a visitor table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the Home Agent address; and

forwarding the registration reply to the network device.

43. A Foreign Agent adapted for processing a registration request, comprising:

means for receiving a registration request from a network device, the registration request including a home address field identifying an IP address, the registration request indicating one or more ports of the network device via which data packets or server requests addressed to the IP address are to be received;

means for forwarding the registration request to a Home Agent address identifying a Home Agent associated with the IP address;

means for receiving a registration reply from the Home Agent;

means for updating a visitor table to include an entry for the IP address, the entry identifying the one or more ports of the network device, the IP address, and the Home Agent address; and

means for forwarding the registration reply to the network device.