Method and device for controlling paths for ip connection in a user-specific communication network

• US 20040141507A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Michel, Uwe
• Application Number:
  US10/473,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.52
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The invention pertains to a process to control the path of IP connections in a subscriber-based communication network, in particular in a digital mobile communication network, through which the IP connections are routed depending on the subscriber data. The device to perform the process includes a database in which a relation between an IP address assigned to a subscriber, a subscriber identity and a subscriber profile is stored, a RADIUS proxy server that creates the relation between the IP address and the subscriber identity when the IP address is assigned and that writes this to the database, and a router that performs a query of the database for each IP data packet of the IP connection and performs the routing to the destination system depending on the subscriber data.

Claims

1. A process to control the path of IP connections in a subscriber-based communication network, in particular in a digital mobile communications network, characterized in that

the IP connections are routed depending on the subscriber data.

2. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the subscriber data about subscribers of the communication network (2) are stored in a database (11) under the respective subscriber identity, and can be queried there.

3. A process according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that as the connection is set up, a subscriber identity is transmitted over the communications network (2) to a RADIUS server (17), wherein the RADIUS server (17) dynamically assigns an IP address for the subscriber and transmits it to the communications network (2).

4. A process according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the connection between the communications network (2) and the RADIUS server (17) is overseen by a RADIUS proxy server (10) that detects die IP address assigned to the subscriber and the associated subscriber identity and creates and stores a relation to the subscriber data stored in the database (11).

5. A process according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the connections to more than one different RADIUS servers (17) are overseen by the RADIUS proxy server (10).

6. A process according to one of the previous claims characterized in that during the connection, any IP traffic is sent from the communication network (2) to a router (12), wherein each individual incoming IP data packet initiates a query of the database (11) and that the routing to the destination system (13, 16) occurs depending on the detected subscriber identity and the associated subscriber profile.

7. A process according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the destination system is a destination network (13, 15) or a specific network element (14, 16).

8. A process according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that certain destination addresses are blocked and/or the destination IP addresses present in the traffic stream are manipulated depending on the subscriber data stored in the database (11).

9. A device to control the path of IP connections in a subscriber-based communication network, in particular in a digital mobile communication network, characterized by:

a database (11) in which a relation between an IP address assigned to a subscriber, a subscriber identity and a subscriber profile is stored;

a RADIUS proxy server (10) that creates the relation between the IP address and the subscriber identity when the IP address is assigned, and that writes it to the database (11); and

a router (12) that performs a query of the database (11) for each IP data packet in the IP connection and performs the routing to the destination system (13-16) depending on the subscriber data.