Mobile terminal management system, mobile terminal, agent, and program

• US 20040151148A1
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yahagi, Masahiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/048 mobile agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/34 Signalling channels for network management communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

In a mobile communication network, the foreign agent function of a mobile terminal that makes a small number of moves is placed in a radio base station, and the foreign agent function of a mobile terminal that makes a large number of moves is placed in a first node setting and managing a radio access link with a mobile terminal connected through a radio base station, thereby preventing concentration of foreign agent functions on the first node. When a mobile terminal (MN) detects a move to a foreign link to be connected, it acquires a new c/o address and transmits a binding update request to which a communication party list is attached to a home agent. The home agent transmits a binding update request to report a pair of the new c/o address and the home address of the mobile terminal to the communication parties in the communication party list.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal management system comprising:

a first node which supports a plurality of radio base stations, and sets and manages a radio access link with each of mobile terminals connected through the radio base station; and

a second node which provides the gateway router function for connecting to IP core network and the home agent function of the mobile terminal, wherein, in a mobile communication network offering mobile communication service to plural mobile terminals, the foreign agent functions for some of the mobile terminals are placed in the radio base stations which the mobile terminals are currently utilizing, and the foreign agent functions for other mobile terminals are placed in the first node which supports the radio base stations currently utilized by the mobile terminals.

2. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for deciding whether the foreign agent of each mobile terminal is placed in the radio base station or in the first node when registering the location of the mobile terminal.

3. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 2, further comprising a means for changing the location of the foreign agent of each mobile terminal during a session between the mobile terminal and its communication party.

4. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a means for deciding whether the foreign agent of each mobile terminal is placed in the radio base station or in the first node on the basis of information set in the subscriber data of the mobile terminal.

5. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a means for deciding whether the foreign agent of each mobile terminal is placed in the radio base station or in the first node based on the movement/mobility characteristic of the mobile terminal.

6. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a means for deciding whether the foreign agent of each mobile terminal is placed in the radio base station or in the first node based on the frequency of foreign agent switching per unit of time on the mobile terminal.

7. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a means for deciding whether the foreign agent of each mobile terminal is placed in the radio base station or in the first node based on the model type of the mobile terminal.

8. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 2 or 3, further comprising a means for deciding whether the foreign agent of each mobile terminal is placed in the radio base station or in the first node based on the availability/use of resources in the packet network of the mobile communication network.

9. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a means for changing the location of the foreign agent for the mobile terminal before the next location registration request.

10. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 9, further comprising a means for changing the location of the foreign agent for the mobile terminal during a session between the mobile terminal and its communication party.

11. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the location of the foreign agent of the mobile terminal is changed based on the availability/use of resources in the packet network of the mobile communication network.

12. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the location of the foreign agent of the mobile terminal is changed in response to a delay request of the user application of the mobile terminal.

13. A mobile terminal management system in a network that includes a plurality of subnetworks interconnected with each other and deals with mobile terminals each having a c/o address depending on a subnetwork to which the mobile terminal is currently being connected and a home address being independent of the subnetwork, wherein, when the subnetwork connected to each mobile terminal has changed, a plurality of communication parties are notified of a pair of the latest c/o address and home address of the mobile terminal.

14. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal is provided with a means for storing and managing a communication party list, a means for transmitting a binding update request to report the new c/o address with the communication party list when the connected subnetwork has changed, and an agent for receiving the binding update request and notifying the respective communication parties in the communication party list of the pair of the latest c/o address and home address.

15. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 14, wherein the means for storing and managing the communication party list includes a means for creating a list of a fixed number of the most communicated communication parties by monitoring communications on the mobile terminal.

16. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein the network is a network based on the Mobile IPv6, and the agent is the home agent of the mobile terminal.

17. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein the network is a network based on the Mobile IPv4, and the agent is the home agent of the mobile terminal.

18. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein the network is a network based on the Mobile IPv4, and the agent is the foreign agent of the mobile terminal.

19. A mobile terminal having a c/o address depending on a subnetwork to which the mobile terminal is currently being connected and a home address being independent of the subnetwork, comprising a means for storing and managing a communication party list, and a means for transmitting a binding update request to report the new c/o address with the communication party list when the connected subnetwork has changed.

20. The mobile terminal management system claimed in claim 19, wherein the means for storing and managing the communication party list includes a means for creating a list of a fixed number of the most communicated communication parties by monitoring communications on the mobile terminal.

21. An agent in a network that includes a plurality of subnetworks interconnected with each other and deals with mobile terminals each having a c/o address depending on a subnetwork to which the mobile terminal is currently being connected and a home address being independent of the subnetwork, comprising a means for receiving a binding update request sent from each mobile terminal when the subnetwork connected to the mobile terminal has changed, and a means for notifying respective communication parties in a communication party list attached to the received binding update request about a pair of the latest c/o address and home address of the mobile terminal.

22. A program for making a computer constituting a mobile terminal having a c/o address depending on a subnetwork to which the mobile terminal is currently being connected and a home address being independent of the subnetwork function as a means for storing and managing a communication party list, and a means for transmitting a binding update request to report the new c/o address with the communication party list when the connected subnetwork has changed.

23. The program claimed in claim 22, wherein the means for storing and managing the communication party list includes a means for creating a list of a fixed number of the most communicated communication parties by monitoring communications on the mobile terminal.

24. A program for making a computer constituting an agent in a network that includes a plurality of subnetworks interconnected with each other and deals with mobile terminals each having a c/o address depending on a subnetwork to which the mobile terminal is currently being connected and a home address being independent of the subnetwork function as a means for receiving a binding update request sent from each mobile terminal when the subnetwork connected to the mobile terminal has changed, and a means for notifying respective communication parties in a communication party list attached to the received binding update request about a pair of the latest c/o address and home address of the mobile terminal.