Security of a communication system

• US 20050021939A1
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Faccin, Stefano, Le, Franck
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 Denial of Service

Abstract

Communications systems and methods for controlling transportation of data. The methods commonly include entering state information associated with a data transportation connection in a state information record maintained in a data processing entity. The data transportation connection is normally established between user equipment and a node, commonly via a gateway node, and the data processing entity is typically configured to control transportation of data based on the state information table. The methods also usually include, detecting that the data transportation connection is deactivated for the user equipment, sending information from the gateway node that the user equipment cannot be reached, and, in response to the information, deleting the state information from the state information record. The systems generally allow for implementation of the methods.

Claims

1. A method for controlling transportation of data in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

entering state information associated with a data transportation connection in a state information record maintained in a data processing entity, the data transportation connection being established between a user equipment and a node via a gateway node, and the data processing entity being configured to control transportation of data based on the state information record;

detecting that the data transportation connection is deactivated for the user equipment;

sending information from the gateway node that the user equipment cannot be reached; and

in response to said information, deleting the state information from the state information record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of entering the state information in a state information record of a data processing entity comprises entering the state information in a record maintained in a firewall.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein in the entering step, the user equipment communicates via a first packet switched network and the node communicates via a second packet switched network, the gateway node being located at the first packet switched network and the firewall being located at an interface between the first and second packet switched networks.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of receiving in the data processing entity information that the user equipment cannot be reached.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending information from the gateway node comprises sending information from the gateway node to the node.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising freezing use of an address associated with the data transportation connection from use by other data transportation connections for a predetermined period of time after detecting that the data transportation connection is deactivated.

7. A method for controlling transportation of data in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting, by a gateway node, that an address associated with a data transportation connection established between a user equipment and a node via the gateway node becomes available for use by other user equipment; and

abstaining from reassigning the address for another user equipment for a predefined period of time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, in the detecting step, the user equipment communicates via a first packet switched network and the node communicates via a second packet switched network, the gateway node being located at the first packet switched network.

9. A communication system comprising:

a gateway node for handling data transportation connections established between user equipment configured to communicate via an access system and nodes connected to a data network, the gateway node being configured to detect that a data transportation connection for a user equipment is deactivated and to send information that the user equipment cannot be reached; and

a data processing node configured to maintain state information associated with respective data transportation connections established between the user equipment and the nodes via the gateway node and to control transportation of data based on the state information, the data processing node being configured to delete state information associated with a user equipment in response to information from the gateway node that the user equipment cannot be reached.

10. A gateway for a communication system, the gateway being configured to detect that an address associated with a data transportation connection established between a user equipment and a node via a gateway node becomes available for use by other user equipment, and to abstain from reassigning the address for another user equipment for a predefined period of time.

11. The gateway of claim 10, comprising an inactivity timer, expiry of the inactivity timer providing indication of an end of the predefined period.

12. A communication system comprising:

entry means for entering state information associated with a data transportation connection in a state information record maintained in a data processing entity, the data transportation connection being established between a user equipment and a node via a gateway node, and the data processing entity being configured to control transportation of data based on the state information record;

detection means for detecting that the data transportation connection is deactivated for the user equipment;

communication means for sending information from the gateway node that the user equipment cannot be reached; and

detection means for, in response to said information, deleting the state information from the state information record.

13. A communication system comprising:

detection means for detecting, by a gateway node, that an address associated with a data transportation connection established between a user equipment and a node via the gateway node becomes available for use by other user equipment; and

decision-making means for abstaining from reassigning the address for another user equipment for a predefined period of time.

14. A communication system comprising:

a gateway means for handling data transportation connections established between user equipment configured to communicate via an access system and nodes connected to a data network, the gateway means being configured to detect that a data transportation connection for a user equipment is deactivated and to send information that the user equipment cannot be reached; and

a data processing means configured to maintain state information associated with respective data transportation connections established between the user equipment and the nodes via the gateway means and to control transportation of data based on the state information, the data processing means being configured to delete state information associated with a user equipment in response to information from the gateway means that the user equipment cannot be reached.