Providing address information for reaching a wireless terminal

• US 20050054343A1
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nykanen, Petri, Mononen, Jari
• Granted Patent: US 7,944,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of providing address information for reaching a wireless terminal, said wireless terminal being connected to a first wireless communication network, a varying public address being dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of the first wireless communication network by means of said varying public address. The method comprises dynamically notifying substantially directly at least one other communicating party of a current public address of the wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A method of providing address information for reaching a wireless terminal, said wireless terminal being connected to a first wireless communication network, a varying public address being dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of the first wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, wherein the method comprises:

dynamically notifying substantially directly at least one other communicating party of a current public address of the wireless terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of notifying comprises

dynamically sending an address update request substantially directly to said at least one other communicating party, the address update request comprising a source address and a destination address, and

using the source address of the address update request as seen by said at least one other communicating party as said current public address of the wireless terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of sending an address update request is repeated periodically.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of notifying comprises

dynamically finding out a public address allocated to the wireless terminal at a given moment for obtaining said current public address of the wireless terminal, and

sending said current public address of the wireless terminal substantially directly to said at least one other communicating party.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of sending is conducted, if said current public address has been changed after the previous sending of the current public address.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein finding out said current public address comprises

querying the public address of the wireless terminal from an external entity capable of seeing the public address of the wireless terminal.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein finding out said current public address comprises

polling substantially continuously said current public address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises

choosing conditionally, which other communicating parties are notified of said current public address.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of choosing is conducted on the basis of predefined profile information defining to whom said current public address shall be available.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises

maintaining said current public address in said at least one other communicating party in association with identification information associated with the wireless terminal, whereby the address information for reaching said wireless terminal is readily available in said at least one other communicating party by means of said identification information for future use.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said identification information is a predefined host name.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one other communicating party is one of the following:

a general-purpose computer, a server and another wireless terminal, such as a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) device or a laptop computer with wireless communicating capability.

13. A method of providing address information for reaching a wireless terminal, said wireless terminal being coupled to a first wireless communication network, a varying public address being dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of the first wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, wherein the method comprises:

dynamically notifying an external name server, to which the wireless terminal has been registered by means of identification information associated with the wireless terminal, of a current public address of the wireless terminal,

maintaining said current public address in said external name server in association with said identification information, and

conditionally giving out said current public address from said external name server according to conditions given in profile information associated with said identification information, whereby the address information for reaching said wireless terminal is conditionally obtainable from said external name server by means of said identification information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of notifying comprises

dynamically sending an address update request to said external name server, the address update request comprising a source address and a destination address, and

using the source address of the address update request as seen by said external name server as said current public address of the wireless terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of sending an address update request is repeated periodically.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of notifying comprises

dynamically finding out a public address allocated to the wireless terminal at a given moment for obtaining said current public address of the wireless terminal, and

sending said current public address from said wireless terminal to said external name server.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of sending is conducted, if said current public address has changed after the previous sending of the current public address.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the method comprises

sending said profile information to said name server in combination with notifying the name server of the current public address.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said profile information defines to whom said address information shall be available.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said profile information defines a time period during which said address information shall or shall not be available.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein said external name server is located outside of said first wireless communication network.

22. A system for providing address information for reaching a wireless terminal, the system comprising

a wireless communicating network,

a wireless terminal coupled to said wireless communication network, a varying public address being dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and

said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of said wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, and

at least one other communicating party;

said wireless terminal comprising means for dynamically notifying substantially directly said at least one other communicating party of a current public address of the wireless terminal.

23. A system for providing address information for reaching a wireless terminal, the system comprising

a wireless communicating network,

a wireless terminal coupled to said wireless communication network, a varying public address being dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and

said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of said wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, and

an external name server;

said wireless terminal being registered to said external name server by means of identification information associated with the wireless terminal,

said wireless terminal being configured to dynamically notify said external name server of a current public address of the wireless terminal,

said external name server being configured to maintain said current public address in association with said identification information,

said external name server being configured to maintain profile information associated with said identification information, and

said external name server being configured to conditionally give out said current public address according to conditions given in said profile information,

whereby the address information for reaching said wireless terminal is conditionally obtainable from said external name server by means of said identification information.

24. A name server configured to

to maintain a current public address of a wireless terminal in association with identification information associated with the wireless terminal, said public address having been dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and said wireless terminal being reachable by means of said public address,

to maintain profile information associated with said identification information, and

to conditionally give out said current public address according to conditions given in said profile information, whereby the address information for reaching said wireless terminal is conditionally obtainable from said name server by means of said identification information.

25. A wireless terminal coupled to a wireless communication network, a varying public address being dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of said wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, said wireless terminal being configured to

dynamically notify substantially directly at least one other communicating party of a current public address of the wireless terminal.

26. The wireless terminal of claim 25 configured to execute said notifying by

dynamically sending an address update request substantially directly to said at least one other communicating party, the address update request comprising a source address and a destination address, said at least one other communicating party using the source address of the address update request as seen by said at least one other communicating party as said current public address of the wireless terminal.

27. The wireless terminal of claim 25 configured to execute said notifying by

dynamically finding out a public address allocated to the wireless terminal at a given moment for obtaining said current public address of the wireless terminal, and

sending said current public address of the wireless terminal substantially directly to said at least one other communicating party.

28. The wireless terminal of claim 25 further configured to conditionally choose, which other communicating parties are notified of said current public address.

29. A wireless terminal coupled to a wireless communication network, a varying public address being dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of said wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, said wireless terminal being registered to an external name server by means of identification information associated with the wireless terminal, and said wireless terminal being configured

to dynamically notify said external name server of a current public address of the wireless terminal, and

to provide profile information to said external name server, said external name server being configured to conditionally give out said current public address of the wireless terminal according to conditions given in said profile information, whereby the address information for reaching said wireless terminal is conditionally obtainable from said external name server by means of said identification information.

30. A communicating device configured to receive address information for reaching another communicating party substantially directly from said another communicating party.

31. A computer program executable in a name server, said computer program providing routine of

maintaining in said name server a current public address of a wireless terminal in association with identification information associated with the wireless terminal, said public address having been dynamically allocated to said wireless terminal, and said wireless terminal being reachable by means of said public address,

maintaining in said name server profile information associated with said identification information, and

conditionally giving out said current public address according to conditions given in said profile information, whereby the address information for reaching said wireless terminal is conditionally obtainable from said name server by means of said identification information.

32. A computer program executable in a wireless terminal coupled to a wireless communication network, said wireless terminal having a varying public address dynamically allocated to it, and said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of said wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, said computer program providing routine of

dynamically notifying substantially directly at least one other communicating party of a current public address of the wireless terminal.

33. A computer program executable in a wireless terminal coupled to a wireless communication network, said wireless terminal having a varying public address dynamically allocated to it, said wireless terminal being reachable from outside of said wireless communication network by means of said varying public address, and said wireless terminal being registered to an external name server by means of identification information associated with the wireless terminal, said computer program providing routine of

dynamically notifying said external name server of a current public address of the wireless terminal, and

providing profile information to said external name server, said external name server being configured to conditionally give out said current public address of the wireless terminal according to conditions given in said profile information, whereby the address information for reaching said wireless terminal is conditionally obtainable from said external name server by means of said identification information.

34. A computer program executable in a communicating device, said computer program providing routine of receiving address information for reaching another communicating party substantially directly from said another communicating party.