Communication system and communication control method

• US 20050083905A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishida, Katsutoshi, Okagawa, Takatoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/928,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20050083905A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A communication system 32 is provided with access routers 14, a location information management server 20, and a route optimization server 18. The route optimization server 18 receives a BU message from a Mobile-IP terminal 12A and receives location information of a connected access router 14A from the location information management server 20. Then the route optimization server 18 transmits the BU message to the connected access router 14A, based on the received location information of the connected access router 14A, whereby the connected access router 14A to which the communication terminal 12 is connected is notified of route optimization information. This permits the connected access router 14A to relay a packet transmitted and received between the Mobile-IP terminal 12A and the communication terminal 12, through an optimal route.

Claims

1. A communication system applied to a second network connected to a first network which has a plurality of first terminal repeaters for a first communication terminal to be connected, and to which a protocol of, even if the first communication terminal changes the first terminal repeater in connection to another, maintaining a communication state before the change is applied, the communication system comprising:

a second terminal repeater to which a second communication terminal not interpreting the Mobile-IPv6 protocol is connected;

a location information management device for storing location information of the second terminal repeater to which the second communication terminal is connected; and

a route optimization device for receiving the location information of the second terminal repeater, which is transmitted from the location information management device, and for receiving route optimization information containing location information of the first communication terminal, which is transmitted from the first communication terminal;

wherein the route optimization device transmits the route optimization information received from the first communication terminal to the second terminal repeater, based on the location information of the second terminal repeater received from the location information management device, and wherein the second terminal repeater relays a packet transmitted and received between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, based on the location information of the first communication terminal in the route optimization information received from the route optimization device.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said second terminal repeaters,

wherein a protocol of, even if the second communication terminal changes the second terminal repeater in connection to another, maintaining a communication state before the change is applied to the second network,

wherein when the second terminal repeater is connected to the second communication terminal, said second terminal repeater transmits location update information containing its own location information to the location information management device,

wherein the location information management device transmits the location update information received from the second terminal repeater to the route optimization device, and

wherein when the route optimization device receives the location update information from the location information management device, the route optimization device transmits the route optimization information to the second terminal repeater having transmitted the location update information.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a boundary transfer device placed at a boundary location between the first network and the second network,

wherein the boundary transfer device decapsulates an encapsulated packet which the route optimization device transmits to the first communication terminal.

4. The communication system according to claim 3, wherein the boundary transfer device receives the route optimization information transmitted from the first communication terminal and transfers the route optimization information to the route optimization device, and

wherein the route optimization device receives the route optimization information from the first communication terminal via the boundary transfer device.

5. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal repeater receives the route optimization information transmitted from the first communication terminal and transfers the route optimization information to the route optimization device, and

wherein the route optimization device receives the route optimization information from the first communication terminal via the second terminal repeater.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication terminal is a communication terminal to which the Mobile-IPv6 protocol is applied, and

wherein the route optimization device transmits information in which a home address and a care-of address of the first communication terminal are associated with each other, as the route optimization information to the second terminal repeater.

7. A communication control method applied in a communication system applied to a second network connected to a first network which has a plurality of first terminal repeaters for a first communication terminal to be connected, and to which a protocol of, even if the first communication terminal changes the first terminal repeater in connection to another, maintaining a communication state before the change is applied, the communication system comprising:

a second terminal repeater to which a second communication terminal not interpreting the Mobile-IPv6 protocol is applied;

a location information management device for storing location information of the second terminal repeater to which the second communication terminal is connected; and

a route optimization device for receiving the location information of the second terminal repeater, which is transmitted from the location information management device, and for receiving route optimization information containing location information of the first communication terminal, which is transmitted from the first communication terminal;

the communication control method comprising;

a step wherein the location information management device transmits the location information of the second terminal repeater in storage to the route optimization device;

a step wherein the route optimization device receives the location information of the second terminal repeater from the location information management device;

a step wherein the route optimization device receives the route optimization information transmitted from the first communication terminal;

a step wherein the route optimization device transmits the route optimization information received from the first communication terminal to the second terminal repeater, based on the location information of the second terminal repeater received from the location information management device; and

a step wherein the second terminal repeater relays a packet transmitted and received between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, based on the location information of the first communication terminal in the route optimization information received from the route optimization device.

8. The communication control method according to claim 7, wherein the communication system comprises a plurality of said second terminal repeaters, and wherein a protocol of, even if the second communication terminal changes the second terminal repeater in connection to another, maintaining a communication state before the change is applied to the second network,

the communication control method further comprising:

a step wherein when the second terminal repeater is connected to the second communication terminal, the second terminal repeater transmits location update information containing its own location information to the location information management device;

a step wherein when the location information management device receives the location update information from the second terminal repeater, the location information management device transmits the location update information to the route optimization device; and

a step wherein when the route optimization device receives the location update information from the location information management device, the route optimization device transmits the route optimization information to the second terminal repeater having transmitted the location update information.

9. The communication control method according to claim 7, wherein the communication system comprises a boundary transfer device placed at a boundary location between the first network and the second network,

the communication control method further comprising:

a step wherein the route optimization device encapsulates a packet to be transmitted to the first communication terminal; and

a step wherein the boundary transfer device decapsulates the packet encapsulated by the route optimization device.

10. The communication control method according to claim 9, wherein, when receiving the route optimization information from the first communication terminal, the route optimization device receives the route optimization information via the boundary transfer device which receives the route optimization information transmitted from the first communication terminal and which transfers the route optimization information to the route optimization device.

11. The communication control method according to claim 7, wherein, when receiving the route optimization information from the first communication terminal, the route optimization device receives the route optimization information via the second terminal repeater which receives the route optimization information transmitted from the first communication terminal and which transfers the route optimization information to the route optimization device.

12. The communication control method according to claim 7, wherein the first communication terminal is a communication terminal to which the Mobile-IPv6 protocol is applied, and

wherein the route optimization device transmits information in which a home address and a care-of address of the first communication terminal are associated with each other, as the route optimization information to the second terminal repeater.