Method and apparatus for L2TP dialout and tunnel switching

• US 20060171365A1
• Filed: 02/02/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UTStarcom Incorporated (UTStarcom Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: UTStarcom Incorporated (UTStarcom Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Borella, Michael S.
• Application Number:
  US11/049,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171365A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• 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 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Method and apparatus for establishing a tunnel between a mobile node and a routing device. The method includes the steps of utilizing the mobile node to place a call over a cellular network and gaining access to a foreign agent of the cellular network. A Mobile IP link is established between the foreign agent and a home agent and the call is authenticated. A tunnel is initiated between the home agent and the routing device and call data is tunneled between the home agent and the routing device.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a tunnel between a home agent and a routing device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a Mobile IP request at said home agent from a foreign agent;

authenticating said Mobile IP request;

initiating said tunnel between said home agent and said routing device; and

tunneling call data related to said Mobile IP request between said home agent and said routing device.

2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of

establishing a tunneling session between said home agent and said routing device.

3. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of

authenticating said request by accessing a server.

4. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of

authenticating said request by monitoring a dialout policy.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said dialout policy is configured on said home agent.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said dialout policy is based on an identity of a mobile node.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said identity of said mobile node comprises a network access identifier (“

NAI”

).

8. The invention of claim 4 wherein said dialout policy is configured on a server.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said server comprises an AAA server.

10. The invention of claim 4 wherein said dialout policy is configured on said routing device.

11. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of

providing an indicator that call data related to said Mobile IP request is to be tunneled to a particular routing device.

12. The invention of claim 1 wherein said routing device comprises an enterprise Local Network Server.

13. The invention of claim 11 further comprising the step of

utilizing a server to provide said indicator that call data related to said Mobile IP request be tunneled to a particular routing device.

14. The invention of claim 1 wherein said home agent is configured to perform tunneling based on an NAI of a mobile node.

15. The invention of claim 1 wherein said home agent is configured to perform tunneling based on a domain of a mobile node.

16. The invention of claim 1 wherein said home agent is configured to perform call tunneling based on an assigned IP address of a mobile node.

17. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of communicatively coupling said routing device to an enterprise network.

18. The invention of claim 1 wherein said tunnel comprises an L2TP tunnel.

19. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of

utilizing a mobile node to place a call over a cellular network to said foreign agent.

20. The invention of claim 19 further comprising the step of

establishing a Mobile IP tunnel between said foreign agent and said home agent.

21. The invention of claim 20 further comprising the step of

commencing PPP negotiation between said home agent and said routing device.

22. The invention of claim 21 further comprising the step of

sending a Mobile IP registration reply message after PPP negotiation between said home agent and said routing device is completed.

23. The invention of claim 1 wherein said routing device comprises a L2TP Network Server.

24. A system for establishing a tunnel between a home agent and a routing device, said system comprising:

a Mobile IP request transmitted from a foreign agent to said home agent;

a server to authenticate said Mobile IP request such that said tunnel is initiated between said home agent and said routing device; and

call data related to said Mobile IP request tunneled between said home agent and said routing device.

25. The invention of claim 24 further comprising a tunneling session established between said home agent and said routing device.

26. The invention of claim 24 further comprising a dialout policy that is monitored to authenticate said request.

27. The invention of claim 26 wherein said dialout policy is configured on said home agent.

28. The invention of claim 26 wherein said dialout policy is based on an identity of a mobile node.

29. The invention of claim 28 wherein said identity of said mobile node comprises a network access identifier (“

NAI”

).

30. The invention of claim 26 wherein said dialout policy is configured on said server.

31. The invention of claim 26 wherein said server comprises an AAA server.

The invention of claim 24 further comprising an indicator that call data related to said Mobile IP request is to be tunneled to a particular routing device.

32. A method of tunneling a call between a first routing device and a second routing device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a tunneled packet on a first tunnel associated with a call at said first routing device;

examining local policy for said call; and

forwarding said packet on a second tunnel to said second routing device.

33. The invention of claim 32 wherein said first tunnel comprises a generic routing encapsulation tunnel.

34. The invention of claim 32 wherein said first tunnel comprises an IP-in-IP tunnel.

35. The invention of claim 32 wherein said second tunnel comprises an L2TP tunnel.

36. The invention of claim 32 further comprising the step of

encapsulating a portion of said packet before forwarding said packet on said second tunnel to said second routing device.

37. The invention of claim 32 wherein said encapsulating step comprises an L2TP encapsulation.

38. The invention of claim 32 wherein said encapsulating step comprises a GRE encapsulation.

39. The invention of claim 32 wherein said encapsulating step comprises an IP encapsulation.