Method and system for managing network resources

• US 20070064903A1
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Xiang, Zhixian
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/202.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• 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

Abstract

Method a system for managing network resources. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for managing resource in a wireless network. As an example, the wireless network includes an access network and a home network. The access network provides at least radio connectivity and the home network provides at least internet protocol connectivity. The method includes a step for providing a network access to a mobile station by the access network. For example, the network access includes a network connection between the mobile station and the home network. The method also includes a step for receiving information associated with a lifetime for the network access from the mobile station by the access network and by the home network. The method additionally includes a step for storing the information associated with the lifetime by the access network and by the home network.

Claims

1. A method for managing resource in a wireless network, the wireless network including an access network and a home network, wherein the access network provides at least radio connectivity and the home network provides at least internet protocol connectivity, the method comprising:

providing a network access to a mobile station by the access network, the network access including a network connection between the mobile station and the home network;

receiving information associated with a lifetime for the network access from the mobile station by the access network and by the home network, the lifetime being related to a mobile Internet protocol lifetime associated with the mobile station;

storing the information associated with the lifetime by the access network and by the home network;

initiating a first termination process for the network connection by the home network if the lifetime expires;

initiating a second termination process for the network connection by the mobile station if the lifetime expires; and

initiating a third termination process for the network connection by the access network if the lifetime expires;

wherein the initiating a third termination process is performed without the access network communicating with the home network about the third termination process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile Internet protocol lifetime is in compliance with a standard.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the third termination process comprises a resource deallocation request/response communication between the foreign agent and the control entity who make decision on network resource per policy to deallocate network resources.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the third termination process comprises sending a signal by a foreign agent to the decision maker to indicate the lose of the mobile station and request the network resources to be deallocated.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the lifetime is related to an MIP timer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network is compliant with a WiMAX network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the information comprises a mobile internet protocol address.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the third termination process comprises deallocating network resources for the mobile station.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile station is configured to sends a second registration message before the lifetime expires if the mobile station is connected to the access network.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the access network is connected to a second access network.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the access network comprises a foreign agent.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the access network includes a first base station.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the access network includes a gateway.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein first registration message includes an identifier, the identifier being associated with the mobile station.

15. An access network system for a wireless communication network comprising:

a first communication interface, the first communication interface being configured to wirelessly connect to one or more mobile stations;

a second communication interface, the second communication interface being configured to connect to a home agent;

a logic component, the logic component being configured to store and determine one or more network policies associated with the one or more mobile stations;

a gateway component, the gateway component being configured to store and to track at least one lifetime, the at least one lifetime being related to a mobile Internet protocol identifier associated with the at least one mobile station;

wherein;

the first communication interface is configured to receive information associated with at least one lifetime from the at least one mobile station;

the gateway component is configured to cause a termination of a network connection for the at least one mobile station if the lifetime expires.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the mobile Internet protocol identifier is in compliance with a standard.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the termination of a network connection comprises causing a deallocation of network resources.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the gateway component comprises a foreign agent.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the first communication interface comprises a base station.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the home agent comprises a connectivity service network.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the network connection is between the mobile station and a home network.

22. The system of claim 15 wherein a home agent is a part of a connectivity service network.

23. A telecommunication system for wireless access, the telecommunication system comprising:

a mobile station, the mobile station being configured to send registration messages at predetermined time intervals, each of the registration messages including a lifetime, the registration messages including a first registration message, the first registration message including a first lifetime, the first lifetime being related to a mobile Internet protocol lifetime associated with the mobile station;

an access service network, the access service network being configured to provide a network access to the mobile station and to wirelessly receive the registration messages from the mobile station, the access service network including a base station, the base station being configured to provide a radio access to the mobile station, the access service network further including a gateway, the gateway being configured to forward the registration messages and store at least the first lifetime;

a connectivity service network, the connectivity service network being configured to receive the registration messages and store at least the first lifetime, the connectivity service network being further configured to allocate a network resource for the mobile station in response to the registration messages;

wherein;

the gateway is configured to cause the access service network to stop providing the network access to the mobile station if the first lifetime expires before a second registration message is received from the mobile station, the second registration message including at least a second lifetime;

the connectivity service network is configured to independently deallocates the allocated network resource for the mobile station if the first lifetime expires before the second registration message is received from the mobile station.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the mobile Internet protocol lifetime is in compliance with a standard.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the system is compatible with WiMAX standard.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the connectivity service network stores user profiles for subscriber mobile stations.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the access network comprises a base station.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the connectivity service network comprises a home network.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the first registration message comprises mobile internet protocol identifier.