Routing Method, System, Corresponding Network and Computer Program Product

• US 20070230459A1
• Filed: 04/19/2004
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Giaretta, Gerardo, Guardini, Ivano
• Granted Patent: US 7,808,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for controlling the routing of the traffic relating to a mobile node associated with a provider'"'"'s network, the mobile node being capable of communicating with at least one correspondent node associated with an additional network. For the mobile node and the correspondent node, there is the possibility of communicating in at least a first operation mode through the provider'"'"'s network and in a second operation mode by an at least partial exclusion of the provider'"'"'s network. The system includes at least one element associated with the provider'"'"'s network typically formed by a server acting as a home agent and configured to selectively check the authorization of said mobile node to operate in the second operation mode.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A method for controlling the routing of traffic relating to a mobile node associated with a network of a provider, said mobile node being capable of communicating with at least one correspondent node associated with an additional network, comprising the steps of:

providing, for said mobile node and said correspondent node, the possibility of communicating in at least one first operation mode through said provider'"'"'s network and in a second operation mode, by excluding, at least in part, said provider'"'"'s network; and

associating with said provider'"'"'s network at least one element so configured as to selectively check the authorization of said mobile node to act in said second operation mode.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising the step of configuring a server of said provider'"'"'s network that serves said mobile node as said at least one element.

29. The method according to claim 27, comprising the step of selectively inhibiting through said at least one element, the use of said second operation mode by said mobile node, forcing said mobile node to use said first operation mode.

30. The method according to claim 27, comprising the steps of:

intercepting through said element associated with said provider'"'"'s network at least one signaling message generated by said mobile node to set said second operation mode; and

selectively intervening on the changeover between said first operation mode and said second operation mode as a function of said intercepted message.

31. The method according to claim 27, comprising the steps of:

selectively checking at given intervals, through said at least one element associated with said provider'"'"'s network, the authorization of said mobile node to operate in said second operation mode; and

binding the continuation of operation of said mobile node in said second operation mode to the application of defined rates/charging plans.

32. The method of claim 27, comprising the steps of:

receiving through said at least one element associated with the provider'"'"'s network, at least one message sent by said mobile node and indicative of the possible activation of said second operation mode;

registering at said at least one element associated with the provider'"'"'s network, the current position of said mobile node; and

verifying through said element associated with the provider'"'"'s network, whether the mobile node is authorized to communicate in said second operation mode from that current position.

33. The method of claim 27, comprising the step of sending to said mobile node an acknowledgement message containing a symbol indicative of the fact that the communication in said second operation mode is allowed or not allowed.

34. The method of claim 27, comprising, in the event that said mobile node is not authorized to communicate in said second operation mode, at least one of the steps of:

sending to the mobile node a message notifying that said second operation mode is not allowed on said additional network; and

applying filtering policies to messages sent out by said mobile node toward said correspondent node.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein said network is a network in which the mobility of the terminals is managed through a mobile IP type protocol.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein said first operation mode is an operation mode of bi-directional tunneling type.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein said second operation mode is an operation mode of route optimization type.

38. The method according to claim 30, comprising the step of using a message of home test init type, as the at least one signaling message generated by said mobile node to set said second operation mode.

52. A computer program product loadable in the memory of at least one electronic computer and comprising portions of software code capable of performing the method according to claim 27.

39. A system for controlling the routing of the traffic relating to a mobile node associated with a provider'"'"'s network, said mobile node being capable of communicating with at least one correspondent node associated with an additional network, wherein for said mobile node and said correspondent node, there is the possibility of communicating in at least a first operation mode through said provider'"'"'s network and a second operation mode by at least partial exclusion of said provider'"'"'s network, comprising at least one element associated with said provider'"'"'s network and configured for selectively checking the authorization of said mobile node to operate in said second operation mode.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said at least one element associated with said provider'"'"'s network is a server of said provider'"'"'s network serving said mobile node.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein said at least one element associated with the provider'"'"'s network is configured to selectively inhibit through said at least one element, the use of said second operation mode by said mobile node, forcing said mobile node to use said first operation mode.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the system is configured to:

intercept through said element associated with said provider'"'"'s network, at least one signaling message generated by said mobile node to set a second operation mode; and

intervene selectively on the changeover between said first operation mode and said second operation mode as a function of said intercepted message.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein at least one element associated with the provider'"'"'s network is configured to:

selectively check at determined intervals, through said at least one element associated with said provider'"'"'s network, the authorization of said mobile node to operate in said second operation mode; and

make the continuation of operation of said mobile node in said second operation conditional upon defined rates/charging plans.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein said element associated with the provider'"'"'s network is configured to:

receive from said mobile node at least one message indicative of the possible activation of the second operation;

register the current position of mobile node; and

check through said element associated with the provider'"'"'s network, whether said mobile node is authorized to communicate in said second operation mode from said current position.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein said system is configured to use a message of the home test init type as the at least one signaling message generated by said mobile node to set the second operation mode.

46. The system according to claim 39, wherein said at least one element associated with the provider'"'"'s network is configured to send to said mobile node an acknowledgment message containing a symbol indicative of the fact that communication in said second operation mode is allowed or not allowed.

47. The system according claim 39, wherein said at least one element associated with the provider'"'"'s network is configured to accomplish, in case said mobile node is not authorized to communicate in said second operation mode, at least one of the steps of:

sending to the mobile node a message notifying that said second operation mode is not allowed in said additional network; and

applying filtering policies to messages sent by said mobile node toward said correspondent node.

48. A communications network comprising a system according to claim 39.

49. The communications network of claim 48, wherein said network is a network of mobile IP type.

50. The network of claim 48, wherein said first operation mode is an operation mode of bi-directional tunneling type.

51. The network of claim 48, wherein said second operation mode is an operation mode of route optimization type.