Method and System for Controlling Mobility in a Communication Network, Related Network and Computer Program Product Therefor

• US 20080043758A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• 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 7,940,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/400
• 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: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• 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 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• 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

A communication network, such as a mobile IP network, includes at least one mobile terminal and a plurality of home agents adapted to provide, within working sessions, communication services to the above mobile terminal. In the network, there is an authentication, authorization and accounting platform configured for identifying, within the above plurality, the home agent that serves the at least one mobile terminal in a selective and varying way within a single working session.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A method for providing communication services to at least one mobile terminal in a communication network comprising a plurality of home agents, wherein said at least one mobile terminal uses at least one address to be served by a home agent identified within said plurality and said services are provided to said at least one mobile terminal within working sessions, comprising the steps of:

providing, in said communication network, an authentication, authorization and accounting platform; and

identifying, within said plurality, the home agent that serves said at least one mobile terminal through said authentication, authorization and accounting platform in a selective and varying way within a single working session.

40. The method according to claim 39, comprising the steps of:

identifying, while said at least one mobile terminal is served by a first home agent in said plurality, a second home agent adapted to serve said at least one mobile terminal alternatively with respect to said first home agent; and

reallocating the supply of said services to said at least one mobile terminal from said first home agent to said second home agent.

41. The method according to claim 40, comprising the step of sending from said authentication, authorization and accounting platform to said second home agent configuration information that is adapted to configure said second home agent to allow the supply of said services to said at least one mobile terminal.

42. The method according to claim 40, comprising the step of sending from said authentication, authorization and accounting platform to said at least one mobile terminal through said first home agent configuration information that is adapted to configure said at least one mobile terminal for accessing said services through said second home agent.

43. The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of reallocating the supply of said communication services to said at least one mobile terminal from a first home agent to a second home agent of said plurality, the reallocation being started by said at least one mobile terminal.

44. The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of reallocating the supply of said communication services to said at least one mobile terminal from a first home agent to a second home agent of said plurality, the reallocation being started by said first home agent.

45. The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of reallocating the supply of said communication services to said at least one mobile terminal from a first home agent to a second home agent of said plurality, the reallocation being started by said authentication, authorization and accounting platform.

46. The method according to claim 43, wherein said reallocation is subjected to a consent message from said authentication, authorization and accounting platform.

47. The method according to claim 44, wherein said reallocation is subjected to a consent message from said authentication, authorization and accounting platform.

48. The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of reallocating the supply of said communication services to said at least one mobile terminal from a first home agent to a second home agent of said plurality ensuring the survival of on-going application sessions.

49. The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of reallocating the supply of said communication services to said at least one mobile terminal from a first home agent to a second home agent of said plurality when at least one condition occurs selected from the group of:

said at least one mobile terminal detects that said second home agent is adapted to provide said communication services with better performances with respect to said first home agent,

said first home agent detects the occurrence of an overload situation, and

said authentication, authorization and accounting platform detects that said second home agent is adapted to provide to said at least one mobile terminal said communication services with better performances with respect to said first home agent.

50. The method according to claim 41, wherein said configuration information sent to said second home agent comprises parameters selected from the group of:

an identifier of said at least one mobile terminal,

a new address assigned to said at least one mobile terminal for communications with said second home agent, and

the necessary parameters for activating a security association that can be used in communications between said at least one mobile terminal and said second home agent.

51. The method according to claim 42, wherein said configuration information sent to said at least one mobile terminal through said first home agent comprises parameters selected from the group of:

address of said second home agent,

a new address assigned to said at least one mobile terminal for communications with said second home agent, and

the lifetime, possibly equal to infinite, of the address used by said at least one mobile terminal for communications with said first home agent.

52. The method according to claim 48, comprising the step of pointing out through a status function the fact that said address used by said at least one mobile terminal for communications with said first home agent is adapted to be used to start new communications and/or only for ending the existing communications to ensure the survival of said current application sessions.

53. The method according to claim 52, comprising the step of assigning to said status function at least one value selected from the group of:

a first value identifying that said address can be used to start new communications,

a second value identifying that said address can be used only for existing communications, and

a third value identifying that said address cannot be used either for new communications or for existing communications.

54. The method according to claim 53, comprising the steps of:

when said status function has said first value, assigning to said at least one mobile terminal a new address for communicating with said second home agent, thereby switching said status function from said first value to said second value; and

switching said status function from said second value to said third value when said at least one mobile terminal has ended all communications previously activated depending on the address used for communications with said first home agent.

55. The method according to claim 54, comprising the step of forcing the passage of said status function from said second value to said third value when a timeout interval elapses.

56. The method according to claim 41, comprising the step of establishing a security association for protecting communications between said at least one mobile terminal and said second home agent through the steps of:

sending, from said authentication, authorization and accounting platform to said second home agent, at least one secret to establish said security association; and

deducing said secret from said at least one mobile terminal from the authentication procedure performed with said authentication, authorization and accounting platform.

57. The method according to claim 39, comprising the step of configuring said network as network where the terminal mobility is managed with a mobile IP protocol.

78. A computer program product adapted to be loaded in the memory of at least one electronic computer and comprising portions of software code capable of performing the method according to claim 39.

58-1. The system according to claim 58, wherein said authentication, authorization and accounting platform is configured for:

identifying, while said at least one mobile terminal is served by a first home agent in said plurality, a second home agent adapted to serve said at least one mobile terminal alternatively with respect to said first home agent; and

reallocating the supply of said services to said at least one mobile terminal from said first home agent to said second home agent.

60. The system according to claim 59, wherein said authentication, authorization and accounting platform is configured to send to said second home agent configuration information that is adapted to configure said second home agent to allow the supply of said services to said at least one mobile terminal.

69. The system according to claim 60, wherein said configuration information sent to said second home agent comprises parameters selected from the group of:

an identifier of said at least one mobile terminal,

a new address assigned to said at least one mobile terminal for communications with said second home agent, and

the necessary parameters for activating a security association that can be used in communications between said at least one mobile terminal and said second home agent.

75. The system according to claim 60, wherein the system is configured for establishing a security association for protecting communications between said at least one mobile terminal and said second home agent, the system comprising said authentication, authorization and accounting platform configured for sending to said second home agent at least one secret to establish said security association, and for deducing said secret from said at least one mobile terminal from the authentication procedure performed with said authentication, authorization and accounting platform.

61. The system according to claim 59, wherein said authentication, authorization and accounting platform is configured to send to said at least one mobile terminal through said first home agent configuration information that is adapted to configure said at least one mobile terminal for accessing said services through said second home agent.

70. The system according to claim 61, wherein said configuration information sent to said at least one mobile terminal through said first home agent comprises parameters selected from the group of:

address of said second home agent,

a new address assigned to said at least one mobile terminal for communications with said second home agent, and

the lifetime, possibly equal to infinite, of the address used by said at least one mobile terminal for communications with said first home agent.